Choosing a logistics partner for your stables comes down to a critical decision: should you use the factory’s recommended forwarder or select your own? While letting the factory manage shipping seems simple, you often sacrifice control over costs and carrier selection. Taking charge with your own agent puts you in the driver’s seat, but it also means understanding the difference between a freight forwarder and an NVOCC.

This guide explains why choosing your own partner under FOB terms offers more control than a bundled service like CIF or DDP. We’ll cover the key functions a good logistics partner manages, from coordinating customs to handling the claims process, where you have a 9-month window to file and the carrier has 120 days to respond. You’ll learn exactly what to expect when you take control of your freight.

What Does a Freight Forwarder Do?

A freight forwarder is a logistics agent that plans and manages the entire shipping process. They handle booking space on trucks, ships, or planes, prepare all necessary documentation like the bill of lading, and ensure shipments clear customs and comply with regulations.

Coordinating Shipments from Start to Finish

A freight forwarder acts as a project manager for your cargo. They begin by planning the most efficient route and selecting the best transport mode—whether by truck, rail, sea, or air. Using their established network, they book cargo space with carriers and negotiate freight rates on your behalf. Their service often covers the complete door-to-door journey, including coordinating inland drayage from the origin point and arranging for any necessary warehousing. For smaller shipments that don’t require a full container, they organize Less-than-Container Load (LCL) consolidation at a Container Freight Station (CFS), combining goods from multiple shippers into a single container to optimize costs and efficiency.

Managing Documentation and Regulatory Compliance

Beyond physical logistics, a forwarder manages the critical flow of information and paperwork. They prepare and file essential shipping documents, such as the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, and certificates of origin. For shipments from the U.S., they file the Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the AES system when required. The forwarder also navigates the complexities of customs clearance by assisting with HS code classification, calculating duties and taxes, and ensuring all declarations are accurate. Their responsibilities include ensuring compliance with export controls (EAR/ITAR) and Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) rules. Finally, they can manage cargo insurance and process any claims for damage or loss, protecting your financial interests throughout the shipping process.

Using “Our” Forwarder (CIF/DDP) vs. “Your” Forwarder (FOB)

Choosing your own forwarder (FOB) gives you direct control over shipping costs, carrier selection, and transit times, but you manage the process. Using our forwarder (CIF or DDP) simplifies logistics by bundling freight into your order, but you have less direct control over the supply chain.

FOB (Free On Board): Taking Control with Your Forwarder

When you choose FOB (Free On Board), you appoint and manage your own freight forwarder. This approach gives you direct control over the entire logistics process from the port of origin. You decide on the shipping line, balance transit times against costs, and can consolidate shipments if needed. This is a common choice for experienced importers who have a trusted logistics partner.

Under FOB terms, our responsibility ends once your écuries mobiles are loaded onto the ship. From that point, you assume full ownership of the cost and risk. You will directly handle payments for the main ocean freight, cargo insurance, and all charges in Australia or New Zealand, including customs clearance, duties, taxes, and final delivery to your site.

CIF & DDP: How We Handle Shipping for You

If you prefer a simpler approach, we can manage shipping for you under CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) or DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms. With CIF, we arrange and pay for the main sea freight and provide minimum insurance coverage to your destination port. Although we manage the main sea journey, the risk legally transfers to you once the stables are loaded onto the ship. You are then responsible for all destination costs, including import clearance, duties, and arranging final delivery.

DDP offers the most comprehensive service. We manage the entire supply chain from our factory to your specified address. This includes all freight, insurance, customs clearance, and payment of all duties and taxes. With DDP, you have a single point of contact and one price that covers the entire process. We retain all risk and responsibility until the stables are delivered to your property, ready for you to unload.

The Communication Advantage of Nominated Agents

A nominated agent, authorized via a Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI) or Power of Attorney (POA), provides a communication advantage by establishing clear legal responsibility for export filings and compliance. This structure ensures timely issue reporting, accurate documentation, and proactive updates from port to destination.

Clear Roles and Regulatory Compliance

When you authorize a freight forwarder as your agent through a Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI) or a Power of Attorney (POA), you create a clear legal framework for your export shipments. This documentation formally defines who is responsible for preparing and filing the Electronic Export Information (EEI) with the government. This defined structure clarifies accountability and helps ensure both the shipper and the agent comply with U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR). For example, under 15 CFR 762, the forwarder must retain these authorization records, making responsibilities transparent and auditable.

