In 2025, the Trump administration imposed high tariffs on Chinese goods, placing Chinese exports to the United States under severe cost pressure. As an important link in international trade, freight forwarders bear the key responsibility of helping customers reduce transportation costs and ensuring supply chain stability. This paper will explore the transportation service strategies that freight forwarders should provide in response to tariff challenges, based on the current policy background.
Freight forwarders need to recommend the most suitable transportation mode for customers based on cargo characteristics, urgency, and cost-effectiveness. For non-urgent cargo, sea freight is preferred to reduce costs; for urgent cargo, air freight is used to ensure timeliness. For example, for high-value goods such as electronic products, if customers can accept a certain transportation time, freight forwarders can suggest using LCL (Less than Container Load) sea freight services to combine goods from multiple customers, thereby reducing transportation costs for individual customers. Meanwhile, freight forwarders should closely monitor cost fluctuations in different transportation modes. For instance, container freight rates on some popular routes surged by 30%—50% shortly after the tariff policy was implemented, and freight forwarders should promptly adjust transportation plans to avoid cost increases.
By optimizing transportation routes to reduce transportation distance and time, transportation costs can be effectively lowered. Freight forwarders can utilize logistics software and technology for route planning and optimization, selecting the most economical and shortest transportation routes. For example, for goods originally destined directly for the United States, if transportation costs increase due to tariff policies, freight forwarders can consider adjusting the route by first transporting the goods to a third country for transshipment or processing before sending them to the United States. However, it should be noted that such supply chain shifts may increase transportation mileage and time costs, and freight forwarders need to conduct comprehensive assessments to ensure the overall cost is optimal.
Multimodal transport combines the advantages of different transportation modes, shortening transportation time, improving transportation efficiency, and reducing overall logistics costs. Freight forwarders should actively integrate sea, land, and air transport resources to provide customers with one-stop multimodal transport services. For example, for goods exported from China to the United States, a “sea + rail transport” approach can be adopted, where goods are first transported by sea to neighboring countries such as Mexico and then by rail to the United States, reducing transportation time and costs. Meanwhile, strengthening coordination and cooperation with various transportation links ensures smooth connections throughout the transportation process.
Freight forwarders need to stay updated on international trade policy dynamics and be familiar with preferential policies such as free trade zones, customs unions, and bilateral trade agreements among countries. By reasonably planning the import and export routes of goods and utilizing tariff exemptions or preferential rates in free trade agreements, enterprises’ tariff burdens can be effectively reduced. For example, for goods meeting the conditions of relevant free trade agreements, freight forwarders can assist customers in handling procedures such as certificates of origin to enjoy tariff exemptions. Additionally, freight forwarders can provide tariff risk assessment and early warning services to help customers prepare in advance.
Freight forwarders can encourage and assist customers in bulk procurement to obtain more favorable prices from suppliers. Meanwhile, by cooperating with multiple enterprises, freight forwarders can increase the volume of goods in a single shipment through consolidated shipments, thereby reducing unit transportation costs. For example, for small-batch goods, freight forwarders can provide LCL services, consolidating goods from multiple customers into one container to reduce empty loading rates and enjoy more favorable logistics rates. Furthermore, freight forwarders can provide customized centralized procurement and LCL solutions based on customer needs to meet different customers’ personalized requirements.
Providing flexible warehousing and distribution services helps customers optimize inventory management across different markets and reduce inventory costs. Freight forwarders can establish overseas warehouses at major ports and logistics nodes globally to achieve local storage and rapid distribution of goods. For example, for goods exported to the United States, freight forwarders can set up overseas warehouses in the United States, where customers can store goods in advance based on market demand. When orders are received, goods can be shipped directly from the overseas warehouse, shortening delivery times and reducing logistics costs. Meanwhile, through advanced inventory management systems, intelligent management of overseas warehouses can be achieved to ensure inventory levels meet market demand without overstocking.
Utilizing logistics technology and information technology can improve transportation efficiency and management levels while reducing labor and management costs. Freight forwarders can adopt logistics management software, GPS tracking systems, electronic data interchange, and other technologies to achieve real-time monitoring and management of the transportation process. For example, through GPS tracking systems, customers can understand the real-time location and status of goods during transportation, improving goods safety and traceability. Meanwhile, using big data analysis technology to deeply mine and analyze transportation data provides decision support for optimizing transportation plans.
Against the backdrop of trade wars, trade policies frequently change, and tariff and compliance risks increase. Freight forwarders need to strengthen compliance team building, track policy changes in real time, ensure goods classification and documentation comply with the latest requirements, and avoid delays or fines due to misjudgments. For example, for dangerous goods transport, freight forwarders must strictly comply with international maritime/air transport regulations to ensure safe transportation of goods. Meanwhile, providing customers with cargo insurance services can reduce risks and losses during goods transportation. Additionally, freight forwarders can help customers develop market risk management strategies, closely monitor market dynamics and policy changes, and promptly adjust trade strategies to reduce market risks.
In addition to basic transportation services, freight forwarders can also expand value-added services such as supply chain finance and trade consulting. For example, providing customers with supply chain financial services to solve their working capital issues during trade. By cooperating with financial institutions, freight forwarders can provide one-stop financial services such as financing and settlement, reducing customers’ financing costs. Meanwhile, providing trade consulting services to help customers understand international trade rules and market dynamics and formulate reasonable trade strategies.
Freight forwarders should strengthen cooperation with domestic and foreign logistics enterprises, suppliers, customers, etc., to build extensive cooperation networks. By cooperating with logistics enterprises, logistics resources can be integrated to improve transportation efficiency and service quality. Cooperating with suppliers can obtain more favorable procurement prices and supply guarantees. Cooperating with customers can gain a deeper understanding of their needs and provide personalized transportation solutions. For example, freight forwarders can establish long-term cooperative relationships with airlines, shipping companies, etc., to secure more favorable freight rates and services.
In the context of Trump’s 2025 tariff increase on China, freight forwarders face significant challenges and opportunities. By optimizing transportation mode selection, route planning, multimodal transport integration, tariff planning, centralized procurement and LCL services, warehousing and distribution management, digital technology application, compliance and risk management, value-added service expansion, and cooperation network construction, freight forwarders can effectively help customers reduce transportation costs, improve supply chain stability and competitiveness. Meanwhile, freight forwarders themselves can also stand out in market competition and achieve sustainable development.
