What clearfreight does

ClearFreight is a privately held, full-service global logistics provider founded in San Francisco in 1973 as a Customs House Broker. Operating as a licensed NVOCC and IATA agent, the company delivers freight forwarding across ocean, air, road, and rail modes, alongside customs brokerage, warehousing and distribution, cargo insurance, supply chain solutions, and trade compliance advisory. Corporate headquarters sit in El Segundo, California, supported by 30+ owned offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, with an agent and partner network extending service coverage into over 100 countries. Customers span 12 industry verticals including automotive, chemicals, oil & gas, government, healthcare, retail, consumer goods, cosmetics, electronics, fashion, pet products, and food & beverage.

The technology stack centers on ClearView, a proprietary cloud-based logistics platform that provides global supply chain visibility, real-time shipment tracking, milestone monitoring, reporting and analytics, pricing, booking, and EDI integration with ocean carriers. ClearView is complemented by an Order Management System (OMS) module enabling purchase order management, supplier collaboration, and API or Excel-template integrations with customer systems, and a ClearFreight Mobile App for shipment tracking with alerts and interactive map views. The platform architecture emphasizes interoperability, document management, and role-based access rather than disclosed AI or machine learning capabilities.

ClearFreight generates revenue through transaction fees on freight forwarding, professional services fees for customs brokerage and trade compliance advisory, and managed services revenue from warehousing, fulfillment, kitting, and cross-docking. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contracts typical for enterprise clients. The go-to-market motion combines direct enterprise field sales leveraging the global office footprint with self-service quote requests and ClearView booking for mid-market customers. Marketing relies on industry association memberships (NCBFAA, LACBFAA, WCA, IATA, AOP, C5C), C-TPAT certification visibility, and a newsroom publishing on trade compliance and tariff topics. The company has remained privately held throughout its 50+ year history with no disclosed venture capital or private equity investment.

Name

clearfreight

Legal name

ClearFreight, Inc.

Website

https://clearfreight.com.tw

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ClearFreight is a privately held global logistics provider founded in 1973, offering freight forwarding, customs brokerage, warehousing, and supply chain solutions across 30+ offices in 100+ countries via its proprietary ClearView technology platform, serving automotive, chemicals, healthcare, retail, and other verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding & Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation (481212)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

NVOCC Operations & Ocean Consolidation (TLACABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF), Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF) (TLACABAE), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG), Air Consolidation & Deconsolidation (Consols, Master/House AWB) (TLACAAAB), Project & OOG/Breakbulk Ocean Forwarding (Out-of-Gauge, RoRo) (TLACABAH), Temperature-Controlled Air Freight (Cool Chain) (TLACAMAF)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Customs brokerage
• Supply chain solutions
• Warehousing distribution
• Logistics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices30 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Revenue generated from ocean, air, road, and rail freight forwarding services. Handles full container (FCL), less-than-container (LCL), and specialized cargo including reefer, hazardous, and oversized shipments.
2. Customs Brokerage Services: Revenue from customs entry processing, HTS product classification, duty payments via ACH, customs bonds, and landed cost reporting.
3. Warehousing & Distribution: Fees for bonded and non-bonded warehousing, order fulfillment, kitting, labeling, e-commerce fulfillment, cross-docking, pick and pack services, and inventory management.
4. Cargo Insurance: Commission-based cargo insurance services providing all-risk, FPA, and WA coverage against damage, theft, collisions, and mishandling.
5. Supply Chain Solutions: Comprehensive supply chain optimization services including procurement, distribution, inventory management, and strategic consulting.
6. Trade Compliance Advisory: Consulting services for customs compliance, FDA guidance, HTS advisory, duty preference programs, binding ruling requests, and intellectual property rights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ClearFreight is a full-service global logistics provider operating as a licensed NVOCC and IATA agent, delivering multimodal freight forwarding (ocean, air, road, rail), customs house brokerage, warehousing and distribution, cargo insurance, break-bulk and project cargo, chemical bulk liquid handling, intermodal solutions, supply chain optimization, and trade compliance advisory services to enterprise and mid-market customers. The company pairs these services with the proprietary ClearView technology platform for real-time global shipment visibility, order management, and mobile tracking.

