Freight Forwarder FAQ

A freight forwarder is an agent who acts on behalf of importers, exporters or other companies to organize the safe, efficient and cost-effective transportation of goods.

When establishing business cooperative relationship with companies in China, you are faced with many challenges to conquer; freightage should not have to be one of these. To ensure that to save time and money by handling all the logistical details of a shipment, manufacturers should outsource their shipping process to a freight forwarding partner. DiFreight does all the above work for you. Our long-term business relationship with truckers, carriers, and warehouses allow us to get the best rates and service for you. You just need to tell us when and where to pick-up and deliver your consignments, and we do the rest for you.

A Packing List is a document which details the contents, and often dimensions and weight, of each package or container. It serves to inform all parties involved with shipping, including transport agencies, government authorities, and customers, about the contents of the package. It helps them deal with the package accordingly.

The Commercial Invoice is the basic statement of the seller to the buyer for goods shipped; it ideally represents a complete record of the business transaction between the exporter and the importer with regard to the goods sold. A Commercial invoice must include: Vendor contact info, Buyer contact info, detailed item description, country of manufacture of the goods, price, quantity, and HTS codes.

The United States imposes tariffs (customs duties) on imports of goods. The duty is levied at the time of import and is paid by the importer of record. Customs duties vary by country of origin and product. Goods from many countries are exempt from duty under various trade agreements.

Generally, bulky items, which do not weigh very much, will be charged base on how much space they occupy on the aircraft or truck. In these cases, the volume/dimensional weight is used to calculate the shipment cost. The greater of the two is used to work out your chargeable weight.

Using INCHES: LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT / 366 = VOLUME WEIGHT IN KG
Using CENTIMETERS: LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT / 6000 = VOLUME WEIGHT IN KG
Using METERS: LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT * 167 = VOLUME WEIGHT IN KG
Using Inches: L x W x H / 166 = VOLUME WEIGHT IN LBS

Terminal & handling fees are charges due upon arrival at the destination airport or seaport. These fees are charged by the local warehouse for handling your goods from the airplane or ocean liner to a local customs bonded warehouse. These charges are universal with all shipping companies