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Freight Forwarder

Logistics

Research rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products. Maintain awareness of regulations affecting the international movement of cargo. Make arrangements for additional services, such as storage or inland transportation.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Logistics & Supply Chain

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Negotiate shipping rates with freight carriers.
  2. 2Arrange for special transport of sensitive cargoes, such as livestock, food, or medical supplies.
  3. 3Inform clients of factors such as shipping options, timelines, transfers, or regulations affecting shipments.
  4. 4Arrange for applicable duties, taxes, or paperwork for customs clearance.
  5. 5Prepare shipping documentation, such as bills of lading, packing lists, dock receipts, or certificates of origin.
  6. 6Complete customs paperwork.
  7. 7Recommend or arrange appropriate merchandise packing methods, according to climate, terrain, weight, nature of goods, or costs.
  8. 8Refer exporters to experts in areas such as trade financing, international marketing, government export requirements, international banking, or marine insurance.
  9. 9Prepare invoices or cost quotations for freight transportation.
  10. 10Select shipment routes, based on nature of goods shipped, transit times, or security needs.
  11. 11Calculate weight, volume, or cost of goods to be moved.
  12. 12Arrange delivery or storage of goods at destinations.
  13. 13Make arrangements with customs brokers to facilitate the passage of goods through customs.
  14. 14Arrange for transport, using a variety of modes, such as rail, short sea shipping, air, or roadways, to minimize carbon emissions or other environmental impacts.
  15. 15Recommend shipping solutions to minimize cost or environmental impacts.
  16. 16Determine efficient and cost-effective methods of moving goods from one location to another.
  17. 17Pay or arrange for payment of freight or insurance fees or other charges.
  18. 18Monitor or record locations of goods in transit.
  19. 19Keep records of goods dispatched or received.
  20. 20Reserve necessary space on ships, aircraft, trains, or trucks.
  21. 21Obtain or arrange cargo insurance.
  22. 22Review the environmental records of freight carriers to inform shipping decisions.
  23. 23Analyze shipping routes to determine how to minimize environmental impact.
  24. 24Consolidate loads with a common destination to reduce costs to individual shippers.
  25. 25Provide detailed port information to importers or exporters.
  26. 26Provide shipment status notification to exporters, consignees, or insurers.
  27. 27Consider environmental sustainability factors when determining merchandise packing methods.
  28. 28Verify proper packaging and labeling of exported goods.
  29. 29Verify adherence of documentation to customs, insurance, or regulatory requirements.
  30. 30Maintain current knowledge of relevant legislation, political situations, or other factors that could affect freight shipping.
  31. 31Assist clients in obtaining insurance reimbursements.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Cargo Agent
  • Export Clerk
  • Import Agent
  • Truck Driver
  • Freight Router
  • Air Cargo Agent
  • Freight Analyst
  • GSA Coordinator
  • Air Export Agent
  • Air Export Clerk

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Transportation96%
  • Administrative92%

    Business

  • Customer and Personal Service90%
  • Administration and Management86%

    BusinessEconomics

  • English Language85%

    English

  • Computers and Electronics81%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time
  • Time spent standingA little
  • Time walking or movingAlmost none

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

34%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Freight Forwarders

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org