Shipments entering the United States are subject to more than 500 pages of customs and tariff regulations. Customs brokers are import professionals licensed by the U.S. Department of Treasury, who have a thorough knowledge of these regulations, and who help clients choose the best modes of transportation, types of carriers, and shipping routes. Brokers also assist with exchange rates, appraisal, and determining proper classifications and duties. The broker's job often transcends the customs bureau, and involves contact with other government agencies such as the USDA (for meat import questions), EPA (for vehicle emissions standards), or the FDA (product safety).
Ocean freight forwarders are licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission. Air cargo or air transport agents are accredited by the International Air Transportation Association. These freight forwarding professionals advise clients of the best rates, routings, and modes of transporting goods to or from any area in the world. Freight forwarders are experts on such items as foreign documentation requirements, hazardous materials regulations, special packaging or handling requirements, licensing provisions, etc.
The licensed customs brokers below and freight forwarders were selected on the basis or range of services and the number of branch offices. The job titles provided include four or more of the following: customs broker (CB), ocean freight forwarder (OFF), international air freight forwarder (AFF), international air transport agent (IATA), container station (CS), drawback specialist (DS), steamship agent (SA), motor property broker (MPB), non vessel operating common carrier (NVO), warehouseman (WH).
Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders in the United States
Air Express P.O. Box 1231 120 Tokeneke Road Darien, CT 06820 AFF, CB, CS, IATA, OFF, WH (203) 655-7900
Amerford 8010 Roswell Road, Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30350 AFF, CB, IATA, NVO, OFF (404) 353-4200
Burlington Air Express 5149 S. Ridge Parkway Atlanta, GA 30349 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, NVO, OFF, WH (404) 997-9447
John V. Carr & Son P.O. Box 33479 Detroit, MI 48232 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (313) 222-1121
Danzas 3650 131st Avenue, SE Newport Towers, Suite 700 Bellevue, WA 98015 AFF, CB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (206) 649-9339
A.N. Deringer P.O. Box 1309 St. Albans, VT 05478 AFF, CB, CS, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (802) 524-8110
Expeditors International of Washington P.O. Box 69620 Seattle, WA 98168 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF (206) 246-3711
Fritz Companies P.O. Box 7221 San Francisco, CA 94120 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, SA, WH (415) 904-8360
The Harper Group 260 Townsend Street San Francisco, CA 94107 AFF, CB, CS, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (415) 978-0600
Intertrans 125 E. John Carpenter Freeway Irving, TX 75062 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF (214) 830-8888
Norman G. Jensen 3050 Metro Drive, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55425 AFF, CB, IATA, MPB, OFF (612) 854-7363
F.W. Myers and Co. Myers Building Rouses Point, NY 12979 AFF, CB, CS, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (518) 297-2222
Panalpina Harborside Financial Center Plaza Two, 34 Exchange Place Jesey City, NJ 07311 AFF, CB, CS, DB, IATA, MP, NVO, OFF (201) 451-4000
Schenkers International Forwarders Exchange Place Center 10 Exchange Place, Suite 1500 Jersey City, NJ 07302 AFF, CB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF (201) 434-5500
Tower Group International 128 Dearborn Street Buffalo, NY 14207 AFF, CB, CS, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (716) 874-1300
Yusen Air & Sea Service USA 60 E. 42nd Street, Room 1915 New York, NY 10165 AFF, CB, IATA, OFF (212) 983-1170
Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Outside the United States
Affiliated Customs Brokers 411 Des Recollets Montreal, PQ, Canada H2Y 1W3 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, OFF, WH (514) 288-1211
Constantine Shipping and International Services 10 Grafton Street London, England W1X 3LA AFF, OFF, SA (01) 493-9484
Footwork-Hamacher GmbH Martinistr. 24 P.O. Box 10 51 05 Bremen, Germany 1 2800 AFF, CB, CS, IATA, NVO, OFF, WH 421-33-77-60
A. Hartrodt GmbH & Co. P.O. Box 10 29 Hamburg, Germany 1 0-200 AFF, CB, IATA, NVO, OFF (040) 239-0383
Livingston Group 405 The West Mall, Suite 600 Toronto, ON, Canada M9C 5K7 AFF, CB, DB, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, WH (416) 626-2828
Malenstein Rotterdam B.V. Bergambachstraat 10 Rotterdam, Netherlands 3079 DA AFF, CB, CS, DB, IATA, NVO, OFF, WH 010-492-8700
Naigai Nitto 38-8 Higashi-Shinagawa 1-Chome Shinagawa-ku Tokyo, Japan 140 AFF, CB, CS, IATA, MPB, NVO, OFF, SA, WH (03) 3450-7400
Starber International 410 St. Nicholas Street Montreal, PQ, Canada H2Y 2PS AFF, CB, DB, IATA, NVO, OFF, WH (514) 285-1500
Swift Freight Carrera (Bin Hendi Building) Zabeel Road-Karama P.O. Box 50177 Dubai, United Arab Emirates AFF, CB, CS, IATA, NVO, OFF, WH 457 325
For even more information contact:
International Air Transportation Association (IATA) 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite, 285N Washington, DC 20004 (202) 624-2977
Federal Maritime Commission 800 N. Capitol Street Washington, DC 20573 (202) 523-5725
U.S. Customs Service 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20229 (202) 927-2095