Cargo International
Cargo International B.V. is a Dutch family-owned logistics services firm that provides customs documentation, RDW vehicle registration, and full-service vehicle import/export packages to private individuals, vehicle dealers, and international trading companies via its CARGO Diensten online platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersApeldoorn, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Cargo International does
Cargo International B.V. is a Dutch private limited company founded in 1997 in Apeldoorn by sisters Claudia and Nathalie Bakkenes as a family business initially assisting auto exporters with export documentation. The company has since grown into a specialized logistics and customs services platform focused on three interlinked workflows: customs and export documentation (EX-A, EU-A, CO-A, EUR.1, Certificate of Origin, A.TR), Dutch vehicle registration via the RDW (temporary export plates, transit plates, OREH/TV registrations, BPM tax), and full-service vehicle import packages (BPM calculation, RDW registration, transport) for individuals and dealers sourcing cars from Germany, Belgium, and other countries.
The company's core technology is the CARGO Diensten online application — a proprietary web platform serving 1,600+ members with integrated modules for customs document creation, RDW services, vehicle advertising (Advertentiemodule), and transport booking (Transportmodule). The platform includes rule-based automatic document recommendations (e.g., proposing EUR.1 when an EX-A is created) and supports same-day document issuance for submissions before 11:30. Cargo is AEO-C certified by Dutch customs (since May 2019), RDW-approved for vehicle registration, and a participant in the KvK/ICC pilot for certified digital invoice declarations. It holds a stated 14-day temporary RDW license plate product with bundled insurance, a BPM restitution service processing refunds within five working days, and a Green Card international insurance offering for exported vehicles.
Cargo makes money through a mix of per-transaction fees (vehicle import packages starting at €495, customs documents, RDW license plates, transport markups, BPM restitution fees) and subscription/recurring access to the CARGO Diensten platform for dealer members. Go-to-market combines a multilingual (Dutch/English/German) website for top-of-funnel, self-service online application for mid-funnel, and phone/email sales-led handling for complex imports at the bottom. Operations run from a purpose-built Heerhugowaard headquarters opened in December 2017 and a service center in Apeldoorn, with 40+ staff and no external institutional ownership.
Cargo International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cargo International
- Legal name
- Cargo International B.V.
- Website
- https://car-go.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cargo International B.V. is a Dutch family-owned logistics services firm that provides customs documentation, RDW vehicle registration, and full-service vehicle import/export packages to private individuals, vehicle dealers, and international trading companies via its CARGO Diensten online platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cargo International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Customs and Vehicle Import/Export Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Vehicle Shipping & Import Assistance (HSAKACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction) (TLACAHAD), Customs & Regulatory Filing Documentation (Entry/Exit Summaries, Declarations, ENS/AMS/ACI) (TLACAHAE), Customs Clearance & Import Documentation Services (HSAKACAC), Certificates of Origin & Trade Certificates (COO, Chamber/Legalization) (TLACAHAC), Cargo Insurance Placement & Policy Administration (All-Risk, ICC A/B/C) (TLACAHAG), Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL)
Keywords
Where Cargo International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Apeldoorn
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Cargo International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Vehicle Import Services: Full-service vehicle import packages from countries including Germany, Belgium, and other international locations. Services include BPM calculation, RDW registration, transport arrangement, and documentation handling. Starting price of €495 for car import from Germany.
- Export Documentation Services: Creation and issuance of customs documents (EX-A, EU-A, CO-A) and export documents (EUR.1, Certificate of Origin, A.TR) through online application or direct service. Includes certified invoice declarations via ICC/KvK partnership.
- RDW Vehicle Registration Services: Processing of temporary RDW license plates for export (14-day validity), transit license plates, export declarations, and vehicle company registrations. Includes 14-day insurance packages.
- Online Platform Subscription: CARGO Diensten application with 1,600+ members managing import/export documentation, RDW services, and vehicle advertising through a self-service online platform.
- Vehicle Shipping/Transport: Arrangement of vehicle transport including road transport booking, sea freight, and air freight services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Car Import Germany starting from €495 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Cargo International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cargo International provides integrated customs documentation, vehicle import/export registration, and RDW-related automotive services for vehicle dealers, traders, and private individuals. The core offering combines the proprietary CARGO Diensten online platform with physical service centers to handle customs documents (EX-A, EU-A, CO-A, EUR.1, A.TR), vehicle import packages (BPM calculation, RDW registration, transport), temporary license plates, and certified invoice declarations. Services are delivered under the company's AEO-C customs certification and RDW approval.
Product overview
Cargo International operates as a logistics and automotive services platform offering a unified suite of services for international trade and vehicle management. The core offering consists of an Online Douane Applicatie (online customs application) for creating and managing export/import documentation, combined with Automotive/RDW Online Diensten providing vehicle registration, export services, and license plate management. Supporting modules include the Advertentiemodule for inventory advertising across multiple platforms, Transportmodule for logistics management, and a Webshop. Document services encompass customs documents (EX-A, EU-A, CO-A), export documents (EUR.1, Certificate of Origin, A.TR), and certified invoice declarations. Vehicle-related services include BPM calculation/restitution, temporary RDW license plates, transit plates, and green card insurance. The platform serves both Dutch domestic operations and international trade between EU countries and non-EU territories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Douane Applicatie (Online Customs Application) Online platform allowing customers to create customs and export documents digitally. The system automatically recommends additional documents (e.g., EUR.1) when creating EX-A or EU-A documents, enabling customers to request them directly through the application.
- Automotive / RDW Online Diensten RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority) online services including registration for export traders (OREH), vehicle company registration (TV), APK services, online tachograph control, vehicle scrapping registration, and leasing company registration.
