# Freight forwarding company

*Last updated: 2026-06-22*

> A freight forwarding company organizes, coordinates, and contractually manages the movement of goods from shipper to consignee, without necessarily operating its own transport assets.

A freight forwarding company organizes, coordinates, and contractually manages the movement of goods from shipper to consignee, without necessarily operating its own transport assets. The forwarder engages external carriers and takes responsibility for the full logistics chain: collection, documentation, customs clearance, transhipment, warehousing, and final delivery. This distinguishes the forwarder from a carrier, who physically executes the transport with owned vessels, trucks, or aircraft. In international trade, forwarders frequently act as customs brokers as well; their liability is typically governed by national standard trading conditions or FIATA rules. Large global forwarders operate as network integrators across all modes, while smaller operators often focus on specific trade lanes or transport types.

**Source:** [https://fiata.org](https://fiata.org)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Freight forwarding company |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 110 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22 |
| Source | https://fiata.org |

---

*Logistics Glossary — Freight Academy: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight-forwarding-company-2](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight-forwarding-company-2)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/glossary/en/freight-forwarding-company-2](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/glossary/en/freight-forwarding-company-2)*

*JSON summary: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/glossary/freight-forwarding-company-2/llm-summary?lang=en](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/glossary/freight-forwarding-company-2/llm-summary?lang=en)*