Product overview

ClearFreight is a full-service logistics company operating as a licensed NVOCC and IATA agent with over 50 years of experience. The company offers a platform-plus-modules product architecture centered on ClearView, their proprietary logistics technology platform. ClearView serves as the core system providing global supply chain visibility, real-time tracking, reporting and analytics, pricing and booking, and custom integrations. This core platform is complemented by the Order Management System (OMS) for purchase order and booking management, and the ClearFreight Mobile App for mobile shipment tracking. Beyond technology products, ClearFreight provides comprehensive logistics services including transportation (ocean, air, road, rail), freight forwarding, customs house brokerage, warehousing and distribution, cargo insurance, break bulk and project cargo, chemical bulk liquid handling, intermodal solutions, supply chain solutions, and trade compliance advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ClearView: Proprietary logistics technology platform providing global visibility, real-time tracking, reporting and analytics, pricing and booking, and custom integrations for supply chain management.
• Order Management System (OMS)
• ClearFreight Mobile

Products and services

• ClearView Logistics Technology Platform Proprietary cloud-based platform providing global supply chain visibility, real-time shipment tracking across ocean, air, road, and rail, milestone monitoring, reporting and analytics, pricing and booking, EDI connections with ocean carriers, document management, and custom integrations with government systems, third-party platforms, customers, and partners. Sold to enterprise and mid-market shippers needing visibility into complex international logistics.
• Order Management System (OMS) Cloud-based real-time order management system enabling purchase order and booking management, supplier collaboration, user-friendly dashboards, role-based access, and integration via Excel templates or API. Designed for shippers and logistics teams that need to coordinate purchase orders and bookings across complex supply chains.
• ClearFreight Mobile App Mobile application for shipment tracking featuring real-time alerts, priority shipment management, comprehensive shipment overview, and interactive map view for visualizing shipments geographically. Targeted at ClearFreight customers who need mobile access to shipment status and notifications.
• Ocean Freight Forwarding Ocean freight forwarding services handling full container (FCL), less-than-container (LCL), and specialized cargo including reefer, hazardous, and oversized shipments as a licensed NVOCC. Targeted at enterprise and mid-market shippers moving international cargo via ocean.
• Air Freight Forwarding Air freight forwarding services operated as an official IATA agent empowered to issue airway bills on behalf of airlines, passing on expedited service and cost savings to customers. Used by shippers requiring time-sensitive international air cargo.
• Road and Rail Freight Road and rail freight services complementing ocean and air forwarding for door-to-door, intermodal, and overland transportation solutions across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Europe.
• Freight Forwarding Services Comprehensive freight forwarding service covering ocean, air, road, and rail modes with full container (FCL), less-than-container (LCL), and specialized cargo capability including reefer, hazardous, and oversized shipments.
• Break-bulk and Project Cargo Specialized handling of break-bulk and project cargo for oversized, non-containerized, and heavy-lift international shipments.
• Chemical Bulk Liquid Logistics Transportation and handling of bulk liquid chemicals (hazardous and non-hazardous) including liquid bulk, gases, and solids, with focus on safety compliance, packaging, and handling.
• Warehousing and Distribution Bonded and non-bonded warehousing, order fulfillment, kitting, labeling, e-commerce fulfillment, cross-docking, pick-and-pack, and inventory management services, supported by a state-of-the-art dangerous goods warehouse in Rotterdam offering 24/7 surveillance, CO2 fire suppression, and lithium battery storage.
• Supply Chain Solutions Comprehensive supply chain optimization services including procurement, distribution, inventory management, and strategic consulting for shippers looking to streamline end-to-end logistics operations.
• Intermodal Solutions Intermodal transportation solutions that combine multiple modes (ocean, air, road, rail) to optimize cost, transit time, and reliability across international supply chains.
• Customs House Brokerage Licensed customs brokerage services including customs entry processing, HTS product classification, duty payments via ACH, customs bonds, and landed cost reporting for importers and exporters.
• Cargo Insurance Commission-based cargo insurance offering all-risk, Free of Particular Average (FPA), and With Average (WA) coverage to protect shipments against damage, theft, collisions, and mishandling during transit.
• Trade Compliance Advisory Consulting services covering customs compliance, FDA guidance, HTS advisory, duty preference programs, binding ruling requests, and intellectual property rights to help importers and exporters manage trade regulatory complexity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Real-time global shipment visibility across entire supply chain
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003ClearFreight is a certified and validated C-TPAT Partner since January 2003. C-TPAT is a joint government-business initiative between US Customs and Border Protection and the trade community designed to build cooperative relationships that strengthen supply chain and border security.
• NCBFAA (National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America)coreOthersProfessional association membership for customs brokers and freight forwarders in the United States.
• LACBFAAregionalOthersLatin American Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association membership.
• IATAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearFreight is an official IATA agent, empowered to issue airway bills on behalf of airlines and pass on expedited service and cost savings to customers.
• WCA (World Cargo Alliance)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorld Cargo Alliance membership providing access to global network of trusted logistics partners.
• AOPminorOthersAssociation of Partners network membership for logistics industry connections.
• C5CminorOthersCon5Con industry partnership for logistics community connections.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with comprehensive ocean, air, road, rail, customs, and contract logistics. Highly comparable to ClearFreight in service mix but operates at vastly greater scale, setting the benchmark for technology investment and carrier procurement leverage in the same addressable market.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Division of Deutsche Post DHL providing international air, ocean, road freight forwarding and customs brokerage with global network depth. Direct competitor to ClearFreight in ocean and air forwarding, customs clearance, and supply chain solutions for enterprise accounts.
• C.H. Robinson Worldwide: One of the largest US-based third-party logistics providers offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, ocean, and air forwarding with significant technology investment (Navisphere). Overlaps with ClearFreight in multimodal freight forwarding and customs brokerage for North American shippers.
• CEVA Logistics: Global third-party logistics provider offering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and supply chain solutions with strong automotive, consumer, and industrial verticals. Comparable to ClearFreight across verticals and service mix, but operates at greater scale as part of CMA CGM.
• DB Schenker: Global freight forwarder and logistics provider offering land, air, and ocean transport plus contract logistics. Direct competitor to ClearFreight in multimodal international forwarding and customs services, with deeper European and intercontinental network coverage.

