Which of the following best describes the role of a freight forwarder?

A freight forwarder primarily acts as an intermediary in the shipping process, ensuring that goods move efficiently from one location to another. One of their key responsibilities is to consolidate smaller shipments, which helps to achieve cost savings for clients. By grouping smaller shipments from various companies into one larger shipment, freight forwarders can negotiate better rates with carriers, thereby reducing overall shipping costs. This consolidation can lead to improved efficiency and can be particularly beneficial for companies that don’t have enough volume to fill an entire transportation vehicle on their own.

While managing customs clearance and handling logistics for international shipping are also important functions that some freight forwarders provide, these are not exclusive to their role. They typically don’t own the transportation vehicles themselves; instead, they coordinate with third-party carriers. Therefore, the focus on consolidation as a cost-reduction strategy aligns closely with the core function of freight forwarding in the logistics industry.