Transport & Related Services

Sub-categories

Overview

Transport & related services spans the movement and handling of goods end to end: road haulage (FTL and groupage/LTL), sea freight (FCL and LCL), air cargo, rail and intermodal services, plus the support functions around them — freight forwarding, warehousing and fulfilment, customs brokerage, insurance and last-mile delivery. Providers range from single-mode carriers that own trucks or vessels to forwarders that arrange capacity and paperwork across several modes.

Unlike a physical product, what you buy here is a service and a set of commitments: a route, a transit time, a price structure and a chain of responsibility for the goods while they move. The right partner depends on your lanes (where goods originate and land), the nature of the cargo (general, temperature-controlled, hazardous, oversized) and how much of the process you want handled for you.

Turkey sits at a logistics crossroads between Europe, the Middle East and Asia, so buyers often need partners comfortable with cross-border road corridors, major seaports and customs procedures on both export and import legs.

What to check when sourcing

When sourcing a transport or logistics partner, start with the scope and the lanes: which origin-destination pairs you ship, expected volumes and frequency, the modes involved and whether you need door-to-door or port-to-port service. Be precise about the cargo — weight and dimensions, stacking, temperature or hazardous (ADR/IMDG) requirements — because these drive both feasibility and price.

Clarify transit times and the service levels behind them: what is a target versus a guarantee, how delays are communicated, and what tracking or proof-of-delivery you receive. Confirm the quotation basis and any surcharges (fuel, waiting/demurrage, customs, handling) so the all-in cost is comparable between providers.

Finally, pin down documentation and liability. Ask which transport documents they issue (CMR, bill of lading, air waybill), their customs-clearance capability, and the liability regime that applies (for example CMR for international road or the Hague-Visby rules for sea), together with their cargo-insurance options. Agreeing responsibilities against the correct Incoterms avoids disputes when something goes wrong.

Sourcing checklist — transport & related services

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a carrier and a freight forwarder?

A carrier owns or operates the transport (trucks, vessels, aircraft) and physically moves the goods. A freight forwarder arranges capacity, routing and documentation across one or more carriers and modes, acting as your coordinator rather than owning the vehicles.

How is a transport quote usually structured?

Quotes commonly combine a base freight rate with surcharges such as fuel, handling, customs and possible waiting or demurrage charges. Ask for an all-in, lane-specific quotation and check which costs are excluded so you can compare providers fairly.

Who is liable if my cargo is damaged in transit?

Liability depends on the mode and contract. International road carriage often falls under the CMR convention and sea freight under rules such as Hague-Visby, each with limits on compensation. Because those limits may be lower than your goods' value, buyers frequently add separate cargo insurance.

Do I need a provider that also handles customs?

If you ship across borders, customs clearance is unavoidable. Some forwarders offer in-house brokerage, others work with a partner. Confirm who files the declarations and who is responsible for duties and compliance before the first shipment.

What does door-to-door mean versus port-to-port?

Door-to-door means the provider manages the whole chain from your supplier's premises to the final delivery address, including first and last mile. Port-to-port (or airport-to-airport) covers only the main leg between terminals, leaving you to arrange pickup and final delivery.