Top 12 Cargo Agent Skills to Put on Your Resume

Crafting a standout resume as a cargo agent means showing the skills that keep freight moving cleanly and on time. The work is part coordination, part compliance, part problem-solving under pressure. Highlight the 12 core skills below to quickly signal real capability in logistics execution, customer handling, and day-to-day operational control.

Cargo Agent Skills

1. FreightStream
2. CargoWise
3. SAP TM
4. Customs Regulations
5. Hazardous Materials
6. IATA Codes
7. EDI Messaging
8. CargoSprint
9. Rate Negotiation
10. Load Planning
11. Air Waybills
12. Cargo Insurance

1. FreightStream

FreightStream is a transportation management system built to centralize shipment planning, tracking, documentation, and communications so cargo agents can run the day with fewer clicks and fewer mix-ups.

Why It's Important

It tightens control over bookings, status updates, and documents, which cuts errors, shortens dwell time, and keeps customers informed without endless emails or calls.

How to Improve FreightStream Skills

1. Automate capture: Use OCR and templates to pull data off invoices, AWBs, and packing lists to reduce retyping.
2. Live visibility: Pipe in carrier, GPS, and IoT feeds through APIs for real-time milestones and exception alerts.
3. Route intelligence: Add routing logic that considers traffic, weather, cutoffs, and service levels—not just distance.
4. In-app messaging: Enable secure chats and notifications across ops, drivers, warehouses, and customers.
5. Reporting: Build dashboards for KPIs like on-time performance, throughput, and exception rates.
6. Security and compliance: Enforce MFA, role-based access, audit trails, and encryption at rest/in transit.
7. Continuous training: Offer bite-sized e-learning and playbooks tied to common workflows.

How to Display FreightStream Skills on Your Resume

2. CargoWise

CargoWise is a cloud platform for freight forwarding, customs, warehousing, and global logistics execution—one system to book, clear, track, and invoice.

Why It's Important

It connects processes end to end, which trims handoffs, reduces duplicate data, and speeds revenue recognition.

How to Improve CargoWise Skills

1. Train and certify: Complete role-based training and certification paths to unlock advanced functions.
2. Automate: Use workflows, milestones, and triggers to remove manual steps and standardize tasks.
3. Integrate: Connect to carriers, customs systems, and accounting to keep one source of truth.
4. Stay current: Review release notes and apply updates to benefit from new capabilities.
5. Use support channels: Log issues, propose enhancements, and share feedback for continuous improvement.

How to Display CargoWise Skills on Your Resume

3. SAP TM

SAP Transportation Management helps plan, execute, and settle transportation moves across modes, tying shipments to rates, carriers, and financials.

Why It's Important

You gain visibility across orders, costs, and capacity, which lowers spend, shrinks cycle times, and keeps service promises intact.

How to Improve SAP TM Skills

1. Automate routine work: Auto-build freight orders, tendering, and tracking updates with well-tuned rules.
2. Boost visibility: Use event management and analytics to flag exceptions early and act fast.
3. Connect devices: Integrate IoT for location, temperature, or shock data where sensitive cargo demands it.
4. Invest in training: Keep operators current on new features and best-practice configurations.
5. Tailor configuration: Focus on the features that matter—rate determination, capacity selection, and charge calculation.
6. Collaborate: Activate portals and structured communications with carriers and customers.
7. Measure performance: Track cost per lane, on-time metrics, and carrier scorecards to drive improvements.

How to Display SAP TM Skills on Your Resume

4. Customs Regulations

Customs regulations define how goods enter and exit a country: declarations, inspections, duties, security, and the data that proves it all is lawful.

Why It's Important

Compliance avoids penalties and delays, speeds clearance, and protects margins through correct tariff classification and duty relief when available.

How to Improve Customs Regulations Skills

1. Go digital: Use electronic declarations, document imaging, and data validation to reduce clearance time.
2. Harmonize: Align to WCO and HS conventions; standardize procedures across branches and partners.
3. Use single windows: Where available, submit through national single-window platforms to cut duplicate submissions.
4. Risk management: Apply pre-arrival data checks and profiling to spot problems before they hit the border.
5. Upskill: Train teams on valuation, origin, classification, and special programs (FTA, IPR, AEO).
6. Partner: Keep a tight loop with customs brokers and authorities for clarifications and process tweaks.

How to Display Customs Regulations Skills on Your Resume

5. Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials are substances that can pose risks to health, property, or the environment and therefore require strict packaging, labeling, documentation, and handling under rules like IATA DGR, ICAO TI, and IMDG.

Why It's Important

Missteps can lead to incidents, fines, and bans. Proper DG handling keeps people safe and shipments compliant from door to door.

How to Improve Hazardous Materials Skills

1. Stay current: Track regulation updates (IATA DGR revisions, modal rules) and amend SOPs promptly.
2. Get certified: Maintain required DG training and recurrent certification for all relevant roles.
3. Right packaging: Use approved UN-spec packaging and match to hazard class, quantity, and mode.
4. Accurate marks/labels: Apply correct UN numbers, proper shipping names, and hazard labels every time.
5. Emergency readiness: Document response procedures, keep SDS material handy, and drill scenarios.
6. Audit often: Run internal checks on documentation, packaging, and segregation before tender.
7. Use DG tools: Leverage software for validation, segregation checks, and shipper’s declaration creation.

How to Display Hazardous Materials Skills on Your Resume

6. IATA Codes

IATA three-letter codes identify airports, airlines, and locations worldwide—short, universal tags that keep routing clean.

Why It's Important

They prevent misroutes and data mismatches, speed bookings, and make tracking and reporting unambiguous.

