Executive - Ocean Export Operations - Freight Forwarding

Key Responsibilities

Ocean Export Operations

• Execute end-to-end ocean export shipments from booking through documentation, customs clearance, vessel departure, and pre-alert.
• Coordinate FCL and LCL export shipments in line with customer requirements and agreed SOPs.
• Coordinate shipment bookings with shipping lines/NVOCCs based on routing, transit time, equipment availability, and customer requirements.
• Track key shipment milestones including booking confirmation, container planning, empty pickup, stuffing, customs clearance, gate-in, documentation, vessel departure, and pre-alert.
• Ensure adherence to vessel cut-offs, SI cut-offs, VGM deadlines, port/CFS timelines, and other operational milestones.
• Monitor vessel schedules, rollovers, blank sailings, port congestion, equipment shortages, and other operational disruptions.
• Proactively flag potential delays or service issues and coordinate with relevant stakeholders for timely resolution.
• Ensure accurate and timely updating of shipment status in the operating system.
• Execute shipments in accordance with customer-specific SOPs and service requirements.

Documentation & Compliance

• Prepare and coordinate shipping documentation including Shipping Instructions, Bill of Lading, VGM, invoices, packing lists, certificates, and other required documents.
• Verify HBL/MBL details and coordinate with customers, shipping lines, and agents for corrections or amendments.
• Coordinate with Customs Brokers/CHA teams to support timely customs clearance and resolution of documentation issues.
• Ensure compliance with applicable customs, port, shipping line, regulatory, and company requirements.
• Maintain accurate shipment records and documentation in line with internal SOPs and audit requirements.
• Identify documentation discrepancies and ensure timely correction to avoid shipment delays.

Shipping Line & Vendor Coordination

• Coordinate with shipping lines, NVOCCs, CFSs, ICDs, transporters, customs brokers, and other service providers for smooth shipment execution.
• Follow up on bookings, equipment availability, container release, gate-in, documentation, vessel schedules, and sailing confirmations.
• Coordinate resolution of booking failures, equipment shortages, rollovers, vessel delays, and other service issues.
• Track vendor and shipping line performance and highlight recurring operational issues to the concerned stakeholders.
• Provide operational inputs on carrier/service performance and capacity constraints where required.

Customer Service & Stakeholder Coordination

• Provide timely shipment status updates and communicate operational milestones, delays, and exceptions to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Coordinate closely with Sales and Customer Service teams to ensure customer requirements are delivered as committed.
• Respond to operational queries and support timely resolution of customer complaints and escalations.
• Follow customer-specific SOPs and ensure all operational requirements are adhered to.
• Maintain proactive communication with customers and internal stakeholders to minimize service failures and escalations.

Shipment Tracking & Exception Management

• Monitor shipments from booking to vessel departure and ensure all critical milestones are completed within defined timelines.
• Track delays, rollovers, port congestion, equipment shortages, customs issues, documentation gaps, and other shipment exceptions.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to resolve operational issues and minimize customer impact.
• Escalate critical or recurring exceptions to the appropriate level in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate records of shipment exceptions and ensure timely closure.
• Support identification of recurring operational issues and implementation of corrective actions.

Cost & Operational Efficiency

• Monitor shipment-related operational costs, including transportation, CFS, documentation, detention/demurrage, customs, and other applicable charges.
• Follow up on detention/demurrage risks and coordinate timely action to minimize avoidable costs.
• Coordinate with Finance and vendors for invoice validation and resolution of billing discrepancies.
• Ensure operational activities are performed within approved commercial and process guidelines.
• Identify opportunities to reduce errors, delays, manual intervention, and avoidable operational costs.

Team & Process Support

• Support the Operations team in day-to-day shipment execution and workload coordination.
• Assist team members with operational queries, shipment exceptions, and process-related requirements.
• Ensure adherence to SOPs, internal controls, and compliance requirements.
• Support onboarding and knowledge sharing for new team members where required.
• Contribute to a collaborative, accountable, and customer-focused operations environment.

Performance Tracking & Reporting

• Track operational KPIs including shipment TAT, on-time vessel departure, documentation accuracy, booking success rate, and customer escalations.
• Prepare regular shipment and operational status reports as required.
• Maintain accurate operational data and ensure timely system updates.
• Identify recurring operational trends, service failures, and process gaps and highlight them to the reporting manager.

• Support implementation of process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate with Sales, Pricing, Customer Service, Procurement, Finance, Customs, Transport, Network Offices, and Overseas Offices for shipment execution.
• Coordinate with overseas agents/offices for pre-alerts, documentation, destination requirements, and shipment-related queries.
• Provide operational inputs to Sales and Pricing teams regarding routing, transit times, carrier options, and service feasibility.
• Support implementation of new customers, trade lanes, products, and operational processes.
• Coordinate with global and regional stakeholders for resolution of shipment-related operational issues.