Do you really understand the export freight forwarding process?

In the current increasingly prosperous global trade, the export freight forwarding industry plays a pivotal role. For many foreign trade enterprises, understanding the export freight forwarding process is of great importance. Today, let's walk into the world of export freight forwarding clearly and intuitively through process pictures.

This is the starting point of the entire process. When a cargo owner (such as Ms. Li's foreign trade company) has goods to be exported, they will entrust a freight forwarding company (such as Zhongshitong). The cargo owner needs to provide detailed cargo information, including the name, quantity, weight, volume, destination, etc. of the goods, just like filling out a detailed cargo resume. As can be seen from the process pictures, this stage is like the cornerstone of building a house, laying the foundation for subsequent operations. After receiving the consignment, the freight forwarding company will evaluate this information to determine whether it can undertake the business.

After accepting the consignment, the freight forwarding company (Zhongshitong) will book shipping space with the shipping company or airline according to the situation of the goods and the requirements of the cargo owner. When booking, it is necessary to inform the shipping company or airline of the specific situation of the goods and the estimated shipping time. In the process pictures, this step is like booking an exclusive "seat" for the goods in the vast transportation network. After receiving the booking application, if there is an appropriate shipping space, the shipping company or airline will confirm the booking with the freight forwarding company and issue a shipping space confirmation, which is an important voucher for the goods to "set off".

After obtaining the shipping space confirmation, the next step is container making. If it is a full container load, the freight forwarding company will arrange for a container to be loaded at the designated location. Mr. Zhang's factory is one of the loading points. After the goods are loaded into the container, it will be sealed. If it is a less than container load, the goods will be centralized in the warehouse of the freight forwarding company and wait to be combined with the goods of other cargo owners into a full container. At the same time, the customs declaration process is also carried out simultaneously. The freight forwarding company will prepare the documents required for customs declaration, such as commercial invoices, packing lists, customs declarations, verification forms, etc., and declare to the customs. The customs will inspect the goods, and only after passing the inspection can the goods be exported smoothly. From the process pictures, the interrelated and rigorous operation steps of these two links can be clearly seen.

After the customs clearance, the goods can be loaded onto the ship or aircraft. During the loading process, the freight forwarding company must ensure that the goods are safely and accurately loaded onto the means of transportation. Once the goods are successfully loaded, the transportation officially begins. Whether it is a freighter sailing on the vast sea or an aircraft shuttling between the blue sky and white clouds, they are all carrying the expectations of the cargo owner and heading towards the destination. The process pictures present this dynamic transportation process in an intuitive way, making us seem to be able to see the "journey" of the goods during transportation.

After the goods arrive at the port of destination, the agent of the freight forwarding company at the port of destination will be responsible for the subsequent operations. They need to send a notice of arrival to the consignee, just like informing the consignee in advance that "your goods are on the way and will be delivered soon". After receiving the notice, the consignee needs to go through the customs clearance procedures and pay relevant taxes and fees. Only after completing these steps can the consignee smoothly pick up the goods. At this point, the entire export freight forwarding process is successfully completed. The last part of the process pictures clearly shows this key delivery link, drawing a full stop to the entire process.

The export freight forwarding process is complex, but through detailed process pictures, we can clearly understand each of its links. It is hoped that foreign trade practitioners can better master this process and make the export of goods smoother. Everyone is also welcome to share their experiences and problems in the process of export freight forwarding in the comment section and discuss and communicate together.