If you’re conducting business abroad doubtless you’ll already have heard of freight forwarding services. They take the stress out of international shipping allowing the business owner to concentrate on their core activities. They also provide a cost-effective solution for many different businesses, simplifying and streamlining international trade.
How much does it cost to use a freight forwarder?
Costs do of course differ depending on what you are shipping, the distance it needs to travel and the quantity. Most of the time when you use a freight forwarder you’ll agree a quote for the entire process, from collection to delivery.
While this may sound simple, these costs are in fact made up of a large number of different elements. Your quote should be itemised so you can see what is covered and what isn’t. Ultimately, your freight forwarding cost will depend on the number and extent of the services that you require.
On your itemised quote you should see charges for a range of different services. This will usually include:
Transport costs
Transport costs will usually cover haulage to port or airport in the supplier country, sea or air freight costs from that country to the UK, then local transport in the UK to the delivery location. These costs will be calculated using the cargo weight or the volume, or in some cases, both.
Product specific costs
Freight forwarding costs will also be impacted by the nature of the cargo itself. Sometimes refrigerated transport might be needed for perishable goods. If the cargo is hazardous then extra safety precautions might be necessary or might even require extra licenses and paperwork. Very heavy items could need a crane for loading.
Packing or palletisation
How much packing will be required to safely ship your items? Will they need to be put on pallets in order to be loaded into a container and how many will be required?
Storage costs
If storage is needed either before or after shipping, then this will incur costs based on the length of time that the goods will be in storage and how much space they take up.
Extra route and date specific costs
Some shipping routes and ports incur greater costs than others. Also, some times of year are busier than others, raising the cost of shipping.
Documentation costs
Documentation costs can include export and import paperwork.
Insurance and surcharges
As well as insurance for your cargo, there are possible surcharges to consider such as fluctuations in currency and the price of fuel.
Administration and handling costs
These are paid directly to the freight forwarding company and are usually in the region of between £25 – £55.
SSO Logistics provide a cost-effective and comprehensive freight forwarding service
At SSO Logistics, we can undertake all aspects of freight forwarding. This includes import, export, customs clearance, transport, warehousing and storage.
Our rates are competitive and transparent and we’re always happy to provide a free quote. Contact us today to find out how affordable our service can be.
