Sea freight
Sea Freight
How containers, FCL and LCL shipping work, and why most of the world's cargo travels by sea.
Capability Solutions · Online Course
Introduction to Freight Forwarding
Go from zero to confident. Learn how goods move around the world by sea, air and road, the paperwork behind every shipment, and how to start a career in freight and logistics. Built from the ground up for New Zealand school leavers and career changers, with no experience needed.
Your first step into the freight industry
Freight forwarders are the people who make global trade actually happen, arranging the ships, planes, trucks and paperwork that move goods from one country to another. This course explains the whole picture in plain language, assuming you know nothing to start with, so you can step into a freight, logistics or supply chain role with real confidence.
How goods move
Sea, air and road, demystified
Understand the three main ways freight travels, what each one is good for, and how a forwarder chooses the right mode for the job.
Sea freight
Air freight
Air Freight
When speed matters, how chargeable weight is calculated, and what makes air freight different.
Road, rail & coastal
Road, Rail & Coastal
The domestic leg, getting cargo to and from the port, and how the modes connect into one journey.
The curriculum
What you'll learn
Seven chapters take you from the big picture all the way through to following a real shipment from end to end.
Chapter 1
The Big Picture
What a freight forwarder actually does, the key roles, and how the industry works in New Zealand.
Chapter 2
How Goods Move
Sea, air, road, rail, ports and how to choose the right transport mode for a shipment.
Chapter 3
What Moves and How It's Packed
Cargo types, handling characteristics, shipping containers and unit load devices.
Chapter 4
The Paperwork
Shipping documents, Incoterms, and methods of payment including letters of credit.
Chapter 5
Borders and Compliance
NZ Customs, biosecurity and MPI requirements, and freight security for air and sea.
Chapter 6
Managing Risk
Marine and cargo insurance, and how dangerous goods are classified and handled safely.
Chapter 7
Putting It Together
Follow a complete shipment from start to finish and bring every concept together.
Assessment
Quizzes & Final Test
Short knowledge checks in every chapter plus a final assessment to confirm what you've learned.
Our signature thread
Follow one shipment, all the way
A single pallet of goods is tracked through every chapter, from a warehouse in Hamilton to a customer in Berlin. As you learn each new concept, you see exactly where it fits in the real journey, so the whole process clicks into place instead of feeling like disconnected facts.
Hamilton
Port
In transit
Berlin
The outcome
What you'll walk away with
By the end of the course you'll be able to hold your own in a freight forwarding office and understand the language of the industry.
- Speak the language of freight, from FCL and LCL to Incoterms, B/L and HS codes.
- Understand the full journey a shipment takes and who is responsible at each step.
- Read the key documents and know what each one is for and when it's needed.
- Navigate NZ borders with a working grasp of Customs, biosecurity and MPI rules.
- Talk confidently in an interview or a new freight, logistics or supply chain role.
Made by Capability Solutions
Built by people who train the industry
Capability Solutions builds practical, workplace-ready training for New Zealand businesses across freight, logistics, biosecurity and compliance. This course turns a full-day, in-person introduction into an engaging, self-paced online experience you can work through at your own speed.
7Chapters
33Lessons
0Experience needed
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience to start?
No. The course assumes you're starting from zero. Every term is explained in plain language the first time it appears, so it's ideal for school leavers, career changers and support staff who are new to freight.
How long does it take?
It's completely self-paced. You can move through it in a few focused sessions or spread it out over a couple of weeks, and return to any lesson whenever you like.
Is it specific to New Zealand?
The compliance content covers New Zealand Customs, biosecurity and MPI, so it's directly useful here. The core freight, shipping and documentation concepts apply to international trade anywhere in the world.
Will there be a test?
Yes. Each chapter has a short knowledge check, and there's a final assessment at the end so you can confirm everything has landed before you finish.
Who is this course for?
Anyone wanting a foot in the door: school leavers exploring a logistics career, people changing careers into freight or supply chain, and customer service or operations staff who want to understand how shipping really works.
Start your freight forwarding career today
Enrol now and take your first confident step into one of New Zealand's most important industries.
Get StartedSelf-paced · Beginner friendly · No experience required