The Assistant Manager - Sea Freight Forwarding role is responsible for independently managing and coordinating export and import sea freight operations from booking through final delivery. Based in Tumakuru or Bengaluru, the position covers shipment execution, documentation, customs coordination, customer communication, cost control, carrier management, and team supervision in accordance with company procedures and customer requirements.

Responsibilities Export Sea Freight Operations

- Handle end-to-end export shipments from booking to vessel departure
- Coordinate with shipping lines, non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs), freight forwarders, customs house agents (CHAs)/customs brokers, container freight stations (CFSs)/inland container depots (ICDs), and transporters
- Obtain and compare freight quotations and negotiate competitive ocean freight rates
- Plan container requirements based on cargo volume, dimensions, and weight
- Arrange vessel bookings and monitor booking confirmations
- Coordinate container positioning, stuffing, movement to the port/CFS, and shipping instructions
- Monitor vessel schedules, cut-off dates, shipping instruction cut-offs, verified gross mass (VGM), and documentation deadlines
- Track vessel rollovers, shut-outs, port congestion, and schedule changes, and take corrective action
- Coordinate with shipping lines regarding special equipment such as flat rack, open top, high cube, and reefer containers whenever required
- Handle shipper-owned container (SOC) and carrier-owned container (COC) movements and coordinate with carriers as applicable

Import Sea Freight Operations

- Coordinate import shipments from overseas origins to their final destinations
- Follow up with overseas agents, shipping lines, and customers regarding pre-alerts and shipping documents
- Verify bills of lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, and other import documents
- Coordinate with CHAs regarding customs clearance and with transporters regarding delivery
- Monitor estimated arrival times, vessel arrivals, delivery order availability, customs clearance, and delivery status
- Ensure the timely return of empty containers and avoid detention and demurrage charges

Documentation & Compliance

- Review and coordinate the preparation of the following documentation:

- Bill of Lading

- Shipping Instructions

- Commercial Invoice

- Packing List

- Certificate of Origin

- Verified Gross Mass

- Shipping Bill/Bill of Entry
- Dangerous Goods Declaration, where applicable
- Other export and import documentation
- Ensure documentation accuracy and timely submission
- Coordinate with customs consultants and CHAs regarding queries and clearance issues




- Ensure compliance with applicable customs, dangerous goods, shipping-line, and port requirements
- Coordinate documentation for special cargo, project cargo, and out-of-gauge shipments

Customer & Stakeholder Coordination

- Act as the primary operational contact for assigned customers
- Provide regular shipment status updates
- Understand customer requirements and ensure service commitments are met
- Coordinate with internal sales, packaging, warehouse, procurement, and finance teams
- Resolve operational issues and customer complaints promptly
- Escalate critical issues such as vessel rollovers, customs delays, port congestion, and documentation discrepancies

Overseas Agent & Shipping Line Management

- Maintain effective communication with overseas agents and global logistics partners
- Obtain sailing schedules, rates, and routing options
- Negotiate with shipping lines and freight forwarders to secure competitive rates and space
- Develop effective working relationships with major shipping lines such as Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and ONE
- Monitor carriers’ service reliability, transit times, and cost performance

Cost Control & Billing

- Obtain and evaluate freight and local-charge quotations
- Ensure the correct application of agreed rates
- Monitor freight, terminal handling charges, documentation charges, CFS charges, transportation costs, detention and demurrage charges, and other logistics costs
- Verify vendor invoices against agreed quotations and purchase orders
- Coordinate with the finance team to ensure timely customer billing and vendor payments
- Identify opportunities to reduce freight costs

Shipment Tracking & Management Information Systems

- Maintain accurate shipment records and trackers
- Monitor shipments from booking through final delivery
- Prepare regular management information system (MIS) reports covering:

- Shipment volumes

- Freight costs

- Transit times

- Carrier performance
- On-time shipment performance

- Detention and demurrage

- Pending documentation

- Customer complaints
- Provide management with operational updates and exception reports

Team Management

- Supervise and guide executives and coordinators handling sea freight operations
- Allocate work and monitor daily operational activities




- Train team members on freight-forwarding procedures and documentation
- Ensure standard operating procedures and internal controls are followed
- Support the manager in improving operational processes and team productivity

Key Performance Indicators

- On-time booking and shipment execution
- Booking confirmation and space availability
- Documentation accuracy
- On-time vessel connections
- Freight-cost competitiveness
- Reduction of detention and demurrage
- Customer satisfaction
- Shipment exception resolution time
- Vendor and carrier performance
- Team productivity and operational efficiency

Requirements Experience

- 6–10 years of experience in sea freight forwarding or logistics
- Strong experience in export and import full container load operations
- Experience working with shipping lines, CHAs/customs brokers, CFSs/ICDs, and transporters
- Experience handling industrial or project cargo will be an advantage
- Experience with dangerous goods cargo, out-of-gauge cargo, special equipment, and SOC shipments is highly regarded
- Experience in a multinational company or international freight-forwarding environment would be valuable

Educational Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline
- Diploma or degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Trade, or a related field will be an advantage

Key Skills

- Strong knowledge of sea freight forwarding and international logistics
- Good understanding of Indian export and import customs procedures
- Excellent documentation skills
- Strong negotiation and vendor-management skills
- Good knowledge of shipping-line processes and port operations
- Robust communication and customer-management skills
- Good analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and logistics or enterprise resource planning systems
- Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple shipments simultaneously

Professional Profile

- Hands-on and commercially aware approach, with the ability to independently manage the complete sea freight cycle
- Confidence in dealing directly with shipping lines, customers, CHAs, transporters, and overseas agents
- Ability to make timely decisions during operational disruptions such as vessel rollovers, shut-outs, port congestion, customs issues, and documentation discrepancies

About the company A company in the logistics and freight-forwarding industry providing domestic and international supply chain services. Its operations encompass transportation, warehousing, import and export customs clearance, freight forwarding, packing solutions, and support for complex and over-dimensional cargo.

📌 Assistant Manager - Sea Freight Forwarding (Karnataka)
🏢 JAC Recruitment
📍 Karnataka