Have you ever heard of the term “logistics”? As we all know, behind every business there is a management process. Similarly, the management of goods from inward and outward is called logistics. What is the difference between freight forwarders and logistics? Logistics refers to the management of goods during transportation. It usually works in managing the resources that have been acquired and transported to their final destination. They generally work to identify the suppliers, distributors, and accessibility of the goods.

Are freight forwarders the same as logistics? 

Generally, freight forwarders can be a person or an agency that organizes shipments for the transportation of goods.

They work on getting goods from the manufacturer to the market, or any final destination.

Forwarders contract with carriers, or often multiple carriers, to move the goods from one country to another. The carriers use versatile modes of transportation such as ships, aeroplanes, trucks, and railroads.

Freight forwarders primarily arrange transportation. For example, if someone has to transport their goods from one country to another, freight forwarders will have to arrange for cargo that will move from its desired destination to the airport by truck, which will then land in the chosen country and then move from the airport to the customer’s address by truck. These were international freight forwarders. They typically have expertise in preparing all the documentation and procedures for performing activities.

Freight forwarders seem the same as logistics as they work in partnership.

Logistics manages the flow of things from one point to another, in general, from an area of origin to an area of consumption.

Freight forwarders, on the other hand, arrange transportation for the supply of goods to their desired destinations.

What Is the Difference Between Logistics and Transportation?

Nowadays, as businesses are spreading rapidly, many industries are co-linked with the process of transportation and the movement of goods from point to point.

A logistics manager’s role

Logistics and freight forwarders play a vital role in the running of day-to-day business. But freight forwarders and logistics are two different things. Many people think that they are the same, but they work differently from each other.

Logistics and freight forwarders are both involved in the distribution of goods and other materials. But their ways of working are very different.

Logistics handles the supply of goods and manages the transportation from one end to another. Whereas, forwarders work in the movement of goods.

Logistics handles the storage, cataloguing, packaging, and transportation. And forwarder only includes the movement of products from place to place.

Role of a freight forwarder. 

In simple terms, freight forwarders are responsible for the movement of goods. Their responsibility starts from the time the goods are picked up from the supplier until they are delivered to the buyer’s place.

What is freight forwarding?

An exporter may need a freight forwarder to make some vital decisions during the movement of the goods. Here are some inputs to help you understand the role of the freight forwarder.

A freight forwarder offers advice to the exporter on various expenses, such as the cost of the port, documentation, fees, insurance, and other charges during the export process. They suggest the best possible route for the shipment of the goods.

They arrange the booking of cargo space on a ship, plane, train, or truck.

They coordinate the insurance of the goods and do the necessary follow-up in case of an accident.

They look after the transportation of the cargo and its packing and loading into the carrier.

Once the goods have been carried to their respected carrier, they prepare the documents, which generally consist of all the bills.

What is freight management? 

As previously stated, freight forwarders are responsible for the transportation of goods from one location to another. Similarly, freight management is a process in which transportation is controlled. It is a process in which the steps are controlled and executed in an efficient manner to deliver goods.

Freight management blends human resources, logistics experience, and information to guarantee smooth relations between shippers and carriers.

Why do freight forwarders differ from logistics? 

As mentioned earlier, people who are not in the industry’s supply chain will not understand the precise differences in terms of freight management and logistics management. Many will find the niche roles to be one and the same.

However, by displaying the definitions and activities fulfilled by each management, a clear-cut difference is shown.

Logistics management is a broader, comprehensive term. The extent of logistics management is wide-ranging and covers many jobs and stakeholders.

Freight management is a subdivision of logistics management and is of equal importance. Because without the specific and detailed methods of freight management, there could be no fulfilment of logistics management. Without both managers, many companies would grind to a halt, causing a domino effect throughout the world.

Logistics management that works

Effective logistics management involves many factors, which include the following:

• Product, vehicle, and operation planning, as well as how it all fits together.
• Teamwork is very important for the growth of any company or organisation. From delivery boy to manager, it basically includes the training of employees in the skills required for the betterment of the company.
• Management is the key factor, as logistics depends on the types of goods as well as the process of handling products.

Effective freight forwarding 

It is the mode in which all the logistics are executed.

It includes the following factors:

• Transportation of goods
• Documentation
• Selection of the right freight forwarder

Is Common Carrier a freight forwarder?

A common carrier can be a freight forwarder, but in general, a common carrier is a person that transports goods on regular routes at fixed rates. It can be a company that works on a small scale.

But a freight forwarder is a person or a company that works on a large scale. They organise large shipments of products or goods for people or companies from one destination to another. It is usually referred to as “origin to destination.” They work with the collaboration of these carriers to move the goods.

Are freight and cargo similar? 

Freight and cargo are almost the same, but there are a few points that are different between the two terms.

Some people often don’t know the difference between cargo and freight.

The only factor that makes them different from each other is the vehicle that carries goods.

When the goods are carried from origin to the desired destination, the vehicles that carry them are not called aircraft freight planes; we refer to them as cargo planes. The same goes for vehicles going through the ocean. They are referred to as cargo ships.

In short, freight is a product or well-moved overland from a location by train or truck, whereas cargo is a product or well moved overseas by ocean or air.