A company that arranges transport for shippers, booking space with carriers.
Forwarders handle bookings, documents, consolidation and often customs clearance through partners. Many also act as NVOCCs.
Related terms
- NVOCC — Non-vessel-operating common carrier: a company that sells container shipping without owning ships.
- Consolidation — Combining many small shipments into one container or air pallet.
- House bill of lading (HBL) — A bill of lading issued by a freight forwarder or NVOCC to its own customer.