Question 1

What is a freight forwarder responsible for?

Accepted Answer

A freight forwarder serves as an agent and manages the shipment of your imported goods, starting from origin to destination. It makes sure that your goods get across international borders, covering logistics and transportation.

A freight forwarder also does the booking to the carrier companies, be it by road, sea, rail, or air. While at it, it makes sure that the contracted shipping terms are in sync with the responsibilities of the seller and buyer for the goods shipped.

Question 2

How much is a customs broker?

Accepted Answer

Usually, custom broker fees are:

$60 for post-customs clearance
$110 for air freight customs clearance
$125 for sea freight customs clearance
For food products, alcoholic products, personal effects, unaccompanied goods, individual and personal goods, the rates for import permits are different.

You might want to know that Australian customs duty rates start at 5% based on the value of the goods, and a good and service tax begins at 10% based on imported goods.

Question 3

What does a customs broker do Australia?

Accepted Answer

This professional is licensed by Australian Border Force, and what a customs broker does is to function as an agent for commercial businesses importing goods into Australia. A customs broker handles and facilitates the customs clearance of a shipment before the Australian Border Force and other government bodies.

Furthermore, a customs broker will assess the correct code, customs value and arrive at the correct amount due. Because there are changing government rules and regulations pertaining to import transactions, it is important to have a customs broker by your side.

Question 4

How do I find a good freight forwarder?

Accepted Answer

There are several associations or organizations that can recommend the best freight forwarder for you. You can look up associations representing the freight forwarding industry. In Australia, The International Forwarders And Customs Brokers Association is known as the country’s top national body, and it functions to make sure that there is an adequate representation of the members and their interests in the field of international trade logistics.

Also, they oversee the supply chain management service provider in Australia. Another one is Australia’s International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, and it is one of the biggest NGOs in Australia, taking in its place specifically in the transportation industry.

Question 5

How Much Does a Freight Forwarder Charge?

Accepted Answer

Just like with any other cost assessment, the cost for freight forwarder charges needs to take in several factors first. Keep in mind that your freight forwarder’s pricing structure must have all the things that your shipment will need.

There are freight forwarders that come up with freight rates starting with a flat fee whilst others charge on the basis of weight and volume.

If you plan to get the services of the freight forwarder for your shipments, then coming up or agreeing on a better deal will help lessen your costs. However, price is just one of the many considerations in choosing the right freight forwarder, as you must also consider these:

Assess if you need consolidating services
Know if your shipment is small enough to be assembled into a bigger cargo
Look out for hidden costs
Make sure that your freight forwarder gives you a detailed breakdown of all costs for your shipments.

Question 6

Do you need a customs broker?

Accepted Answer

It is really ideal and beneficial to use a customs broker, more so when your business is about to import a large number of products into Australia or when your business has frequent shipments.

A customs broker is someone who can alleviate some of the pressure from the needed papers to bring the goods across the border safely. These professionals make and arrange all the documentation, and they clear all customs upon the ship’s arrival at the port of entry.

Functions that a customs broker does include assessing the duties, taxes, and fees your business must pay for the shipment, putting together customs bonds, certification of goods, duty drawbacks, and the final dispatching of the consigned goods.

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