# What security and compliance evidence should you request from a freight forwarder?

Tie each claim to a document, the entity and service it covers, its validity period and an owner. Review data protection, continuity, insurance, partners and operational controls separately. OVRSEA can answer a supplier questionnaire for the proposed service while distinguishing its own commitments from those of its partners.

[Source](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/guides/freight-forwarder-security-compliance-evidence)

Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-16

## How OVRSEA responds to supplier checks

OVRSEA addresses security, insurance and compliance as part of defining the customer relationship. A supplier questionnaire helps identify which evidence applies to the proposed service. Answers should distinguish OVRSEA's commitments from partner roles and state the exact scope of any document supplied. A broad claim is not a substitute for a scoped record.

## How do I check an evidence document's scope?

For each document, record the legal entity, activities, sites or countries, validity dates and exclusions. Name someone able to explain it and provide the current version. A partner's certificate does not automatically cover the complete service; describe which part that partner performs.

| Topic | Evidence or explanation | Scope question |
|---|---|---|
| Data security | Documented measures or certifications | Which systems and processing activities? |
| Continuity | Recovery approach and shareable test results | Which services and dependencies? |
| Insurance | Certificates and coverage description | Which entity, activity and exclusions? |
| Partners | Key providers and their roles | Who performs each step? |
| Compliance | Procedures and responsible people | Which flows and control points? |

## What should I ask about personal data?

Identify which contact, shipment, user-access and delivery data are exchanged and why. Have the legal and technical teams determine the parties' roles under the rules that apply to the service and countries involved. Ask how access is granted and revoked, how confidentiality and incidents are handled, and how data can be returned or deleted. Check the scope of any certification rather than assuming it covers every tool.

Practical questions are more useful than a generic assurance: who can see a shipment file, who receives an incident report and what happens when a user leaves? Obtain answers for the proposed service, not an unrelated product.

## How can service continuity be assessed?

Ask what happens if a platform or technical supplier is unavailable. Distinguish restoration of the system, recovery of data and continuation of transport operations. Record contact channels, recovery owners and limits of any commitment. A shareable test example can show what was checked without requiring disclosure of sensitive internal plans.

## How should insurance and partners be reviewed?

Have qualified colleagues review certificates, covered activities and exclusions. If cargo insurance is offered, clarify its scope, conditions and claims process separately. For key operational partners, ask who selects them, coordinates their work and reports changes. The buyer should understand the chain of responsibility behind the proposed service.

## How do I maintain the file over time?

Agree with compliance owners which controls apply to your flows, what information each needs and who decides when something is unclear. Keep a register of expected documents, review dates and open gaps. Every gap needs an owner and a decision. [Share your supplier questionnaire with OVRSEA](https://www.ovrsea.com/insights/en/talk-to-an-expert).

## FAQ

### Does a certification cover every service of a forwarder?

Check the certificate's scope. Identify the legal entity, activities, systems, locations and validity before applying it to your proposed service.

### What should I ask about transport-service continuity?

Ask who is responsible, how to contact the team during a tool outage and what process keeps operations moving. Shareable test evidence helps define what has actually been checked.

### How do I keep a supplier file current?

Assign an owner and review date to each evidence type. Record scope changes, superseded documents and open gaps requiring a decision.