The Logistics of Global Trade & Commerce
Smooth Flow of Goods & Merchandise

Top Global Freight Forwarders

Supply Chain Logistics

Global Trade & Freight Forwarders — Global Merchandise Trade || Supply Chain Logistics: Role of Freight Forwarders.

Freight Forwarders are an integral part of Supply Chain Logistics Management. They play an important role in facilitating the flow of Goods and Merchandise—both locally and Globally.

A freight forwarder typically deals with all the essential tasks related to the entire shipping process. That Includes:

Preparing the cargo for shipment, warehousing, tracking the transportation, booking of cargo space on carriers, verifying the documents and exporting them, negotiating the best freight charges, handling cargo insurance, and – if needed, filing for insurance claims, and clearing customs to get the product delivered from its origin to destination.

Active and established Freight Forwarders—based on their expectations, sub-lease space from the carriers; shipping lines, airlines, truck companies etc. They also maintain advance contracts with the customs brokers, warehouses, and other logistics parties.

Experienced freight forwarders have established relationships with their business partners; shipping lines, customs brokers, truck companies, warehouses, dedicated printing companies, and many other businesses that a shipper might need. They provide their customers with all these services necessary to move the products from origin to destination using their network of service providers.

Through these special agreements and contacts with all the associated service providers, they have the advantage to obtain the best deals for their clients and to make the entire process of export/shipping smooth and seamless.

International freight forwarders, acting as agents for exporters / shippers, can also move cargo from “dock-to-door”, providing several significant services.

Below is the list of major Global Freight Forwarders with links to their websites.

[The list of Top Freight Forwarders by Country is compiled separately and is available here.]

[Some Points for Clarification]

Most Top Global Freight Forwarders serve all the major ports across the Globe, and provide a full suite of services; that include:
▸ Cost to serve analysis,
▸ Contract Logistics,
▸ Transport optimization,
▸ Air and Ocean Freight,
▸ Express and Parcels Delivery,
▸ Customs and Compliance,
▸ Warehousing and Distribution,
▸ Global Logistics Solutions, and
▸ Self-Service Control Panel, etc.

The major factors in selecting the ‘right’ freight forwarding company are ultimately going to be the cost for the bundle of needed service and the level of comfort/confidence that the company can inspires.

Another major consideration in selecting a freight forwarder should always be to check its credentials—Licensed to do business in both the country of ‘origin’ and country of ‘destination’, and the affiliations/membership in professional organizations like, FIATA.

[Note: There are many more major Freight Forwarders than those listed here.]

Top Global Freight Forwarders

Kuehne + Nagel

Kuehne + Nagel International AG is a global company based in Schindellegi, Switzerland. It has more than 1,336 offices in 109 countries, with around 82,000 employees.

DHL Supply Chain & Global Forwarding

DHL (Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) International GmbH—a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post DHL, is a US-founded German international courier, parcel, and express mail company. Deutsche Post DHL is the world’s largest logistics company, particularly in sea and air mail. The company delivers over 1.3 billion parcels per year.

XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics is one of the 10 largest transportation and logistics services and the second largest contract logistics provider worldwide. It offers a full suit of Supply Chain solutions.

DB Schenker

DB Schenker (Schenker AG)through its many subsidiaries provides worldwide logistics operations including Ocean Freight, Air and Land Transport, and Contract Logistics/SCMDB srvices worldwide.

Sinotrans

Sinotrans (Sinotrans Limited) – a State-owned enterprise, is one of the largest logistics companies in China. It provide a complete suite of support services including storage and terminal services, trucking and marine transportation globally.

Panalpina *

Panalpina is a Swiss company. With a network of some 500 branches in more than 80 countries, it provides forwarding & logistics services, air and ocean freight, and associated supply chain management globally.

