Freightgate, Huntington Beach, Calif., released a new Customer Self-Service Center module as an all-inclusive solution for Negotiated Rate Arrangement (NRA) management. Using Freightgate’s new module, licensed NVOCCs and shippers can now take full advantage of the NRA exemption from tariff rate publication requirements of the Shipping Act, while minimizing the administrative overhead related to tracking each transaction.

NRAs are written and binding arrangements between a shipper and a licensed NVOCC to provide specific transportation service for a stated cargo quantity, from origin to destination, on and after a stated date or within a defined timeframe. If an NVOCC uses NRAs, it does not have to publish these rates in the tariff. This is a strategic advantage for NVOCCs to offer shippers spot ocean shipping rates, and for shippers to gain a competitive market edge while lowering their transportation spend.