Freight and Logistics – A check list for the freight and logistics process.

How to use these pages…

• If you have a freight forwarder handling your cargo, you may not need the following.
  
• If you are organising your own freight, however, this information can provide a guideline or, if you like, help you establish the terms of an agreement between relevant parties. Our hope is that the tips will save you headaches!

Intra-National (Domestic)

Service Whose Responsibility? Whose Cost
(if relevant)? Ideas   Storage of Goods Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Warehousing is the perennial problem in this line of work… Ideas?

• The party offering the goods may be able to store the goods for some time (with or without charge)
• Manufacturers sometimes have spare room available, during "slow" months of the year
• Other NGO’s with storage can sometimes help out
• In certain areas, the armed forces may be of help
• Global Hand has more information about warehousing; click here

Goods Handling (Cargo Manipulation)
Goods may need dismantling, packaging, palletisation, etc. Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Commercial freight forwarders (see the Library for Freight, Logistics and Transport information) will handle this, but there may be cost free alternatives:

• The party offering the goods may have labour on hand to help (with or without charge)
• Service groups, such as Rotary or Lion’s, student groups, etc., may provide volunteer support
• Some corporations have staff citizenship programmes for which this sized task is ideal

Cargo Loading (Load Out)
Labour needed for cargo loading. Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Commercial freight forwarders (see the Library for Freight, Logistics and Transport information) will handle this, but there may be cost free alternatives:

• The party offering the goods may have labour on hand to help (with or without charge)
• Service groups, such as Rotary or Lion’s, student groups, etc., may provide volunteer support
• Some corporations have staff citizenship programmes for which this sized task is ideal

Drayage
Goods’ transportation to recipient’s warehouse or terminal. Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party This is an "ask" of reasonable size and, as such, it is often possible to have donated by trucking companies (who would rather donate services than cash!) They are more willing to help on an "as space available" basis.

International (Import/Export)

Service Whose Responsibility? Whose Cost (if relevant)? Ideas   Terminal Handling Charges (THC)(Cargo Loading)
At the point of export Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party When a relationship of trust is developed with terminal handling companies, they are often willing to waive handling charges (THC). This cost is made up of two components: Container handling charge (The shipping company’s part) and Terminal Charge (The container Terminal operator’s part.) You will need first to get the shipping company to waive its charges before the Terminal operator will waive the whole THC. International Transport:
Sea, Road, Rail, Air Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party

• Sea transport be given free of charge, or at reduced rates, under certain conditions. Usually, shipping companies prefer to help on major shipping routes, and if the request comes at an off-peak time, when their vessels have space.
• Road/ rail transport can be harder to find donated on an international scale, although, often, larger companies will give reduced rates.
• Air freight is hard to find donated because of the high cost and space and weight limitations.
• Partnering with others in the Global Hand community can be synergistic. A listing of organisations can be found here.
• Certain NGO’s specialise in transport of this kind.
• Click here for Global Hand listings under Transportation and Freight & Logistics.

Documentation Fees Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Transport document fees are levied by the transportation provider. It is not such an expensive cost component and almost always needs to be paid at each point of transportation change.Most documents are the offering party’s responsibility. It is essential to know what documents are required by the shipping company, the customs, health and other departments in the receiving country and any required for interim aspects of the journey. For information from the country of destination, visit our country-by-country humanitarian customs guide. Country of Destination / Transit Destination (Off-load point) Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party The point at which goods are off-loaded may be the end-point of their journey, or a place from which they are then transferred for the ongoing links to their end destination. Care must be taken that all parties know who is responsible at this stage of the route, particularly if the goods need to be transferred to ongoing transport, from one transportation provider to another. Otherwise, cargo can be lost or impounded. Port Charges
(If applicable) Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party While import tax is a commonly debated issue, it is rare for countries to charge port tax. It can happen, however, and is therefore worth asking the question prior to sending the goods! Customs Duties
(If applicable) Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Often, humanitarian cargo will be accepted duty-free. There can be very particular rules, however, associated with different countries. These need to be checked out well in advance of shipping. It is wise, where possible, to obtain authorized documentation from the recipient that will ensure the goods will be exempt from tax. Click here for Global Hand’s humanitarian customs guide. Transit
(If applicable)
Further transport as needed to connect to end destination point
Sea, Road, Rail, Air Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party When a further leg of the journey is required, the journey can become more difficult. Major shipping lines may sub-contract to feeder vessels. Sea or air cargo may be transferred to trucks or trains. Care must be taken so that cargo does not go astray. The tips for International Transport, above, may be helpful in sourcing appropriate answers. Care: If the goods are in a shipping company’s container the end destination is far from a port, the trucker or feeder vessel will charge for the empty container to be returned back to the port. Allow for this cost. If the shipping company is uncertain about the safe return of its container, it may require payment of a very heavy refundable deposit to ensure its comes back to the port. Demurrage
(If delays in transit) Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party If at all possible, paper work should be double-checked to avoid the possibility of demurrage fees being charged. They can be very costly. Unload Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Party receiving goods
Party offering goods
Third party Usually, the recipient group will happily provide the necessary labour for this step. That is not always the case, however. Nor is the process always straightforward in cases of multiple consignees. It is worth reaching an agreement on this before sending the cargo, therefore.