A study on the differentiation in service and performance by the freight forwarders in logistic operations

India's maritime trade comprises of export-import trade in various bulk commodities like crude oil and other petroleum products, iron ore and coal, besides general-purpose cargo. The economic liberation gives way for an upheaval of handling value-added goods through containers and transporting cargo to several Indian ports. This container transportation has redefined these services also it has emerged as very sophisticated logistic services. Freight forwarding agents specialize in the arranging of shipping and insurance, and many of them today arrange land, sea and air transportation for goods. They take a good deal of work off the exporters’ shoulders. They follow all the formalities of documentation for customs clearance. They also look after the warehousing and carting of cargoes before shipment of export consignments and after discharge of import cargoes, by the sea carriers.