Rotra Air & Ocean B.V. (Amsterdam)
Rotra Air & Ocean B.V. (Amsterdam) is a long-established, family-owned freight forwarder with origins tracing back to 1909. The company operates a broad network across Europe with air and ocean offices positioned in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Brussels, providing worldwide door-to-door logistics solutions. Its structure emphasizes a combination of traditional expertise and modern digital capabilities, enabling efficient, flexible, and transparent supply chain management for a diverse range of cargo.
Rotra positions itself as a digital forwarder through rotraNext, an online platform designed to streamline logistics operations. The system is described as an integrated hub for air and ocean freight, customs handling, and specialized shipments. rotraNext is marketed as a tool to simplify quote requests, tracking, document management, and collaboration, with features such as instant rate access, real-time shipment notifications, and multi-organization access. The platform emphasizes exception control, personalized support, and quick quotes to enhance visibility, reduce administrative burden, and enable more proactive decision-making throughout the shipment lifecycle.
In addition to standard air and ocean forwarding, Rotra highlights specialized services through dedicated desks for project cargo, time-critical shipments, and AOG (Aircraft on Ground) scenarios. These desks are designed to offer flexible, tailored solutions to complex or urgent consignments, reflecting the company’s capability to handle high-stakes, time-sensitive freight. The organization emphasizes compliance and efficiency through its AEO-certified customs department, underscoring its commitment to secure, compliant, and seamless cross-border movements.
Rotra’s approach combines long-standing logistics experience with contemporary technology to deliver end-to-end solutions. The company’s portfolio includes global door-to-door air and sea freight, customs clearance, and access to digital tools that enable rapid quoting, transparent pricing, and status updates. The emphasis on climate-neutral delivery and the ability to manage multiple entities within one platform demonstrates a practical focus on sustainability and scalable, enterprise-grade logistics management. Rotra describes its digital journey as “Click, Ship, Smile,” reflecting a commitment to making complex logistics straightforward for customers while maintaining personal contact and assistance when required.
While Rotra markets a digitally-enabled experience, it asserts that it remains grounded in human expertise, with teams available to provide support and guidance as needed. The company’s combination of historical experience and modern digital capabilities positions it to serve various industries with configurable solutions, a unified platform for documentation and control, and a network of offices that supports European and international freight flows. Rotra’s ongoing development of rotraNext, including API-first technology and multi-user, multi-organization access, indicates a strategic emphasis on seamless integration with clients’ existing systems and processes.
Overall, Rotra Air & Ocean B.V. (Amsterdam) presents itself as a digitally augmented, experience-backed logistics partner. It combines a rich 115-year legacy with contemporary digital tools to deliver reliable, transparent, and flexible air and ocean forwarding, complemented by specialized services and robust customs capabilities to support efficient cross-border trade.
