Approved Freight Forwarders
Helpful Articles - Freight

Human beings have been thinking about robots and automation for thousands of years. But how are they using automation and AI in supply chain? In Greek mythology, Hephaestus, the god of fire, created three-legged tables that moved on their own. A bronze man named Talos, who was powered by a single vein of lead, guarded the island of Crete. More recent television shows like Battlestar Galactica and Westworld imagine the consequences of conscious machines. You have only to consider the fact that Saudi Arabia recently extended citizenship to the robot Sophia in order to realize that we’re making significant strides in the world of automation...

For the last few months, our ocean freight specialists at Approved and across our network of DeWitt sister companies have been keeping a close watch on the effects of the International Maritime Organization’s low-sulfur mandate. Now that the January 1 deadline has come and gone, we wanted to share an update on the real-world effects of the IMO’s mandate. We talked to our experts to discover what they’re seeing on a day-to-day basis in the ocean freight markets. But before we dive into their observations, we’ll give you a quick refresher on the issues at play. What Is the IMO 2020 Low-Sulfur Mandate? If you’re...

If you’re buying and selling goods, you’ve likely come in contact with the international commercial terms, also known as the Incoterms® rules. This set of rules, established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) helps buyers and sellers quickly, clearly and easily establish who’s responsible for which costs in their transactions.  The ICC recently published an updated set of rules—Incoterms 2020—which offers six key changes to the Incoterms 2010 rules. These rules went into effect as of January 1, 2020. To help you stay current, we’ll run you through what’s new in Incoterms 2020 so you can continue to negotiate with buyers or sellers like a pro.  But before we dive...

Since 2008, imports from China to the United States are up a staggering 59.7%. In fact, the country has become the U.S.’s largest goods trading partner, with imports of electrical machinery, furniture and bedding, toys and sports equipment and plastics leading the charge. We’ve certainly seen a rise in new companies getting into this market. While many take advantage of the Amazon platform to sell these imported goods, we’ve also seen several companies establish their own websites.   If you’re new to importing goods from China—or you’d like to get in on this nearly $560 billion-dollar market—there are a couple of common mistakes you’ll want to avoid. We’ll show you the six we see most often. By...

When it comes down to it, ordering and shipping freight requires a certain level of trust:   Trust that a supplier will send the goods he or she promised, in good condition.  Trust that the steamship line, truck or van line or airline will move those goods to the best of their ability, handling the freight with care.  Trust that the purchaser will receive and pay for the goods, as agreed.  That being said, all of this trust is backed up by a legal agreement between these three parties, which is documented on a bill of lading (BOL).    If you’ve ever looked at your bill of lading, you’ll see three parties named on the document. If you’re new to the logistics world, these terms...

Pallets can make it much easier to handle and transport your goods traveling via air freight, as is the case with goods shipping via ocean freight. Additionally, freight that’s placed on a pallet can be moved without touching the actual goods themselves, reducing the possibility of damage.   That being said, incorrectly prepping your palletized freight puts it at high risk during transit. In order to decrease the possibility of damage to your goods, we’ve put together a list of the most common mistakes we see in palletized air freight. We’ll also share our solutions to help you correct these mistakes. By reviewing this list, you’ll set the stage for ensuring that your shipment reaches its destination in perfect condition—and on time.  Mistake #1: Overpacking Your Shipment  When you’re preparing your air freight shipments,...