DSV Global Transport and Logistics *

DSV Air & Sea Ltd – a Danish transport and logistics company, provides a comprehensive range of Logistics, Airfreight, and Sea Freight services all around the world.
[* A unified company—DSV Panalpina, emerges as result of the merger of DSV and Panalpina]

Expeditors International

Headquartered in Seattle, USA—with regional headquarters in London, Dubai, Shanghai, and Singapore, Expeditors’ Core global services include Supply Chain Solutions, Transportation, Customs & Compliance.

Nippon Express

Nippon Express Co. (Nippon Tsūun Kabushiki-gaisha, Nittsu) is a Japanese global company that offers a complete suit of Global Logistics Solutions to its customers.

UPS Supply Chain Solutions

UPS Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. provides a full pack of Supply Chain Services— from transportation, freight, logistics, distribution, and consulting to customs brokerage services.

Bolloré Logistics

Bolloré Logistics (previously: SDV) is a French copany. With operations in five major regions (Africa, Europe, the Americas, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and South Asia), it provides services in five core categories: Multimodal Transport, Customs and Regulatory Compliance, Logistics, Global Supply Chain and Industrial Projects.

CEVA Logistics

CEVA Logistics – head office in Baar, Switzerland, with global network covering over 160 countries, is a global Contract Logistics, Supply Chain management, and Freight Management solutions provider.

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics GmbH & Co. KG’ is a logistics services company with head office in Osnabrück, Germany. Services offered include air freight, contract logistics, customs brokerage, eCommerce, road freight, sea freight and sea-air.

GEODIS

GEODIS – a French company, offer its expertise across five lines of business: Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Transportation Management Solutions globally.

Kintetsu World Express

Kintetsu World Express (KWE)-A JApanese company, provides comprehensive services and solutions: Freight Forwarding and a full-range of logistics services to provide “Optimum Distribution Solutions” to its clients on a global scale.

Yusen Logistics

With the operations of Yusen Logistics based in Japan and Yusen Global Freight Management Limited based in Hong Kong; the company provides customized logistics solutions globally.

Kerry Logistics Network

Kerry Logistics – headquartered in Hong Kong, provides services in Global Supply Chains, International Freight Forwarding, Warehoiusing and Distribution.

DACHSER SE

DACHSER Group SE & Co. KG – A German freight company, offer comprehensive logistics solutions, inculding custom clearance and warehousing.

C.H. Robinson

A US company: Through relationships with over 66,000 transportation companies, it offers freight transportation, transportation management, brokerage and warehousing services globally.

Agility Logistics

Agility – headquartered in Kuwait, provides freight forwarding, transportation, warehousing and supply chain management services to businesses, governments, international institutions and relief agencies worldwide.

Hitachi Transport System

The company claims: ‘From anywhere and to anywhere around the world, we move goods seamlessly and efficiently, with our expertise in high-quality transport services. Through our global network, we act as a one-stop service provider.

DAMCO International

As a subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk, DAMCO offers freight forwarding solutions, multi-carrier air, ocean and project logistic services globally.

Toll Group

Toll Group – part of Japan Post Holdings, provides services under three principal operations; Global Forwarding, Global Logistics and Global Express Services, It has some 1200 sites in about 50 countries, mostly in Asia and the Pacific.

CJ Logistics

CJ Logistics (subsidiary of CJ Group) – based in Sout Korea, provides land, air and sea logistics services including forwarding, shipping, contract logistics, parcel and express delivery and supply chain management consulting services.

NNR Global Logistics

NNR Global Logistics (subsidiary of Nishitetsu Group) provide a complete suite of serces in areas of Multi Modal Transportation, Contract Logistics, and Supply Chain Solutions.

LF Logistics

LF Logistics provides supply chain services for Asia region; Greater China, ASEAN, Japan, Korea, the Middle East, and Indian subcontinent.

Orient Overseas Container Line

Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) – based in Hong Kong, is an integrated international container transportation, logistics and terminal company with offices in 70 countries. With its Liner operations, it offers around 78 weekly services around the world.

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