Freight Forwarders & Shipping Agents

Freight forwarders and shipping agents arrange the movement of export and import cargo between the factory gate and the destination port or airport. They book space with shipping lines and airlines, prepare shipping documents, coordinate customs clearance, and arrange the inland trucking that connects the port to the consignee. For an Indian exporter or importer, a good forwarder is often the single point of contact for the whole journey.

Multimodal Transport Operators (MTOs) are forwarders that take responsibility for the goods across more than one mode of transport, for example road to port and then sea, under a single Multimodal Transport Document. In India, MTOs must be registered with the Directorate General of Shipping under the Multimodal Transportation of Goods Act, 1993. The first listings in this category come from the DG Shipping list of registered MTOs, published as on 23 April 2025.

Registration validity differs from company to company, and the listings here are unverified and unclaimed. Before you hand over cargo, check the operator’s current registration with the Directorate General of Shipping, ask for written terms, and confirm who is liable at each stage of the journey. If you run one of these businesses, claim your listing to update your details.