Curated resources selected for practical daily use — handpicked by industry professionals with over 40 years of freight forwarding experience.
Getting paid is as important as moving the freight. These resources help you recover debts, check counterparty risk, and protect your business legally — before problems escalate.
The original freight industry debt recovery service across 185 countries. Warning list of ~1,700 delinquent debtors updated daily. No recovery = no fee — 20% commission only on amounts collected. Check their warning list free before extending credit to any new partner.
International debt recovery for freight forwarders across 196 countries. Free debtor warning list to check counterparty risk before extending credit. Recovery services available. Useful alongside FDRS for cross-checking new partners.
The leading mutual insurer for freight transport and logistics. Insurance by quote via broker. Free loss prevention guides, risk management publications and cargo claim advice available to all on their website — regardless of membership.
FIATA's Model Rules for Freight Forwarding Services set the global standard for forwarder terms and conditions. If your trading terms haven't been reviewed in years, start here — these rules protect you in disputes over liability, claims and payment.
The official ICC Incoterms 2020 rules — the global standard for defining buyer and seller responsibilities in international trade. Essential reference for any forwarder advising clients on shipment terms.
Congested ports cost money — in detention, demurrage, missed connections, and frustrated clients. These tools tell you how busy any port is right now, so you can reroute, rebook, or set expectations before they become complaints.
The world's most widely used vessel tracking platform. See live ship positions globally, check ETAs, view port arrivals and departures. Free basic tier, no login needed — bookmark it now.
Free port congestion tracker covering 400+ major seaports. Uses real-time AIS data and container tracking to calculate actual delays — not just estimates. No login required.
Covers 600+ seaports worldwide with weekly updated vessel waiting times. Particularly strong for predictive analytics — tells you where congestion is heading, not just where it is today.
Monthly port congestion reports with expert analysis on major trade lanes. Useful for briefing clients and staying ahead of rate movements driven by port delays.
Dangerous goods compliance isn't optional — mistakes lead to rejected shipments, fines, and serious safety incidents. Each mode of transport has its own regulatory code. Here are the authoritative sources for each.
The global authority for shipping dangerous goods by air. The IATA DGR (67th Edition 2026) is the only standard recognised by airlines worldwide. Covers classification, packaging, marking, labelling and documentation for all DG by air.
The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code governs safe transport of hazardous cargo by sea. The 2025/2026 edition introduces updated classification and documentation requirements. Mandatory for all ocean DG shipments.
The European Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road. Full ADR text published free online by UN/ECE. Essential for any forwarder arranging road transport of hazardous cargo in or through Europe.
ICAO's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air — the primary legal framework from which IATA DGR is derived. Relevant for regulators, airlines and compliance officers.
Pharmaceutical and perishable cargo demands strict temperature control from origin to destination. A single excursion can destroy an entire shipment — and your client relationship. These are the standards every cold chain forwarder must know.
The global standard for handling temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical cargo by air. CEIV-certified handlers demonstrate significantly fewer temperature excursions. Check your partners' certification status here before routing pharma cargo.
WHO GDP Guidelines set the baseline standard for temperature-controlled pharmaceutical distribution worldwide. Free to download. Covers storage, transport, documentation and temperature monitoring requirements.
IATA's TCR provides detailed handling procedures for all temperature-sensitive air cargo — pharmaceuticals, fresh produce, biologics and other time/temp-critical commodities.
The European Commission's Good Distribution Practice guidelines — the regulatory baseline for pharmaceutical distribution across Europe. Free to access online — your compliance team should have these bookmarked.
Understanding where rates are heading — and why — is what separates a trusted adviser from a booking agent. These tools give you the data to hold informed conversations with clients about timing, routing and cost.
Weekly composite benchmark of ocean container spot rates across eight major trade routes. Published every Thursday — free to access. The most widely cited container rate index in the industry. Bookmark it and check it weekly.
Daily global container freight rate index covering key trade lanes. Useful for tracking rapid market movements between weekly Drewry publications. Free access, no registration required.
Ocean and air freight rate benchmarking platform. Compares your contracted rates against the market. Free tier provides useful market overview; paid tiers offer lane-specific intelligence for procurement and pricing.
Biennial ranking of 160 countries by logistics performance — customs efficiency, infrastructure, tracking and timeliness. Invaluable when advising clients on routing decisions through emerging markets.
Before you fly to your next network conference, check the weather, visa requirements and travel advisories. These tools make conference preparation faster — and link directly to our Conference Calendar.
The most visually impressive and accurate weather forecasting tool available free online. Check conditions at conference destinations, sea ports, and cargo airports up to 10 days ahead. Works beautifully on mobile.
IATA's official visa and travel document requirement checker. Enter your nationality and destination to get accurate visa requirements and entry conditions. More reliable than a Google search.
Live flight tracking across all commercial aviation. Useful for monitoring air cargo routes, checking aircraft type and capacity on specific lanes, or tracking a colleague's incoming flight before a conference pick-up.
Real-world cost-of-living data for any city — restaurant prices, hotel norms, local transport costs. Budget accurately before travelling to your next conference.
Customs errors delay shipments and cost money. These resources help you classify goods correctly, understand trade agreements, and stay compliant across borders.
The WCO sets international customs standards and maintains the Harmonized System — the universal language of trade classification. Essential reference for customs classification, valuation and origin determination.
Enter an HS code and origin/destination country to see import duties, trade agreements and non-tariff measures instantly. One of the most underused free tools in the industry. Bookmark it now.
The US International Trade Administration's guide to HS code classification. Particularly useful for US import/export documentation and understanding how US customs interprets commodity descriptions.