Clearing and forwarding agents help businesses complete necessary legal formalities for importing and exporting goods. They undertake cargo arrangements, collect freight and documentation, arrange storage and notify clients. As agents, they accept liability for their own faults, routing errors, customs mistakes and delivering contrary to instructions. Their functions include warehousing, transportation, container arrangements, insurance, advising on trade laws, and processing import and export documentation. Clearing and forwarding agents are experts in the import and export industry who understand relevant regulations.

2. Introduction:-
When a business firm wants to import goods from another country or export
goods to another country a lot of legal formalities are to be completed before
sending goods or receiving goods. It is here that the businessman takes the
help of clearing and forwarding agents.
Prof Alan E.Branch defines, “An entity /company responsible for
undertaking export/import cargo arrangements on clients/shippers behalf
at a seaport, airport and so on. At seaport it would include collection of
freight; collection and issuing bills of lading; notification of arrival and
loading of goods; customs, import & export documentation; certificates of
shipment; arranging sorting of cargo, cold storage etc.

3. 1. A Commissionerate of Customs
& Central Excise was formed at
Visakhapatnam with effect from
6.apr.1990 .
2. A separate Commissionerate of
Customs was formed at
Visakhapatnam in July, 1997 .
3. The Custom House is headed by the Commissioner of Customs.
All the different functions of the Custom House are attended to by its
various departments Vishakhapatnam Import-Export, Appraising,
EDI, Cash & Accounts, Internal Audit, Docks, M.C.D., Statistics,
Preventive (Rummaging, Intelligence Unit, Warehouse, Docks ),
Establishment, Vigilance, Records etc.
Vishakhapatnam Custom House

4. How clearing and forwarding of the goods is done ?

5. Bill of Lading

6. Bill of Entry

7. Documents required for Clearing and forwarding

8. Role in international trade
1.Provides strategic solutions of long distance product
sourcing and movement.
2.Provides capabilities interfaced across a range of
different transport modes.
3.Offers supply chain management solutions.
4.Delivery and customs clearance.
5.Cargo handling and distribution management.

9. Standard Trading Conditions under clearing and
forwarding agents:-
1. Usually formulated in accordance with the commercial
practice or legal system prevailing in each country.
2.In some countries they are based on the FIATA model
founded in 1926.
3.One of the essential means of improving and
maintaining professional standards of the forwarding
industry.
Although conditions vary from country to country, a
forwarder is expected to:
a) Take reasonable care of goods entrusted to him.
b) Comply with instructions of his customer in matters.

10. Rights, duties and responsibilities of the forwarder as an
agent:-
As agent forwarder generally accepts liability of:
•Own fault and his employees/servants.
•Routing to the wrong destination.
•• Errors during customs operations.
• Delivery of goods contrary to instructions.

11. Objectives of clearing and forwarding agent:-
1.Identification of scope of agents.
2. Documents of export and import.
3.Appreciate outcomes of international conventions and
their application.
4.Identify procedures relating to clearance a forwarding cargo in
international trade.
5. Outline and illustrate the constituents of freight rates under
different transport modes.

12. Functions of clearing and forwarding agents
1.Warehousing before transportation.
2. Local transportation
3. Container arrangement
4. Reservation of shipping space
5. Selection of mode of transportation
6.Packaging ,marking and labelling
7.Completing customs and port facilities.
8.Cargo insurance
9.Advicing exporters on trade laws
10.Educating exporters
11.Coordination with other agencies
12.Processing documents
13.Other services

13. FUNCTIONS OF CLEARING AND FORWARDING
AGENTS
Relating to Imports Relating to Exports
(a) Managing delivery from the ports (a) Obtaining the custom permit
(b)Preparation and submission of Bill of Entry (b) Obtaining shipping order
(c) Payment of dock dues (c) Submission of shipping bill and
(d) Managing custom clearance payment (d) Payment of dock dues
Of export dues. (e) Receiving mate’s receipt
(e) Dispatching goods by rail or road
(f) Sending advice documents to the importer
(f) Obtaining Bill of Loading
(g) Sending advice and other documents to the
exporter.

14. Conclusion:-
The clearing and forwarding agents are essentially the
transportation experts who hold immense information
associated to the actual rank of the import and export
industry. It is also well knowledgeable of the rules and
regulations that manage it. The manager is also well familiar
with and fully understands all the vital rules and regulations
suitable for the procedure of international clearance and
forwarding.