Questions careful buyers ask.

It is a fair question, and one you should ask any forwarder. The company is new; the people running it are not. {{TODO: founders' combined years in logistics and previous roles}} You can read about them on our about page and contact them directly.

Every shipment moves with carriers we vet for reliability, insurance and compliance, under written terms. You deal with one named person who is accountable from quote to delivery. And everything that matters is in writing: the quote, the scope, the carrier and the conditions.

If you would rather start with a single, smaller shipment to see how we work, we would welcome that.

Your named contact at Cargo Captain is your single point of responsibility. You do not have to deal with the carrier, the terminal or the insurer yourself: we coordinate the response, keep you informed, and help you prepare and pursue any claim.

Legal liability for loss or damage in transit is governed by the applicable international convention (the Hague-Visby Rules for sea, the Montreal Convention for air, the CMR Convention for road) and by our trading conditions. These conventions limit liability per kilogram, often well below the value of the goods, which is why we recommend cargo insurance for valuable shipments.

Not automatically, and no shipper should assume it is. A carrier's liability is limited by convention and often covers only a fraction of the cargo's value. Cargo insurance covers the goods themselves, typically on an all-risks basis.

{{TODO: confirm whether Cargo Captain arranges cargo insurance, through which insurer, and on what basis}} If you share the cargo value when requesting a quote, we will advise on cover.

We look at service reliability, adequate liability insurance, licences and regulatory compliance, financial standing and how they communicate when something goes wrong. We keep working with partners who perform and stop working with those who do not.

{{TODO: describe the actual vetting checklist used}}

Our quotes are all-in and itemised. A typical quote shows the base freight rate, carrier surcharges (for example BAF for fuel, THC for terminal handling, and peak season surcharges), origin and destination charges, documentation and our service fee. Optional services such as insurance are shown separately.

Each quote states its validity period and what is excluded, usually import duties and taxes. For a full explanation see how a freight quote is built.

Origin and destination, a description of the goods, the number of pieces and packaging, total weight and dimensions or volume, the ready date and the Incoterm, if known. For dangerous goods we also need the Safety Data Sheet.

The quote form asks for exactly this, with a built-in volume calculator. If you do not have every detail, send what you have.

Only for stated reasons: if the cargo differs from what was quoted (for example in weight or volume), if the scope changes, or if a carrier changes a surcharge after the quote's validity ends. If anything changes, we tell you before it reaches your invoice and explain why.

No forwarder can honestly guarantee them, because schedules depend on carriers, weather, port congestion and inspections. We give indicative transit guidance on every quote, choose carriers with a record of reliability, and tell you promptly if a schedule changes.

We prepare and check the transport documents for every shipment: the bill of lading for sea, the air waybill for air and the CMR consignment note for road. Before departure we check them against the commercial invoice and packing list.

{{TODO: confirm how customs clearance is handled: in-house, or through licensed customs declarants in each country}}

For most shipments: a commercial invoice, a packing list, and depending on the goods and destination, a certificate of origin, export or import licences, or a Safety Data Sheet for dangerous goods. We send you a checklist with each booking so nothing is missed.

An Incoterm is a standard trade rule, published by the International Chamber of Commerce, that defines which party pays for each part of the journey and when risk passes from seller to buyer. It determines what we should quote and to whom. Read Incoterms® 2020 explained.

No. We handle single pallets as well as full containers and trailers. Smaller shipments usually travel as LCL (sea) or groupage (road), sharing space with other cargo to keep costs reasonable.

Your named contact sends you an update at every milestone, and you can ask for the status at any time. Where a carrier provides a tracking reference for its own system, we share it with you.

By phone, email or WhatsApp, during office hours ({{TODO: office hours}}). Your named contact's details are on every quote and booking confirmation. See the contact page.