What Total Freight International does

Total Freight International (TFI), legally Total Freight International LLC, is a Dubai-headquartered logistics services provider founded in 1991 and operating under UAE law. The company delivers end-to-end supply chain solutions spanning global freight forwarding (air, sea, land, multimodal, and project cargo), customs brokerage and compliance, contract/3PL, warehousing and distribution, and Importer/Exporter of Record (IOR/EOR) services enabling market entry into restricted jurisdictions. TFI serves enterprise and mid-market customers across 15 named industry verticals — including healthcare/life sciences, oil & gas, automotive, e-commerce, cosmetics, fragrance, defence, marine, and aviation & aerospace — from a 70,000 sq ft bonded warehouse in Dubai Logistics City (Dubai South) and a secondary facility at Dubai Airport Cargo Village.

The company's technology stack is centered on its eFreightSuite WebTools platform, which provides online shipment booking, quote requests, and a real-time tracking dashboard, supplemented by EDI integration for automated document exchange and e-commerce platform integration for omnichannel fulfillment. TFI differentiates through specialized regulatory credentials rather than proprietary technology: GDP certification from SGS (certificate AE 25/00000271, valid 2025–2028) for pharmaceutical logistics, a GCAA-licensed Dangerous Goods agent license covering seven hazmat classes for air transport, and ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 certifications. No public API, mobile app, or AI/ML capability is disclosed. The technology architecture functions as a customer-facing operations layer rather than an automated decisioning platform.

TFI's business model combines direct B2B enterprise sales with a curated 115-country agent network that provides origin/destination coverage. Revenue is generated through three primary mechanics: transaction-based fees for global freight forwarding tied to shipment volume, weight, and destination; professional services fees for customs brokerage and IOR/EOR compliance work; and recurring managed-services revenue from contract/3PL engagements and warehousing. Pricing is fully quote-based with no publicly disclosed rates, and contracts are typically multi-year. Named customers include Eurofragance, Tropicc, a Dubai-based cosmetics brand (KSA market entry case study), and Al Jazeera Stables (life science/veterinary exports). The company is privately held, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or funding rounds, and is led by founder and chairman Salim Esmail.

Name

Total Freight International

Legal name

Total Freight International LLC

Website

https://tfiworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Total Freight International is a Dubai-based, privately held logistics provider founded in 1991, offering global freight forwarding, customs brokerage, 3PL warehousing, IOR/EOR services, GDP-certified pharmaceutical logistics, and GCAA-licensed dangerous goods handling for enterprise customers across 15 industry verticals and 115 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG), Bulk & Tanker Road Freight Forwarding (Dry Bulk, Liquids, Chemicals) (TLACACAL)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Supply chain management
• Customs brokerage
• Dangerous goods handling
• Pharmaceutical logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Global Freight Forwarding: International cargo transportation services across air, sea, and land freight modes. Revenue generated through transaction-based fees tied to shipment volume, weight, and destination.
2. Customs Brokerage: Customs clearance and compliance services for imports and exports. Professional services revenue model with fees based on complexity and shipment value.
3. Contract/3PL Services: Third-party logistics and supply chain management services under long-term contracts. Recurring revenue from warehousing, inventory management, and distribution services.
4. Warehousing & Distribution: Storage and fulfillment services from 70,000 sq ft facility in Dubai Logistics City. Revenue based on storage volume, handling fees, and value-added services.
5. Import/Export of Record: IOR/EOR services enabling market entry for clients in restricted markets like KSA. Fees for regulatory compliance, registration, and facilitation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Total Freight International is an international freight forwarder and third-party logistics provider headquartered in Dubai. It arranges and executes international air, sea, and land freight movements, performs customs brokerage and compliance work, operates bonded warehousing and distribution in the UAE, and offers contract/3PL, e-commerce, and GDP-compliant pharmaceutical logistics. The company also serves as Import of Record/Export of Record for foreign principals that do not have a local entity in the destination market.

Product overview

Total Freight International (TFI) is a Dubai-based logistics solutions provider founded in 1991, offering a comprehensive suite of freight forwarding and supply chain management services. The portfolio includes global freight forwarding (air, sea, land, multimodal, project cargo), customs & compliance (brokerage, compliance, value-added services), supply chain management (Contract/3PL, e-commerce logistics, retail logistics, reverse logistics, spare parts management, on-site logistics), and warehousing & distribution services. Specialized offerings include dangerous goods handling (Classes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9) and GDP-certified pharmaceutical logistics. Technology features include a Dashboard, E-commerce Integration, and EDI Integration. TFI operates from Dubai Logistics City with a 70,000 sq ft warehouse facility and serves clients across 115 countries through a global agent network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Freight Forwarding (Air, Sea, Land, Multimodal, Project Cargo)

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully facilitated market entry for cosmetics brand into KSA market achieving competitive advantage in cost, lead time, visibility, and sales
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TIBAmajorOthers · 1 April 2025TIBA acquired Total Freight Worldwide in April 2025, representing a significant ownership change. This acquisition affects Total Freight International's parent company or related entity structure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MGL Cargo: UAE-based freight forwarder offering air, sea, and land freight plus customs clearance and warehousing from Dubai. A head-to-head Dubai-based peer serving similar mid-market and enterprise customers in oil & gas, FMCG, and project cargo verticals.
• GAC Group: Global logistics, freight forwarding, and shipping company with significant Middle East presence including UAE. Offers comparable freight forwarding, contract logistics, and specialized services for oil & gas and project cargo — a directly comparable Gulf-based mid-sized forwarder.
• Aramex: UAE-headquartered logistics company offering freight forwarding, customs, warehousing, and last-mile delivery across MEASA. Most direct regional competitor given shared Dubai base, multi-vertical strategy, and comparable freight forwarding + 3PL service portfolio.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Germany-headquartered global forwarder with active Middle East operations covering air, sea, road freight and 4PL services. Comparable as a multimodal forwarder serving similar enterprise verticals including automotive, healthcare, and e-commerce in MEASA.
• Agility Logistics: Kuwait-headquartered global logistics company with strong Middle East freight forwarding, warehousing, and customs operations. Closely comparable given shared regional Gulf base, multi-modal forwarding, and contract logistics offerings targeting enterprise customers.
• Wallenborn Transports: Luxembourg-based freight forwarder specializing in air, sea, and road transport with a strong Middle East office network. Comparable to TFI as a multi-modal mid-sized forwarder offering IOR/EOR, dangerous goods handling, and customs brokerage across regional and global lanes.

Broad incumbents

• DB Schenker: German-headquartered global logistics provider with Middle East operations in air, sea, land freight and contract logistics. Comparable as a multi-vertical freight forwarder serving automotive, healthcare, and oil & gas clients in the region.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Global freight forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL with deep UAE presence offering air, ocean, road freight and customs. Directly competes with TFI on multimodal forwarding and customs brokerage for UAE shippers and global accounts with MEASA lanes.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with substantial Dubai/Middle East operations covering air, sea, road freight and contract logistics. Comparable as a multimodal forwarder serving enterprise clients in life sciences, oil & gas, and automotive verticals.

Regional players

• Transworld Logistics (Middle East): Middle East-focused freight forwarder and customs broker with operations spanning UAE, Saudi Arabia, and wider GCC. Comparable as a regional forwarding peer serving similar Gulf export/import lanes and offering customs clearance and project cargo services.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dxbtfiworld
• Facebookfacebook.com/tfiworld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/total-freight-international-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/tfiworld

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Total Freight International