So what should influence your choice of freight forwarder?

A freight forwarder is the company that arranges the movement of goods for companies exporting and importing by finding out the requirements of the business and then plan the most efficient way of transport, whether road or rail haulage, air freight of shipping lines.
You will need to shortlist your possible freight forwarders by the experience they have with the routes and countries you are interested in as well as the types of goods your company produces. It you have specific needs (such as refrigerated containers) ask a company that uses such services for a recommendation. Your checklist of questions to ask your shortlisted company should include the ancillary provision they have and the level of charges, their trading history and references and the overall costs of their services/ You will also want to know how their customer service works – how willing they are to help you in the process of working abroad and work with to help you succeed.
The factors that affect overall costs include which mode of transport is chosen – for example, air freight is very quick but also significantly more expensive than other modes of transport. How far the goods have to travel is obviously a factor, and how far off the beaten track the destination may be. These distance costs are, of course, a knock-on effect of rising fuel prices. How heavy and how big your good are is a major factor – for smaller cubic metreage (between one and six cubic metres) the charge is for weight and then adds a premium for volume above that level. Sometimes the cost will be based on the overall value per tonne of the goods. There are also differences in the kinds of contract available – per shipment or annual. There is a lot to consider before choosing.