Mjesto i uloga špedicije u vanjskotrgovinskom sustavu

POSITION AND ROLE OF FORWARDING IN THE FOREIGN TRADE SYSTEM

Numerous operations granting success of any foreign trade process are concentrated within the international forwarding agents thus inevitably representing an unavoidable segment of this system. This refers to the basic function of an international forwarding agent i.e. the organization/management of the overall transportation process, in order to leave to the organizer of the overall foreign trade operation (deal) enough time for other numerous commercial activities. The business of a forwarding agent is rather complex and shows the tendency of constant expansion and improvement dependent upon the level of development of transport engineering, technology and extent and state of international goods turnover. Along with the development of transport technologies the function and role of the forwarding agent in the foreign trade system have been developed. Thus the forwarding agents change their role of the organizer for the role of the contractor of the overall goods transport process, on the “warehouse to warehouse” principle. Due to this newly assumed role of a contractor’s company they are imposed the duty of being familiar with the technology of transport, meaning that a forwarding agent is an entity that has also assumed the role of a technology expert in the transportation process. This new role entered into regulations makes possible the functioning of the goods turnover process, thus determining the position and role of the forwarding agent in the foreign trade system.