Legal Responsibility Of International Freight Forwarder

International freight forwarding is a new service industry, developing with innovation. It plays an important role in the field of international trade and shipping transportation. With the emergence of liner shipping, international freight forwarder extends its business operation into the field of NVOCC and logistics. It changes its part from traditional agent to the carrier in the transportation.There is no special law adjusting freight forwarder in China. Regulations of the People's Republic of China on International Maritime Transportation, stipulates that freight forwarder can operate NVOCC business, while it have no regulation about the right, obligation and responsibilities of freight forwarder when he engages NVOCC business. And it does not prescribe how to distinguish the two parts. This makes chaos in the freight forwarding market. Many freight forwarders do not show his legal status, NOVCC or freight forwarder, at the beginning of business, earning commission and price difference both. If damage or shortage happens in the transportation field, freight forwarder will insist he is an agent for the interest of consigner and all the rights and obligations of the shipping contract should be charged with consigner. This action disturbs freight forwarding market seriously and infracts the legal interest of consigner and carrier.Accordingly, this essay analyses the legal responsibility of freight forwarder and NVOCC respectively, and depicts how to distinguish the status of freight forwarder. At the end of essay, the writer brings forward a series of solutions, hoping to exert a little help in settling the confusion of freight forwarding market.