Proactive Updates and Issue Resolution

A nominated agent maintains open lines of communication through established protocols. Many shippers and forwarders hold scheduled meetings to discuss performance metrics, address new regulatory requirements, and resolve any discrepancies in documentation or process. This collaborative approach ensures that potential problems are identified and handled before they cause delays. When issues do arise, the agent has a clear mandate to report them and work with you on a solution.

For international shipments, destination agents provide on-the-ground support and information. They use pre-alerts and real-time updates to manage local port notifications, coordinate with customs authorities, and send advisories to the consignee. Many forwarders also leverage global networks, such as WCA and X2, to gain access to vetted partners who can provide reliable monitoring and communication coordination at ports worldwide.

Horse Stables Engineered for Any Climate, Anywhere.

From Australia’s heat to Poland’s winters, our stables are precision-built with rust-proof steel and climate-specific materials to ensure your horses are safe and comfortable. Explore our fully customizable, regulation-compliant designs and find the perfect long-term solution for your installation équestre.

Découvrez nos écuries →

Tracking Visibility

Modern tracking visibility centralizes data from trucks, ships, planes, and trains into a single platform. Forwarders use technologies like GPS telematics, which update every few minutes, and data standards like EDI 214 to provide a complete timeline of events from pickup to delivery, including predictive arrival times.

Creating a Single View of the Shipment Journey

Modern freight forwarders provide visibility by consolidating data from multiple carriers across road, rail, sea, and air into one unified platform. This approach presents the entire shipment journey as a clear timeline of key events, from initial pickup and carrier departure to customs clearance, arrival, and the final proof of delivery (POD). By creating a single, authoritative view, forwarders eliminate the informational “blackouts” that happen when cargo moves between different carriers or transport modes. You get a complete picture without having to check multiple systems.

The Technology and Data Powering Visibility

Real-time visibility is built on a foundation of diverse data sources. Platforms collect information from carrier API feeds, traditional EDI messages, GPS units, and IoT sensors. For status updates, the industry often relies on the ANSI X12 EDI 214 standard to communicate milestones. GPS devices installed on trucks transmit location data frequently, sometimes every one to five minutes, offering true real-time tracking. For sensitive cargo, IoT sensors can be added to monitor conditions like temperature, humidity, and shock. These visibility platforms also integrate with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and ERPs, using the incoming data from GPS, traffic, and weather to calculate and share predictive ETAs.

Handling Claims

When damage or loss occurs, handling claims involves a strict, time-sensitive process. You generally have 9 months to file a written claim, and the carrier has 30 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to respond. A good forwarder helps manage the required documentation, like the bill of lading and proof of delivery, to ensure compliance and a successful resolution.

Claim Timelines and Carrier Responsibilities

You must file a written claim within 9 months from the day after delivery. For lost shipments, this window starts from the scheduled delivery date. Once the carrier receives your written claim, regulations like 49 CFR Part 370 require them to acknowledge it within 30 days.

After that initial acknowledgement, the carrier must pay, decline, or make a firm settlement offer within 120 days. If the carrier formally declines your claim in writing, a new clock starts. You have a window of two years and one day from that date to file a lawsuit if you decide to escalate the issue.

Documentation and Burden of Proof

To file a successful claim, you carry the burden of proof. This requires you to demonstrate three key facts: the cargo was given to the carrier in good condition, it was delivered damaged or short, and the loss has a specific monetary value.

A standard claims package includes the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, and a signed proof of delivery with damage clearly noted. These documents provide the basic evidence needed to proceed.

Supporting evidence like photos of the damage, independent survey reports, and repair invoices are critical for strengthening a claim. You must also retain the damaged goods for a potential inspection. This is known as salvage, and it is surrendered to the carrier if the claim is paid in full.

Réflexions finales

Choosing how to ship your stables comes down to a trade-off between control and convenience. If you value direct oversight of costs, carrier selection, and transit times, appointing your own forwarder (FOB) is the most effective approach. This gives you a dedicated logistics partner who manages the details—from customs to claims—and provides the tracking visibility you need to stay informed.

But if your priority is simplicity, letting us handle the shipping (CIF or DDP) is a great option. You get a single, all-inclusive price and avoid managing the many moving parts of international freight. We take full responsibility for getting your stables to you, leaving you free to focus on what matters most: preparing for their arrival.

Questions fréquemment posées