Ritra Cargo
Ritra Cargo is a Dutch freight forwarder founded in 1988, providing sea, air, road, and cross-trade logistics, customs clearance, and warehousing services through its proprietary TRACOS platform, serving primarily fashion, retail, and automotive importers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersRotterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ritra Cargo does
Ritra Cargo is a Dutch freight forwarding company founded in 1988 and headquartered in Rotterdam, with a secondary air freight operations office near Schiphol Airport in Oude Meer. The company provides end-to-end international logistics services including sea freight (FCL and LCL), air freight, cross trade, road transport and groupage, customs clearance, and warehousing and distribution services, serving customers primarily in fashion and retail, automotive, timber and construction, and home and living retail verticals across Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. Ritra Cargo operates a relationship-driven business model with dedicated account managers acting as fixed points of contact for customers, and generates revenue through transaction fees on freight forwarding, professional services for customs (including AEO-certified procedures, REX declarations, and CBAM reporting), managed services for warehousing and pick-and-pack, and recurring software subscription for its proprietary TRACOS platform.
The company's core technology is TRACOS, a proprietary web-based supply chain management platform developed in-house over 11+ years by its own IT team. TRACOS provides real-time shipment tracking across all transport modalities (ETD, ETA, ATA, delay tracking), PO-level visibility, container planning with free-time and demurrage/detention management, multi-account access with configurable permissions, and EDI integration with customer ERP systems. The platform was extended in 2019 with a CO2 emissions calculation module — claimed as the first freight forwarder to offer per-shipment carbon footprint reporting — and a web-based Pick & Pack value-added service for retail fulfillment, with a customer-facing TRACOS Lite portal updated in 2021 to expose carbon footprint data.
Ritra Cargo is privately held and co-owned by Managing Director Martijn Berghout, who has led the company since its founding. The company is AEO-certified, a member of FENEX (Dutch Freight & Logistics Association), participates in the iSHARE data-exchange scheme and the Chain of Trust initiative at the Port of Rotterdam, and holds exclusive Netherlands representation for the FECL (Far East Cargo Line) agent network since 2002. The team of 11-50 employees shows unusually high tenure (average exceeding 15 years), reflecting an operationally stable, founder-led model that is differentiated by personal service combined with proprietary digital tooling rather than scale.
Ritra Cargo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ritra Cargo
- Legal name
- Ritra Cargo
- Website
- https://ritra.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ritra Cargo is a Dutch freight forwarder founded in 1988, providing sea, air, road, and cross-trade logistics, customs clearance, and warehousing services through its proprietary TRACOS platform, serving primarily fashion, retail, and automotive importers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ritra Cargo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Freight Forwarding Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Trucking (No Local) (4213)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF) (TLACABAE), Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF)
Keywords
Where Ritra Cargo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rotterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ritra Cargo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Freight Forwarding Services: Core business providing sea freight, air freight, cross trade, and road transport services with comprehensive logistics coordination from origin to destination.
- Customs Services: Customs declaration handling including AEO-certified procedures, REX declarations for tariff preferences, and CBAM reporting assistance.
- Warehousing & Distribution: Storage, Pick & Pack services, and value-added logistics for inbound container planning and retail distribution.
- TRACOS Platform: Supply chain management software solution provided as part of the overall service offering, offering real-time tracking and reporting capabilities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ritra Cargo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ritra Cargo is a Dutch freight forwarder providing end-to-end international logistics coordination including sea freight (FCL and LCL), air freight, road transport and groupage, cross-trade shipments, customs declarations, warehousing and distribution with Pick & Pack, and specialized ACS Cruise Services. All services are delivered through dedicated account managers and supported by TRACOS, a proprietary web-based supply chain management platform that gives customers 24/7 real-time shipment visibility, container planning, CO2 reporting, and EDI integration. The company exclusively serves business customers and focuses on import/export flows between Europe and major Asian manufacturing countries.
Product overview
Ritra Cargo offers a portfolio of freight forwarding services built around its proprietary TRACOS platform. The core offering includes sea freight, air freight, road transport/groupage, cross trade, customs clearance, and warehousing & distribution services. TRACOS serves as the central digital platform providing real-time shipment visibility, container planning, CO2 calculation, and EDI integration capabilities. Additional services include specialized ACS Cruise Services. The company positions itself as a 'personal, digitally driven freight forwarder' combining human expertise with digital tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Zeevracht (Sea Freight) Ocean freight forwarding services for container shipments including FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL (Less than Container Load) transport across global routes. Designed for business customers importing or exporting goods internationally.
- Luchtvracht (Air Freight) Air cargo forwarding services operated from Schiphol Airport, including dangerous goods handling. A dedicated team based in Oude Meer handles all air cargo operations for business customers requiring time-sensitive international shipments.
- Natransport & Groupage (Road Transport & Groupage) Road transport and groupage consolidation services for efficient distribution of smaller shipments within Europe, used by business customers for onward carriage of imported or exported goods.
- Cross Trade International trade logistics where goods are transported between two foreign countries without entering the Netherlands, coordinated by Ritra on behalf of business customers that need a third-country shipping arrangement.
