What does a cargo agent do?
A cargo agent is primarily in charge of facilitating cargo shipments, ensuring the cargo gets to their destination timely and accurately. They are responsible for preparing and processing the necessary documents and fees, routing shipments and arranging the shipping methods, weighing the parcels, and coordinating the logistics and transportation details. They also negotiate postal and shipping rates, prepare invoices, and maintain records of all transactions and necessary information. Moreover, a cargo agent communicates with clients to answer inquiries, notify them of any delays, and provide updates regularly.
Cargo agent responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real cargo agent resumes:
- Manage and carry out specific program and regulatory activities such as enforcing hazmat and weight restrictions.
- Maintain compliance issues relate to TSA, FAA, and cargo operations for several major airlines.
- Handle various amounts of freight including both FTL, LTL, dry, refrigerate, flatb, and intermodal.
- Practice safe conscious behaviors in all operational processes and procedures by adhering to strict TSA, IATA, and DCOM regulations.
- Set up containers for USPS mail.
- Handle accounts that require FDA clearance.
- Enter payments in Logis software upon acceptance.
- air travel for various company meetinguse Sabre and Apollo GDS
- Route freight via gateways or set up local consolidations.
- Handle cargo from different freight companies and different hazmat materials.
- Populate airway bills for domestic and live animal cargo shipments.
- Execute daily operations of air sea travel using Apollo GDS.
- Assist in securing bookings for consolidations and back to backs.
- Work closely with USDA to eliminate the spread of agriculture disease.
- Process shipper's export information to customs through E2K or AES direct.
Cargo agent skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Cargo Agents are proficient in Security Procedures, Data Entry, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Cargo Agents that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Security Procedures, 18%
Adhere to required security procedures and hazardous material handling requirements.
- Data Entry, 17%
Managed inventory control and data entry of domestic and international Shipments.
- Customer Service, 8%
Loaded flatbed by Evaluated and reconfigured systems to support customer service and operational goals.forklift and hand truck.
- Freight Shipments, 7%
Accept and route Air Freight shipments to their destinations worldwide, inspect every item very carefully with different methods and procedures.
- Computer System, 7%
Collected fees, processed payments, and issued refunds in a prompt and courteous manner using the computer system.
- Air Freight, 4%
Provided logistical support for domestic and international air freight documents.
"security procedures," "data entry," and "customer service" are among the most common skills that cargo agents use at work. You can find even more cargo agent responsibilities below, including:
Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a cargo agent to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "stock clerks sometimes interact with customers in retail stores and may have to get the item the customer is looking for from the storeroom." Cargo agents often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "performed data entry of warehouse inventory and customers pickup charges. "
Detail oriented. Many cargo agent duties rely on detail oriented. "material and product inspecting clerks check items for defects, some of which are small and difficult to spot.," so a cargo agent will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways cargo agent responsibilities rely on detail oriented: "created freight bills with accurate detailed information. "
Math skills. This is an important skill for cargo agents to perform their duties. For an example of how cargo agent responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "some material recording clerks use math to calculate shipping costs or take measurements." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a cargo agent: "position requires computer research, math, problem solving skills and customer serviceability to handle heavy phone use. ".
Communication skills. For certain cargo agent responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a cargo agent rely on this skill, as "production, planning, and expediting clerks are frequently in contact with suppliers, vendors, and production managers and need to communicate the firm’s scheduling needs effectively." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what cargo agents do: "researched shipments and maintained accurate records built a loyal customer service base and telecommunication, cashier. "
The three companies that hire the most cargo agents are:
- Menzies Aviation16 cargo agents jobs
- Delta Air Lines13 cargo agents jobs
- Unifi Manufacturing10 cargo agents jobs
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Compare different cargo agents
Cargo agent vs. Import/export specialist
An import/export specialist organizes and oversees product shipments domestically and internationally. They are responsible for preparing and processing all documents and permits, maintaining records of all transactions, assessing the products' qualities for import and export, and tracking shipments to ensure that they arrive at their destinations in a precise and timely manner. Moreover, an import/export specialist must maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating to ensure that all products and procedures adhere to the company's standards and regulations.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between cargo agents and import/export specialist. For instance, cargo agent responsibilities require skills such as "security procedures," "freight shipments," "computer system," and "air freight." Whereas a import/export specialist is skilled in "logistics," "import export," "export compliance," and "invoice." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Import/export specialists tend to make the most money working in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $62,162. In contrast, cargo agents make the biggest average salary, $35,472, in the transportation industry.On average, import/export specialists reach higher levels of education than cargo agents. Import/export specialists are 7.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Cargo agent vs. Import specialist
An import Specialist in the United States handles freight shipments coming to the country. They detect and assist in preventing violation of the country's customs laws. Their primary responsibility is to enforce the import/export regulations of the United States to prevent the entry of illegal drugs and products into the country. They are tasked with ensuring that weapons or weapon parts do not make it through the border. Additionally, they carry out physical checks and go through cargo manifests on the database while also explaining import/export policies to foreign shippers.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that cargo agent responsibilities requires skills like "security procedures," "freight shipments," "computer system," and "air freight." But an import specialist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "logistics," "invoice," "delivery orders," and "fda."
Import specialists earn a higher average salary than cargo agents. But import specialists earn the highest pay in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $47,468. Additionally, cargo agents earn the highest salaries in the transportation with average pay of $35,472 annually.In general, import specialists achieve higher levels of education than cargo agents. They're 6.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cargo agent vs. Export specialist
An Export Specialist is in charge of managing the foreign sales and transactions of a company. It is their duty to monitor the quality of products to ensure it adheres to export standards, manage paperwork, perform research and analysis, utilize cost-efficient methods, verify documents, produce progress reports, and liaise with external parties such as distributors and custom authorities. An Export Specialist must be proactive and alert for any issues or conflicts, resolving them promptly and efficiently.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a cargo agent is likely to be skilled in "security procedures," "freight shipments," "computer system," and "faa," while a typical export specialist is skilled in "logistics," "booking," "import export," and "aes."
Export specialists earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $47,654. Comparatively, cargo agents have the highest earning potential in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $35,472.export specialists typically earn similar educational levels compared to cargo agents. Specifically, they're 3.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cargo agent vs. Ocean export coordinator
This is a person who helps clients with information and product flow across international waters. The responsibilities that come with this position include; making policy changes with changes made to import-export laws, auditing workflow operations, communicating shipment information with necessary parties, monitor shipment until satisfactory delivery, and addressing customer queries and complaints. The duties that come with this position will primarily be performed at a shipping warehouse environment.
Types of cargo agent
Updated January 8, 2025
