FAQ

A freight forwarder handles every detail of your shipment—from talking to your suppliers and navigating logistics to coordinating carriers and identifying potential issues—so your supply chain runs smoothly and you can stay focused on growing your business.

Yes, with our TRAKITPro portal, you get real-time tracking, instant updates, and full visibility into your shipments at every stage.

We manage all aspects of customs clearance, documentation, and compliance to ensure your goods move smoothly through borders and meet all regulatory requirements. Their services include customs brokerage, tariff code review, export documentation, trade compliance consulting, and direct coordination with government agencies like the FDA, CPSC, DEA, DOT, and EPA.

We ensure your goods arrive safely and on time by actively monitoring every shipment at communicating clearly at each step.

With real-time tracking through our TRAKITPro portal, you always know where your cargo is, and our team coordinates every handoff—by ocean, air, rail, or truck—to keep your supply chain moving smoothly. We treat every shipment as a top priority, so you can count on your cargo arriving safe, secure, and right on schedule.

This can be a touchy subject, as you may be a long time importer with a long time relationship with a particular supplier overseas, however a situation arises and for whatever reason you have not paid your supplier because they were supposed to give you credit, but there was a misunderstanding, they are not honoring the agreement, the next thing you know the cargo arrives and if you don’t get it released it goes into demurrage and or you may lose your customer because they have a deadline, and so on. So you desperately need that cargo released.

So the ONLY way this can happen WITHOUT the B/L is to somehow settle the matter with the supplier, get them to authorize the release in writing to the shipping agent in the port of origin, or direct to the U.S. Office that is holding the cargo. This can act in Lieu of a B/L. This is no other legal way or one that doesn’t jeopardize the liability of the shipping company to be sued by the supplier if they release without their written consent.

Size matters for air shipments, air freight is based on both the actual weight and chargeable weight of the cargo. Anything hazardous, flammable, dangerous, chemicals, computer batteries, live animals, perishable items, etc. cannot be shipped via air freight.

While there are several factors involved, the primary is market demand. Traditionally from December through April for imports, especially from Asia to the U.S., it is called the “slow season.” Because the retail market slows down after Christmas. However from mid January through early February there is an upsurge of cargo moving to beat the Chinese New Year deadline whereby factories all over China shut down for weeks. This usually keeps rates high as there is always space problems for cargo getting on vessels.

From May through November this would be the “peak season” where there is a big demand for cargo moving into the U.S., so the Carriers raise the rates during this period, with the GRI (general rate increase), and PSS (peak season surcharge). Another factor is fuel, or what is called the Bunker Fuel factor. This is a floating surcharge that the Carrier’s can change when oil prices rise or fall. It is called the BAF.

Another factor is when the Carrier has increases in costs such as when Terminal costs rise, especially with Unions, congestion problems, etc. Or when the U.S Rail costs increase for similar reasons. This is where the Carriers can add in new surcharges which have happened in the past and eventually get absorbed into the “all in” rate quoted.

A more recent reason for rate increases, was a knee jerk response to the tremendous downturn in traffic and volume as a result of the U.S. recession in 2008. This downturn caused many carriers to lose about 50% of their previous volume and while their costs remained the same or higher, and their revenue all but disappeared, they found themselves the beginning of this year looking at an average of $500,000,000 in losses per Carrier. From late 2009 until May of 2010, most Carriers put a large portion of their fleet out of commission off the coast of Singapore. Thereby creating a vessel shortage, or a false space problem. This gave them all excuse to raise their rates again, in order to salvage their businesses. This type of thing is not normal.

Most freight is paid with a company check. However you can also pay with wire transfer or credit card (subject to administrative fee). Payment is sent right around the time the freight is due to arrive, clear customs and be released.

Yes. You would fill out a credit application that we would send you ahead of time, with all necessary banking information and references. Once your credit is approved, you would be granted the appropriate credit amount and length of time.