- Douane (Customs) Customs declaration services for import, export, and REX (Registered Exporter System) declarations, managed by certified customs declarants. Ritra is an AEO-certified (Authorized Economic Operator) freight forwarder, indicating compliance with customs security and safety standards, and provides CBAM registration support.
- Warehousing & Distributie (Warehousing & Distribution)
Quantifiable outcome
- Full insight into inbound container stream with reduced manual work
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ritra Cargo
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ritra Cargo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature6 records
Ritra Cargo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- EvofenedexminorRitra Cargo joined Evofenedex (Dutch trade organization) to strengthen collective position in the logistics industry and work with other parties to find solutions for the entire logistics chain. Focus on advocating for industry interests and sustainable logistics practices.
- UNICEFminorRitra Cargo became a UNICEF Business Buddie on December 1, 2024, supporting the Plastic Bricks project in Côte d'Ivoire. This sustainable initiative combines improvements in employment, sustainability, and education. The company encourages customers and partners to join as Business Buddies.
- FECL (Far East Cargo Line)coreRitra Cargo has represented the Netherlands for Far East Cargo Line since 2002. FECL is an exclusive network of logistic agencies located in Europe and Asia with one representative per country. Annual agent meetings bring European agents together to share market information and discuss strategic collaborations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ritra Cargo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DHL Global Forwarding: Global freight forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL with strong air and ocean capability in the Netherlands. Directly competes for the same fashion, retail and automotive shippers Ritra serves, but offers a much wider portfolio and owned international network.
- Rhenus Logistics: German-headquartered forwarder with multimodal air, ocean, road and customs services and a Benelux presence. Directly comparable to Ritra in European mid-market forwarding and customs brokerage, but at greater scale and with a broader European footprint.
- Geodis: French-headquartered global freight forwarder with strong European road and air freight networks. Competes with Ritra for Dutch and cross-border European shippers needing integrated forwarding and customs, but as a much larger, multi-modal incumbent.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Germany-headquartered global forwarder with strong air and sea freight operations across Europe. Competes with Ritra for fashion/retail and mid-market Dutch accounts, but offers a much larger owned international office network and broader product portfolio.
- Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with deep ocean, air and customs brokerage operations in Rotterdam. Comparable because it competes for the same Dutch importers across sea/air freight and customs, but at vastly greater scale and with a broader global network than Ritra's agent-based model.
- DSV: Global transport and logistics provider with significant Dutch forwarding presence following its PANALPINA and GIL acquisition history. Overlaps Ritra on FCL/LCL ocean forwarding, air freight and customs, but at far larger scale across more geographies.
- DACHSER: European road transport and contract logistics specialist with growing air and sea forwarding. Comparable because it serves similar Dutch and European shippers with integrated road plus forwarding, but with owned European terminal infrastructure Ritra lacks.
- CEVA Logistics: Global 3PL owned by CMA CGM with significant ocean and contract logistics exposure. Comparable to Ritra on ocean forwarding and customs for European shippers, though it offers owned warehousing and much broader end-to-end supply chain capabilities.
Emerging players
- Flexport: US-founded digital freight forwarder with growing presence in European ocean and air forwarding. Comparable because it targets the same mid-market shippers Ritra serves with technology-led transparency and pricing, but competes by bypassing traditional account-manager relationships.
Direct peers
- Rabelink Logistics: Dutch mid-sized freight forwarder offering sea, air and road transport from the Netherlands with similar vertical focus on European shippers. Closest direct peer to Ritra in size, geography, and full-service forwarding + customs value proposition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ritra Cargo social profiles
Digital presenceRitra Cargo compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Ritra Cargo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ritra Cargo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Ritra Cargo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ritra Cargo 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 Ritra Cargo
What does Ritra Cargo do?
Ritra Cargo is a Dutch freight forwarder providing end-to-end international logistics coordination including sea freight (FCL and LCL), air freight, road transport and groupage, cross-trade shipments, customs declarations, warehousing and distribution with Pick & Pack, and specialized ACS Cruise Services. All services are delivered through dedicated account managers and supported by TRACOS, a proprietary web-based supply chain management platform that gives customers 24/7 real-time shipment visibility, container planning, CO2 reporting, and EDI integration. The company exclusively serves business customers and focuses on import/export flows between Europe and major Asian manufacturing countries.
Is Ritra Cargo a public or private company?
Ritra Cargo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ritra Cargo founded?
Ritra Cargo was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ritra Cargo based?
Ritra Cargo is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Ritra Cargo make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Freight Forwarding Services are the primary driver. The others are customs Services, warehousing & Distribution and TRACOS Platform.
Who are Ritra Cargo's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DHL Global Forwarding, Rhenus Logistics, Geodis, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel, DSV, DACHSER and CEVA Logistics. Flexport is listed as an emerging player. Rabelink Logistics is listed as a direct peer.
Does Ritra Cargo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ritra Cargo.
What industry is Ritra Cargo in?
Ritra Cargo's product category is Freight Forwarding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAG, Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance), with a secondary code of TLACABAE, Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF). Its NAICS code is 48851 and its SIC code is 4731.