How to Improve IATA Codes Skills

1. Learn the frequent flyers: Memorize codes for your core lanes, hubs, and partner carriers first.
2. Use code directories: Verify unusual codes and equipment types before issuing documents.
3. Train: Take structured cargo training covering code usage in AWBs and messaging.
4. Practice: Work flashcards and daily lookups into your routine until recall sticks.
5. Stay updated: Watch for airport openings, renames, or airline changes and update templates.

How to Display IATA Codes Skills on Your Resume

7. EDI Messaging

EDI is the structured exchange of data—bookings, status updates, invoices—between systems using standards such as EDIFACT or ANSI X12.

Why It's Important

It slashes manual entry, lowers error rates, and accelerates handoffs with carriers, brokers, and customers.

How to Improve EDI Messaging Skills

1. Standardize: Align on message types and versions with partners to avoid translation chaos.
2. Validate: Run schema and business-rule checks before sending to cut rejections.
3. Automate: Trigger EDI events off milestones so data flows without human nudges.
4. Secure: Use encrypted channels (AS2, SFTP) and manage certificates tightly.
5. Train team: Ensure ops and IT understand codes, segments, and troubleshooting.
6. Monitor: Set alerts and dashboards for failures, delays, and unusual patterns.
7. Co-test: Conduct end-to-end testing with partners after changes or new lanes go live.

How to Display EDI Messaging Skills on Your Resume

8. CargoSprint

CargoSprint streamlines cargo facility workflows—appointments, payments, and communications—to cut wait time and friction at the handoff.

Why It's Important

Fewer bottlenecks at the dock or terminal, faster turn times, cleaner handovers, happier drivers and consignees.

How to Improve CargoSprint Skills

1. Simplify the UI: Configure screens for the shortest path to book, pay, and confirm.
2. Automate repeats: Pre-fill data, reuse templates, and schedule recurring appointments.
3. Train for speed: Short, scenario-based training and quick reference guides.
4. Close the loop: Collect feedback from agents and drivers; iterate often.
5. Integrate: Connect with TMS/WMS and carrier systems to avoid double entry.
6. Harden security: Enforce strong authentication and protect payment workflows end to end.

How to Display CargoSprint Skills on Your Resume

9. Rate Negotiation

Rate negotiation is the back-and-forth with carriers and consolidators to set prices, terms, and space that work for both sides.

Why It's Important

Margins depend on it. Good deals mean competitive quotes, reliable capacity, and fewer surprises when markets swing.

How to Improve Rate Negotiation Skills

1. Know the market: Track lane trends, seasonality, surcharges, and capacity shifts.
2. Leverage volume: Trade commitments and longer terms for sharper rates and priority lift.
3. Offer flexibility: Play with transit windows, routings, and equipment to unlock savings.
4. Keep options: Maintain a bench of carriers by lane and service tier to avoid dependence.
5. Sharpen the craft: Practice negotiation frameworks—anchoring, trade-offs, and clear BATNAs.
6. Total cost lens: Consider free time, demurrage, accessorials, and payment terms—not just base rate.
7. Communicate cleanly: Be transparent on forecasts and constraints to build trust.

How to Display Rate Negotiation Skills on Your Resume

10. Load Planning

Load planning arranges freight inside containers, trucks, or ULDs to maximize space, maintain balance, and meet safety rules.

Why It's Important

Smart plans reduce transport costs, prevent damage, and keep operations compliant with weight, balance, and segregation rules.

How to Improve Load Planning Skills

1. Use planning tools: Optimize for cube, weight distribution, and compatibility constraints.
2. Standardize: Define packing SOPs, pallet patterns, and ULD build guidelines.
3. Train routinely: Refresh skills on weight and balance, DG segregation, and restraint methods.
4. Optimize container use: Mix SKUs thoughtfully to raise utilization without jeopardizing handling.
5. Collaborate early: Align with shippers on carton specs, dims, and stackability to prevent surprises.

How to Display Load Planning Skills on Your Resume

11. Air Waybills

An Air Waybill (AWB) is a non-negotiable contract of carriage and receipt for goods issued by the airline or its agent. It carries shipper/consignee details, routing, charges, and handling info—paper or electronic (e-AWB).

Why It's Important

It underpins legal, operational, and tracking needs. If the AWB is wrong, the shipment stumbles.

How to Improve Air Waybills Skills

1. Adopt e-AWB: Go electronic to cut errors, speed handoffs, and improve data quality.
2. Quality checks: Validate names, codes, charges, weights, and pieces before finalization.
3. Regulatory alignment: Keep up with customs, security, and airline requirements that affect AWB data.
4. Template and EDI: Use templates, auto-fill, and system-to-system exchange to reduce rekeying.
5. Ongoing training: Refresh knowledge on IATA rules, surcharges, and special handling entries.
6. Coordinate closely: Sync with airlines and GHAs; adopt cargo XML/EDI standards for clean messaging.

How to Display Air Waybills Skills on Your Resume

12. Cargo Insurance

Cargo insurance protects the value of goods in transit against loss, damage, or theft—financial guardrails when things go sideways.

Why It's Important

It cushions risk for shippers and agents, sustains trust, and ensures claims don’t sink profitability.

How to Improve Cargo Insurance Skills

1. Profile risk: Match coverage to commodity, route, packing, and theft/weather exposure.
2. Educate clients: Clarify Institute Clauses, exclusions, deductibles, and limits in plain language.
3. Streamline placement: Use standardized declarations, swift binders, and certificate workflows.
4. Broaden options: Offer all-risk and named-perils choices, with add-ons for delay, temp, or project cargo.
5. Track compliance: Verify packing standards, seals, and documentation meet policy conditions.
6. Claims playbook: Define evidence requirements, timelines, and contacts to speed settlements.
7. Review regularly: Reprice and recalibrate coverage as volumes, lanes, or values change.

How to Display Cargo Insurance Skills on Your Resume