Freight forwarding questions, answered

A freight forwarder organises the movement of your goods from supplier to destination. That means booking space with carriers, preparing the transport documents, arranging customs clearance and coordinating collection and delivery, so you deal with one party instead of several.

The origin and destination, a description of the goods, the number of pieces with dimensions and weight, the Incoterm agreed with your supplier and the date the goods are ready. Mention dangerous goods or special handling from the start, and add the commodity code if you have it.

We reply to every quote request within 24 business hours.

Each charge on its own line, typically origin charges, main freight, destination charges, customs clearance and delivery, with the currency and anything not included stated. You can see what each part costs instead of one lump sum.

A carrier, such as a shipping line, an airline or a trucking company, physically moves the cargo. A forwarder arranges the transport with carriers on your behalf and handles the paperwork around it.

Each customer has one named contact who handles quotes, bookings and questions from start to finish.

It is the weight the airline bills you for, the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is length x width x height in centimetres, divided by 6,000. Try the chargeable weight calculator.

When the goods are urgent, valuable compared with their weight, or small and light. Air costs several times more per kilo than sea, so many importers send a first batch by air and the rest by sea.

Usually yes, if they are declared and packed under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, with a UN38.3 test summary for the battery. Batteries shipped on their own are generally accepted on cargo aircraft only, and damaged or recalled batteries cannot fly.

Direct air freight is booked on its own air waybill and flies on the next suitable flight. Consolidated freight is combined with other shipments under one master air waybill, which usually costs less but takes longer.

Direct airport to airport usually takes 2 to 4 days, and consolidated 5 to 8 days. Add time for pickup, export clearance, import clearance and the truck to your address. More on air freight to and from Germany.

EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is the number customs uses to identify you in declarations, and you need one to import or export goods commercially in the EU. A company based in Germany applies for it with German customs.

It is the number, also called an HS code, that classifies your goods in the customs tariff. The EU uses at least 8 digits, and the code decides the duty rate and whether any licence or restriction applies.

It is charged on the customs value plus any duty, plus transport costs to the first destination in the EU if they are not already included. The standard rate is 19 percent and the reduced rate 7 percent. The import duty and VAT calculator gives an estimate.

ICS2 is the EU’s Import Control System 2, which collects safety and security data about goods before they are loaded or arrive. It needs an accurate goods description and commodity code, and missing or vague data can delay or stop a shipment.

With DDP (delivered duty paid) the exporter takes responsibility for freight, import clearance, duty and import VAT in Germany, and the buyer receives the goods with nothing more to pay. The exporter needs someone in Germany to clear the goods, and we arrange DDP shipments through customs clearance in Germany.

CBAM is the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which applies to imports of certain carbon-intensive goods such as iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen, and some products made from them. Coverage depends on the commodity code of your goods, so check it with customs or an adviser.