What are freight forwarders?
Freight forwarders are usually positioned at UK ports, where they oversee the transhipment of goods coming into the port by road or rail. Usually freight forwarders advertise their loads on web-based freight exchanges to be bid for by transport companies. Freight forwarders therefore do not usually run transport fleets of their own but will build a list of companies to whom they subcontract business. Occasionally established transport companies operate a freight forwarding division, allowing them to still make a margin on jobs they do not wish to take on themselves. Freight forwarders, among others, are represented by the British International Freight Association (BIFA).