- Export Dienstverlening (Third-Party Vehicle Export Service) Third-party export service for vehicles when the customer bought from a seller who cannot register for export themselves. Includes 14-day liability insurance and customs documents.
- Advertentiemodule (Vehicle Advertising Module) Inventory linking service enabling dealers to advertise vehicles on national and international websites with features including license plate linking, up to 48 photos per ad, Marketplaats listing, Facebook integration, and smartphone web application connectivity.
- Transportmodule (Vehicle Transport Module) Module for managing vehicle transport logistics, integrated with the automotive services, enabling booking of vehicle transport services.
- Douanedocumenten (Customs Documents) Three types of customs documents: EX-A for non-EU countries, EU-A for EFTA countries and UK/Turkey/Macedonia/Serbia/Andorra/San Marino, and CO-A for European island territories.
- Exportdocumenten (Export Documents) EUR.1 certificate for preferential origin, Certificate of Origin (CvO) for non-EU countries, and A.TR document for EU-Turkey trade.
- BPM Calculator Online tool for calculating the Dutch passenger car and motorcycle tax (BPM) for imported vehicles, including depreciation calculation.
- Import Packages (Comfort and Deluxe) Complete vehicle import packages including Comfort and Deluxe options covering vehicle import from abroad with Dutch registration, BPM calculation, RDW registration, and transport arrangement. Car import from Germany starting from €495.
- RDW Kentekens (Temporary License Plates) Temporary RDW license plates for vehicle export (14 days validity), transit plates for vehicles without prior registration (valid worldwide), plus associated insurance packages.
- Groene Kaart (Green Card Insurance) International insurance certificate for exported vehicles, valid for 15 days, providing liability coverage for transport purposes.
- Gecertificeerde Factuurverklaringen (Certified Invoice Declarations) Certified digital invoice declarations with ICC quality label and Chamber of Commerce signature, part of a KVK pilot program for digital certification.
- BPM Restitution Service Vehicle registration tax refund service for exported vehicles, ensuring correct calculation and processing within five working days.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14-day temporary RDW license plates available for vehicle export
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cargo International
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cargo International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Cargo International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Chamber of Commerce (KvK) - ICC PartnershipcoreCargo participates in a Chamber of Commerce pilot program enabling certified digital invoice declarations. These declarations carry the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Paris quality label and KvK signature. The partnership enables digital processing of certified invoice declarations for export documentation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cargo International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Flexport: Flexport is a digital-first global freight forwarder offering customs brokerage, trade documentation, and freight arrangement through a tech-enabled platform. Its model of digitizing customs workflows directly parallels the trajectory of Cargo International's online customs application.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Kuehne+Nagel is one of the world's largest freight forwarders with comprehensive customs brokerage and trade compliance services. While not a specialist in Dutch vehicle import, it competes for the same documentation and freight arrangement budgets of B2B customers in international trade.
- Yusen Logistics: Yusen Logistics is a global logistics provider offering freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and supply chain solutions with significant European operations. It competes for trade documentation and freight arrangement business similar to Cargo International's customer engagements.
- DHL Global Forwarding: DHL Global Forwarding offers end-to-end freight forwarding, customs clearance, and trade compliance services worldwide. Its customs division competes for the same trade documentation and clearance engagements that form Cargo International's customer base.
- Expeditors International: Expeditors is a major global logistics company providing air, ocean, and customs brokerage services across 60+ countries. Its customs and trade compliance services overlap with Cargo International's export/import documentation and freight arrangement offerings.
- C.H. Robinson: C.H. Robinson is a major global freight forwarder and customs broker with strong European operations. It offers customs brokerage and trade compliance services comparable in function to Cargo International's documentation offering, though at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Customs Support Group: Customs Support Group is a major European customs services provider with strong Dutch operations (Rotterdam HQ). It offers customs brokerage, compliance, and AEO-adjacent services across multiple EU countries, making it the closest scaled direct peer to Cargo International's customs and trade compliance work.
Regional players
- Rietveld Car Logistics: Rietveld is a Dutch-based logistics company specializing in vehicle transport and related automotive services. While more focused on physical transport than documentation, it competes for vehicle importer and dealer customers in the same Dutch market as Cargo International.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cargo International social profiles
Digital presenceCargo International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Cargo International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cargo International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cargo International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cargo International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cargo International
What does Cargo International do?
Cargo International provides integrated customs documentation, vehicle import/export registration, and RDW-related automotive services for vehicle dealers, traders, and private individuals. The core offering combines the proprietary CARGO Diensten online platform with physical service centers to handle customs documents (EX-A, EU-A, CO-A, EUR.1, A.TR), vehicle import packages (BPM calculation, RDW registration, transport), temporary license plates, and certified invoice declarations. Services are delivered under the company's AEO-C customs certification and RDW approval.
Is Cargo International a public or private company?
Cargo International is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Cargo International founded?
Cargo International was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cargo International based?
Cargo International is headquartered in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Cargo International make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Vehicle Import Services are the primary driver. The others are export Documentation Services, RDW Vehicle Registration Services, online Platform Subscription and vehicle Shipping/Transport.
Who are Cargo International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Flexport, Kuehne+Nagel, Yusen Logistics, DHL Global Forwarding, Expeditors International and C.H. Robinson. Customs Support Group is listed as a direct peer. Rietveld Car Logistics is listed as a regional player.
Does Cargo International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cargo International.
What industry is Cargo International in?
Cargo International's product category is Customs and Vehicle Import/Export Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKACAJ, International Vehicle Shipping & Import Assistance, with a secondary code of TLACAHAD, Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction). Its NAICS code is 48851 and its SIC code is 4731.