Ocean Freight Operation & Documentation Specialist

Ranon Logistics Network is a third-party logistics and freight services company supporting customers with warehousing, fulfillment, transportation, and international freight operations.

We are looking for an experienced Ocean Freight Operations & Documentation Specialist to take ownership of the day-to-day coordination and documentation of our ocean freight shipments. This is a hands-on operational role for someone who understands how ocean freight moves from booking through loading, sailing, documentation, and final shipment handoff.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Coordinate ocean freight bookings with carriers, NVOCCs, freight partners, and customers.
• Track booking confirmations, vessel schedules, cut-off dates, sailing dates, and shipment status.
• Prepare, review, and maintain accurate ocean freight documentation, including:
• Bills of Lading
• Shipping Instructions
• Commercial Invoices
• Packing Lists
• Delivery Orders
• Arrival and shipment documentation
• AES/EEI filings when required
• Maintain complete and organized shipment files, ensuring documentation is properly filed and easily retrievable.
• Verify shipment details, weights, measurements, cargo information, and customer instructions before booking and loading.
• Coordinate with the warehouse when freight is received and confirm cargo readiness prior to container loading.
• Coordinate container loading schedules with warehouse personnel, loaders, truckers, and drayage providers.
• Monitor container availability, pickup, loading, gate-in, cut-offs, and return requirements.
• Confirm container numbers and seal numbers and maintain loading records, photos, and supporting documentation.
• Monitor shipments through departure and verify that cargo has sailed as scheduled.
• Communicate proactively with customers regarding bookings, documentation requirements, shipment status, delays, and exceptions.
• Coordinate with carriers, terminals, truckers, customs brokers, warehouses, and other service providers to resolve shipment issues.
• Monitor documentation and operational deadlines to help prevent delays, storage charges, demurrage, detention, or missed sailings.
• Ensure shipment files are complete before closing each job.
• Support accurate invoicing by confirming freight, drayage, warehouse, loader, carrier, and other applicable shipment charges.
• Maintain accurate shipment information within company systems and tracking tools.
• Identify missing documentation, operational gaps, or exceptions early and escalate issues before they affect the shipment.
• Follow established operating procedures and help improve ocean freight workflows as the department grows.

What We're Looking For

• Prior hands-on ocean freight or freight forwarding experience is required.
• Strong working knowledge of ocean freight documentation and shipment processes.
• Experience working with Bills of Lading, shipping instructions, booking confirmations, commercial invoices, packing lists, and related shipping documents.
• Familiarity with ocean carriers, NVOCCs, terminals, drayage providers, customs brokers, and warehouse operations.
• Understanding of vessel schedules, port cut-offs, container pickup and return requirements, free time, demurrage, and detention.
• Familiarity with INCOTERMS and international shipping terminology.
• Experience with AES/EEI filing is strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational and document-management skills.
• High attention to detail; errors in documentation or deadlines can create significant shipment delays and costs.
• Ability to manage multiple active shipments and deadlines at the same time.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfortable following up persistently with carriers, truckers, warehouses, customers, and other partners until an issue is resolved.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and logistics, freight-forwarding, ERP, or TMS systems.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of shipments from beginning to completion.

The Person Who Will Do Well in This Role

· You are organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in an environment where several parties must be coordinated to keep freight moving.

· You don't simply enter information into a system. You follow the shipment, verify that required actions have been completed, maintain the documentation, communicate when something changes, and make sure outstanding items are closed.

· We are looking for someone who understands that successful ocean freight operations depend on accurate documentation, strong follow-through, organized files, and catching problems before they become expensive problems.

Experience

· Required: Previous ocean freight, international freight forwarding, or closely related ocean logistics experience.

· Preferred: 2+ years of hands-on experience managing ocean freight documentation and operations.

Pay: From $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible spending account
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement

Work Location: In person