The procedures outlined above provide a high-level overview of the freight forwarding process that most businesses will go through in order to do overseas business. Additionally, the freight forwarder’s responsibilities include mapping correct routes and identifying the most advantageous travel alternatives for the consignee. This may encompass air, land, and marine routes. The kind of products and cargo being sent dictates the type of freight forwarding services required for company success.

All main modes of freight may be classified into their respective service categories. Ground freight is classified as Less-Than-Truckload and Full-Truckload, whereas ocean and air freight are also classified as ground freight.

The two primary modes of ground freight shipment are less-than-truckload and full-truckload. Less-than-truckload is a term that refers to items and commodities that do not completely fill the truck.

This enables other carriers to collaborate in order to save money on smaller shipments. The converse is true for full-truckload (FTL); an entire truck is devoted to a single shipper. FTL benefits shippers that demand specialized space and a reduced transit time for high-value goods (LTL requires more time by transport from one truck to another).