Direct peers

• Expeditors International: US-headquartered global logistics company offering air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and supply chain solutions across similar verticals. Closely comparable business model and asset-light approach, competing head-to-head with ClearFreight on enterprise logistics RFPs.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German-headquartered mid-sized global freight forwarder offering air, ocean, road, rail, customs, and contract logistics. Closely comparable in size, family/private ownership profile, and service breadth to ClearFreight, particularly across Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic lanes.
• Nippon Express: Japan-headquartered global logistics company with strong Asia-Pacific freight forwarding, warehousing, and customs capabilities. Comparable to ClearFreight in serving Trans-Pacific lanes and Asia-US customer flows, and a relevant peer for Asia-originating enterprise freight.
• Bolloré Logistics: French-headquartered global freight forwarder offering multimodal transport, customs, warehousing, and supply chain solutions across similar industry verticals. Comparable mid-to-large sized privately controlled forwarder competing with ClearFreight on enterprise accounts in automotive, retail, and healthcare verticals.

Emerging players

• Flexport: US-based digital-native freight forwarder offering ocean, air, trucking, and customs brokerage through a proprietary software platform. Comparable to ClearFreight in core forwarding services and target verticals, but represents the technology-led competitive threat that pressures traditional forwarder margins.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/clearfreight?lang=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clearfreight

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

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 clearfreight