Logistics & Operations: find professionals

Logistics and operations covers freight brokers and freight forwarders, customs agents, warehousing and order fulfilment, for businesses that ship goods.

A freight broker finds hauliers for full or partial loads. A freight forwarder arranges international shipments by sea, air and road. Customs agents prepare customs declarations, calculate duties and clear goods at the border. Warehousing and fulfilment companies store inventory and pick, pack and ship orders for online shops.

You can appoint a customs agent or broker, a freight forwarder or an express operator to deal with customs on your behalf, but they cannot act without written instructions from you, and the instructions must say whether they are acting directly or indirectly. They must be established in the UK for customs purposes, and you remain responsible for due diligence on your customs declarations. Ask which routes, modes and volumes a firm handles, how they price, who is liable if goods are lost or damaged, and what insurance covers your shipments.