An international shipment may have its transport arranged, its documentation prepared, and its route defined. However, a regulatory change , an unforeseen tariff, or port congestion can alter an operation that seemed to be under control.
Cargo continues to move, but doing so has become more complex. Today, in addition to coordinating its transport, it is necessary to anticipate risks in an environment marked by longer transit times, new regulatory requirements, and geopolitical events.
This scenario is also transforming the work of freight forwarders , who can no longer limit their role to simply coordinating the movement of goods. According to Griselda Padilla, managing partner of Trade the World , knowledge of international trade is becoming an indispensable skill for freight forwarders.
“Today we are also foreign trade advisors. Today we have to be trained,” he stated.
The change can be seen even on a common trade route between Asia and Mexico. Griselda Padilla recalled that previously, Shanghai-Mexico maritime transits could take around 18 days and were almost always respected, but now a shipment from China can take between 25 and 30 days. But time is only part of the problem.
“You can no longer just be trained in Mexico, you have to be at the forefront, know what is happening in the world,” he explained.
In this new logistics, one of the risks can appear even before the merchandise leaves its origin: not knowing what the product really requires to enter a market.
Griselda Padilla warned that one of the persistent errors among importing companies is focusing on costs and basic shipping documentation, without knowing in depth the conditions that their goods must meet, an omission that can complicate the operation from its planning stage.
“You can no longer import just for the sake of importing. You have to know what your product is, what its regulations and non-tariff restrictions are when importing and when exporting,” he said.
This lack of knowledge can translate into costs or requirements not considered during the planning stage. Therefore, the challenge begins before the ship, the plane, or the truck.
“Everything can be imported. As long as you check and comply with the regulations,” he summarized.
Making it easy to understand what happens behind the scenes of a shipment
An international logistics operation can involve suppliers at origin, brokers, shipping lines, airlines, carriers, customs agents, and insurers. According to Griselda, a client may interact with up to 16 people to coordinate a shipment from origin to destination.
The complexity lies not only in moving the merchandise, but in connecting all those pieces.
Therefore, when asked to define in one sentence what Trade the World seeks , he responds with the company’s mantra: ” Make it look easy .”
Not because international logistics is inherently complex. The intention, he explained, is to avoid passing that complexity on to the customer. To achieve this, the company assigns an executive who centralizes the coordination of the operation, regardless of whether the shipment is by air, sea, or land.
Added to this demand is the need for visibility. Just as a person can track a purchase on a digital platform, importers and exporters want to know what is happening with their merchandise without having to become specialists.
Trade the World is currently developing its own platform so that clients can check the status of their shipments. According to Griselda Padilla, technology will become increasingly necessary for freight forwarders , but it doesn’t replace expertise.
“Nowadays you can’t coordinate without knowledge,” he stated.
Therefore, the company trains its executives in foreign trade, tariff classification, certificates of origin and regulatory changes, in addition to developing a legal area focused on the subject.
Communication to navigate complexity
Along with technology and knowledge, Griselda Padilla places another tool at the center of the operation: communication.
According to the management, maintaining effective communication involves adapting to the needs of each client and clearly conveying what happens during an operation, especially when setbacks arise that require timely attention.
“Everyone communicates, everyone talks, but there must be effective communication, trying to say things as they are,” he said.
That principle also permeates his leadership style. When asked what is essential in his management, he mentions effective communication, ongoing training, and passion for what he does.
And its relationship with logistics has a particularity.
“If there are problems, I’m happy. When things are too quiet, I get bored,” he said.
The phrase makes sense in an industry that in recent years has accumulated precisely that: problems to solve. Tariffs, regulations, and geopolitical events have brought foreign trade into discussions where it was practically absent before, and at the same time, have made the work of those behind imports and exports more visible.
The challenge for the freight forwarder will be to combine responsiveness, knowledge, technology, and communication in an environment where the demands of international trade continue to evolve.
Behind a shipment that seemingly only travels from point A to point B, there are decisions, documents, regulations, and people working to make it possible.
And therein lies the transformation: the value of the freight forwarder is no longer limited to moving goods, but also to anticipating risks and resolving the complexity behind each operation.
Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Karina Quintero / @GrupoT21
