Shipping and Freight Services

Shipping and freight services provide services for transportation of goods and cargo. Despite many variables in shipped products and locations, there are only three basic types of shipments: land, air, and sea. Many companies offer freight services for residential (usually moving furniture) and industrial use. Various sizes of containers are offered for freight in many sizes and specialties, such as refrigerated containers. Freight usually refers to shipping goods by a slower shipping method than express. A shipping and freight service can be classified in two categories: domestic freight service and international freight service. Domestic freight service refers to the transportation of goods within the country while international freight service refers to the transportation of goods from one country to another. Shipping and freight services are an integral part of international trade.

Shipping and freight services are often employed for international shipping demands. International freight service is provided by an individual or company that dispatches shipments between countries using common carriers and books. Common carriers include waterborne vessels, airplanes, trucks, or railroads. International freight service providers also prepare and process the documentation and perform related activities pertaining to those shipments. Some of the typical information reviewed by a freight forwarder is the commercial invoice, shipper's export declaration, and other documents required by the carrier or country of export, import, or transshipment. Much of this information is now processed in a paperless environment. Shippers prepare goods for shipment, by packaging, labeling, and arranging for transit. Shippers also coordinate the transport of goods. On land, the shipment is done by trucking. Trucking refers to transportation of goods and cargo by trucks through roads. When the shipment reaches its destination it is stored in a warehouse before it is finally delivered to the customer. This process of storing goods in a warehouse is called warehousing. Free on board or FOB is an Incoterm. It is similar to free alongside ship (FAS), but the seller also pays the loading costs. The passing of risks occurs when the goods pass the ship's rail at the port of shipment. Internationally the term specifies the port of origin, for example "FOB New York" refers to the origin of shipment from New York. Shipping and freight services usually serve ground shipping more than by air transport because ground shipping can be cheaper and less restrictive to size, quantity, weight, and type of freight.

Shipping and freight services are used in many applications. Examples include its use in the transportation of machines, furniture, military equipment, and reactors from one place to another. Shipping and freight services should adhere to various standards specified by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

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