How to Get Your Shipment Faster with a Customs Brokerage
Today’s supply chains stretch around the globe, meaning your raw materials or products could be coming halfway around the world. With that said, finding ways to keep your supply chain from suffering delays is a top priority for many businesses.
One way to do that is by utilizing a customs broker or customs brokerage. How can they assist you in avoiding potential delays in your international freight forwarding?
What is a Customs Broker?
Customs brokers are private individuals, partnerships, associations, or licensed corporations regulated and empowered by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assist importers and exporters to meet the requirements of international freight forwarding.
A customs broker has expertise in entry procedures, admissibility requirements, classification, valuation, and the rates of duty and applicable taxes and fees. Custom brokerages function in the same capacity as brokers, but the company can provide additional logistics to assist you with your supply chain.
They know the import and export system, so your customs broker can be essential to managing your shipments, making sure that all the proper payments and paperwork have been filed. But there are other benefits that come from working with a customs brokerage.
If you are involved in international trade, you recognize how time-consuming and complex it can be. Plus, if you miss something, then it could mean significant delays for your shipments. How can you avoid that?
How Your Customs Broker Assists Your Company
International shipping involves complying with customs laws, regulations, and procedures for multiple countries. With all the documentation, including import/export declarations, commercial invoices, and packing lists, customs brokers are essential to keeping your shipments moving.
Custom brokerages can also specialize in various areas, depending on their expertise and their clients’ needs. Others might offer a combination of services to cater to the diverse needs of importers and exporters. Trade compliance brokers, for example, focus on ensuring overall trade compliance, dealing with export controls, trade sanctions, free trade agreement utilization, and anti-dumping duties.
International trade specialists deal with trade regulations, tariff concessions, duty-saving programs, and preferential trade programs. You can also tap into your customs brokerage to develop strategies for efficient customs processes, supply chain optimization, and trade compliance management. The goal is to utilize their expertise to mitigate your risks and tariff optimization. As you can see, there are plenty of benefits to using a customs broker, such as the following:
- Clearing shipments quickly
- Assisting with damage claims
- Maintaining records
- Applying for duty drawbacks
- Guiding you through the customs clearance process
- Reducing costs and performing risk management
Clearly, having an expert customs brokerage working for you can limit the potential for delays, while helping you to maximize the benefits of international freight forwarding for your supply chain. At Atlanta Customs Brokers, we handle thousands of shipments for customers around the globe. Contact us today to discuss your shipping and how we can assist you with your international freight forwarding today.
Atlanta Customs Brokers is one of the oldest and most trusted customs brokerage and shipping firms in Atlanta. Established in 1985, our company has been a fixture in and around the Atlanta airport and Savannah port for more than 31 years. We enjoy working with our international partners and enjoy what we do. If you are a first-time importer or exporter or a large corporation, we can handle your needs.