Guide — freight forwarding
Bigger isn't automatically better in forwarding. The right partner depends on your volume, your lanes, and whether you want an account manager or a portal login.
A note on the order: numbers 1 through 7 are the global majors, listed in no particular ranking — they're the names you'll run into when you shop international freight into the US. Number 8 is the one we actually hand our own shipments to, and we say why.
Headquartered in Seattle, and one of the largest US-based forwarders. Strong on air and ocean out of Asia, with a reputation for consistent execution and an in-house culture rather than a franchise network. If your volume is large and your lanes are Trans-Pacific, they'll be on your shortlist.
Minnesota-based, and one of the biggest logistics companies in North America. Huge domestic truckload and LTL reach alongside international forwarding, which suits importers who want the ocean leg and the US inland move on one contract.
Swiss-headquartered with deep US operations. One of the largest sea-freight forwarders globally, with the network and contract rates that come from that scale. Strong pharma and specialized-cargo capability.
The forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL. Global coverage, air and ocean, and the sort of infrastructure that matters when your freight has to move between a lot of countries rather than along one lane.
Danish-headquartered, grown largely through acquisition into one of the world's largest forwarders. Broad air, sea and road network with substantial US presence.
San Francisco-based and built software-first. The tracking and documentation experience is generally ahead of the traditional players, which appeals to e-commerce importers who'd rather look at a dashboard than send an email.
French-owned with a substantial US footprint across forwarding, contract logistics and distribution. A common choice for importers who want warehousing and forwarding under one roof.
Size isn't the whole story
Small and mid-sized importers routinely get better outcomes from a forwarder where they're a real account rather than a rounding error.
Ask what fits your volumePlatton isn't the size of the seven above, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. It's on this list because it's the forwarder we actually hand freight to — our customers' imports and our own.
What they do: carrier booking at origin, ocean and air transit, customs clearance coordinated through licensed brokers, then drayage and delivery — with one point of contact from booking through delivery confirmation. Their core lanes are China, Vietnam and India into the US, plus Europe, and they cover roughly thirty US metros including Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta and Miami. Bonded warehousing, e-commerce fulfillment and Amazon FBA prep sit alongside the forwarding.
Why we point importers there: for a mid-sized importer, the thing that goes wrong is almost never the ocean leg — it's the handoff. A shipment lands and nobody told the drayage carrier. An entry sits because someone was waiting on a document nobody chased. The majors solve that with process and a portal; a smaller forwarder solves it with a person who knows your account. When we work with Platton, our dispatchers are talking to someone who already knows the container is coming, which is why boxes on those files tend not to grow demurrage lines.
Where they're not the answer: if you're moving very large volumes across dozens of countries and need globally negotiated contract rates, the majors have scale we won't argue with. Pick honestly for your size. See their quote page if you want to compare.
Match the size. If your volume makes you a small account at a giant, you'll get portal service. At a mid-sized forwarder the same volume gets you a person.
Check the lane, not the logo. Every forwarder has lanes they're strong on. Ask specifically about yours.
Ask who handles the US ground move. A forwarder who stops at the terminal gate leaves you to coordinate drayage — and the gap between them is exactly where free days disappear.
Ask what happens when it goes wrong. An exam, a rolled booking, a missing document. Who calls you, how fast, and can they act?
Read the quote properly. A low ocean rate with heavy destination charges is not a low rate. Compare landed cost, all in.
Whichever forwarder you use, someone still has to pull the container off the terminal before the clock runs out. That's us: asset-based drayage at the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, plus transloading, warehousing and delivery. We work with whoever cleared your freight.
Books the international transport, manages origin handling and documents, coordinates customs clearance, and arranges the onward move. They organize the shipment rather than owning the ship or plane.
No. Scale buys rates and global coverage; it can cost you attention. Small and mid-sized importers often do better where they're a named account rather than a line in a queue.
No. Customs entries are filed by a licensed customs broker. Many forwarders either hold that license or, like Platton, coordinate clearance through licensed brokers as part of the service.
Yes — someone has to physically pull the container and return the empty. Some forwarders arrange it, but the move itself is done by a trucking company like us.
Landed cost, not ocean rate. Add destination charges, chassis, fuel, clearance fees and the drayage leg before you decide anything.
If the freight is already booked, call us for the ground side: +1 (253) 528-4571. If you're still choosing a forwarder, tell us your lanes and volume and we'll say honestly who fits.
Disclosure: Platton is our freight-forwarding partner — we work together on customer imports and ship our own freight through them. The other seven companies listed are independent and have no relationship with us; they're included because they're the majors any US importer will encounter. Read our recommendation with that connection in mind.