Freight transportation types and services are various. All geared towards bringing imported goods from origin to destination. Transportation services embrace a whole lot, including import and export haulage, loading and offloading, etc. This article will focus on types of freight transportation services available to importers and when best to use each one. Thus, the article will help you avoid headache that results from lack of clear-cut transport arrangement. The article presents you with choice making when it comes to cargo movement.
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FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TYPES: DOORSTEP-TO-PORT ARRANGEMENT
Freight transportation from doorstep-to-port is also referable to as from shipper to port. The port in question is not the port at the country of supply, but the destination port. Therefore, the cost in this kind of freight transportation arrangement covers expenses from specified address at the supply country to the port at destination. Thus, the freight Forwarder must have factored all loading and offloading, export haulage and handling at the supply. The exporter pays nothing to let the Forwarder pick up the goods from exporter’s warehouse.
To take delivery of cargo at destination, the importer would have to settle terminal handling charges and shipping company local charges. Similarly, the importer will bear the responsibility of local import haulage. This kind of arrangement is highly recommended for importers in Nigeria for reasons I will make known down this article. If your importation is to Nigeria, and if you are importing on C&F or CIF commercial terms, then go ahead and use doorstep to port freight transportation.
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FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TYPES: FORWARDER’S WAREHOUSE TO PORT
Cargo carriage from Forwarder’s warehouse means that the shipper takes the responsibility of bringing item to the Forwarder. The Forwarder’s-Warehouse-to-port services encompass all transport expenses such as surcharges and other levies at the supply port. Again, like the doorstep-to-port kind of arrangement, this is good for C&F kind of trade. The only difference between doorstep-to-port and forwarder’s-warehouse-to-port is that the goods are brought to the Forwarder for warehouse-to-port. Besides, this difference, the importer pays terminal handling at destination, shipping company local charge, import haulage and any other local levy.
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TYPES: DOORSTEP-TO-DOORSTEP (DOOR-DOOR)
In this kind of freight transport arrangement, the customer to the freight forwarder specifies two addresses. Firstly, the Customer specifies the address at supply for cargo pick-up. Secondly, the Customer mentions another address at the destination for cargo delivery. Door-door is what I call complete package. The freight Forwarder considers all factors before raising his end-end charge. The benefit of door-to-door is that it allows the customer focus in issues that are more urgent. If your import is on delivered duty paid kind of INCO Term, or EX Works, you can consider using door-to-door.
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TYPES: WAREHOUSE-TO-DOOR
Warehouse-to-do is similar to door-to-door. However, for warehouse-to-door, the rating of transportation charge is from the freight Forwarder’s warehouse.
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TYPES: PORT-TO-PORT
Port-port freight arrangement means that the Customer hands over goods transport to the Forwarder at the port. The Forwarder takes charge from the port at the supply country to the destination. Typically, the Shipper bears all other transportation until items reach the supply port. In the same way, the importer bears local expenses at the destination. This port-port arrangement is again good for C&F trade.
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TYPES: DOOR-TO-WAREHOUSE
Door-warehouse is freight transport in which the freight Forwarder picks goods from a defined address at supply country, and delivers to defined warehouse at destination. The Forwarder checks and charge for all things until delivery at buyer’s warehouse.
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION: OTHERS
Other forms of cargo transport include PORT-TO-DOOR, PORT-TO-WAREHOUSE, and WAREHOUSE-TO-WAREHOUSE.
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In Conclusion
There are different freight transportation arrangements available to the importers. Most importantly, Importers are to research carefully, and weigh other factors like cost and time, before making choice of carriage. In Nigeria for example, the selection of freight transportation type determines who pays for regulatory certifications. To know more about importing or shipping into Nigeria, read our article for CUSTOMS CLEARING DOCUMENTS NIGERIA.