The clearing agent plays an important role in the freight transportation process. They are the middlemen that take care of customs clearance for clients so that freight can be transported locally from point A to point B without any hassles. Read more below about the roles of a clearing agent:
Documentation
The clearing agent Is responsible for documentation. There are many documents involved in the shipping process such as insurance forms and dispatch forms. The clearing agent is also in charge of applying for permission and obtaining the authorisation letters to ensure that every process of the freight delivery runs smoothly.
Compliance
The clearing agents need to ensure that the shipment is complaint with all the regulations regarding hazardous shipments and so on. Non-compliance can mean that the shipments will not be cleared by customs and that the freight will not be delivered.
Freight rates
The role of the clearing agent is not to negotiate shipping rates on behalf of the customer. However, the clearing agent must be knowledgeable about shipping rates and conduct extensive research on these rates in order to determine the best freight company for their client.
Regularly required
The assistance of a clearing agent is needed for every single shipment. The clearing agent’s services are required every time as each shipment needs to be compliant and requires documentation regarding authorisation. The clearing agent is there to ensure that every shipment is cleared and delivered in a timely manner.
