Rights and obligations of the freight forwarder

The volumes of cargo transportation in our time are growing every day. And along with this, the profession as a forwarder becomes more and more popular . This specialist, tracking the way of the goods, is the agent of the carrier, who organizes the transport and forwarding services. And the duties of the freight forwarder are not just cargo escorts, he also plans and organizes his transportation. In principle, this specialist can coordinate the transportation of any cargo (container, dangerous and loose, bulk and other cargo). And he must know the negative and positive aspects when using a certain transport in any region. The freight forwarder must be able to draw up transportation plans, while choosing acceptable transportation. It is also the responsibility of the freight forwarder to control the loading and unloading stages and the current state of the cargo entrusted to him.

But no matter how accurate planning, everything can happen on the road. And during the journey there are sometimes circumstances that threaten the environment, the safety of people, the safety of the goods or can lead to an accident. Then it is the freight forwarder's responsibility to transport the goods to resolve these situations. First of all, he must contact the customer of the cargo transportation and coordinate his actions with him. But if this does not work, then he has the right to act independently. At the same time the freight forwarder is aware that later he will have to explain to the customer the necessity, legitimacy and inevitability of his actions.

Also in the duties of the freight forwarder is the acceptance of the goods in the warehouse and verification of its compliance with the accompanying documents. He also needs to ensure the integrity of the package and check the availability of the devices necessary for the transport of goods. The forwarder also checks the sanitary condition of the transport, which will be used for transportation. He personally supervises loading and unloading, stacking and placement of goods. Then he accompanies him to his destination. And during the journey, the freight forwarder is responsible for ensuring the necessary mode of cargo storage. Upon arrival at the site, he delivers the delivered goods and draws up all the necessary documentation. He also takes part in drafting acts on damage to the cargo, its shortage and other similar troubles.

Still quite in demand now is the vacancy of the driver-forwarder. And the usual driving experience for this post will be small. Such an expert should not only deliver the goods to the destination and be able to fill out a waybill. The duties of the forwarding driver are broader than those of the usual "drivers", which affects his salary. He already personally, in accordance with waybills, accepts the goods in the warehouse. At the same time, the driver-forwarder must check the integrity of the package and check whether the goods are properly packed in the body of his car. After that, the entire responsibility for the load rests with him. And he follows him on the way to the time of delivery to his addressee. Such a driver should be able to correctly draw up documents that confirm the receipt and shipment of goods.

In addition to duties, the freight forwarder also has rights. So, he can independently choose a route, subcontractors and a vehicle, unless otherwise specified in the instructions of the customer. The freight forwarder can independently check documents and information about the cargo that he receives from the customer. And if at the same time there are inconsistencies, then the responsibility for the resulting consequences, he can shift to the shoulders of the client. Also, the freight forwarder can terminate the contract, while receiving payment for the work already done, if the customer himself has changed the instructions or the original terms of the contract so that it is no longer possible to fulfill them.