Freight Forwarding
Freight Forwarding
End-to-end customs, documentation and multimodal coordination for import and export cargo.
Overview
Service overview
Freight forwarding covers the parts of an international shipment that sit outside the truck itself — customs documentation, carrier booking across sea, air and road legs, and coordination between everyone who touches the cargo before it reaches you. A single import or export shipment can pass through half a dozen handoffs; our job is making sure none of them stall the load.
We book capacity with ocean and air carriers, prepare and lodge customs documentation, and manage the connecting road leg into or out of our own domestic network — so a container landing at port and the truck that carries it onward are coordinated by the same team rather than two unrelated bookings.
For regular importers and exporters we manage standing documentation templates and compliance requirements per commodity and destination, which cuts the paperwork lead time on repeat shipments considerably.
At a Glance
- Category
- Freight Forwarding
- Industries served
- 6
- Booking
- Quote or dispatch desk
Why It Exists
Problems this service solves
- Customs documentation errors that hold a shipment at port or border for days.
- Multiple unrelated bookings with no single party accountable for the whole journey.
- Uncertainty about total landed cost until duties and clearance fees are finalised.
- Repeat shipments re-doing documentation from scratch each time instead of working from a template.
- No visibility once cargo leaves origin until it unexpectedly arrives, or doesn't.
What's Included
Capabilities
Ocean freight booking (FCL and LCL) and air freight booking for time-sensitive cargo.
Customs brokerage and documentation preparation for import and export, including HS classification support.
Inland haulage from port or airport directly into our regional hub and delivery network.
Bonded warehousing coordination for cargo awaiting clearance.
Standing documentation templates and compliance tracking for recurring importers and exporters.
How It Runs
Process
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1
Shipment planning
Origin, destination, commodity and required transit mode are confirmed, along with any special customs requirements.
-
2
Booking and documentation
Carrier capacity is booked and export/import documentation is prepared and lodged ahead of cargo movement.
-
3
Customs clearance
Our brokerage team manages clearance at origin and destination, flagging any queries before they become delays.
-
4
Inland connection
Cleared cargo is handed directly into our road freight network for onward delivery, rather than waiting on a separate booking.
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5
Delivery and documentation close-out
Final delivery is confirmed and the full document set is archived in your account.
Equipment
Vehicle & equipment requirements
- Ocean and air transport modes are chartered through carrier partners, not part of our owned fleet.
- Inland legs use standard road freight equipment — trailer type is matched to cargo profile.
- Containerised cargo requiring specialised handling (reefer, tank, flat-rack) is arranged case by case at booking; flag any non-standard container type as early as possible in planning.
Coverage
Freight Forwarding operates across our regional hub network. See depot locations, lane coverage and transit estimates on the coverage map.
Who Uses This
Industries served
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Yes — we book both ocean (FCL and LCL) and air freight capacity depending on your cargo's timeline and cost requirements.
Our brokerage team manages the query directly with customs and keeps you informed of the delay; this is handled as part of the standard clearance process, not a separate charge.
Yes — cleared cargo moves directly into our road freight network for onward delivery as part of the same coordinated shipment, rather than a separate booking you arrange yourself.
Also Consider
Related services
Road Freight
Full truckload, partial loads and regional freight scheduled around your production and retail cycles.
Express & Courier
Time-critical parcels and documents moved same-day and next-day, with live proof of delivery.
Warehousing
Bonded and non-bonded storage, pick-and-pack and inventory visibility across our hub network.
Ready to Ship
Move your next Freight Forwarding shipment with Northstar.
Get a rate in minutes, or talk to a dispatch coordinator about a recurring contract.