diff --git a/crates/wraith-core/src/client/forward.rs b/crates/wraith-core/src/client/forward.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8987f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/wraith-core/src/client/forward.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,530 @@
+use std::net::SocketAddr;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+use russh::client;
+use tokio::io;
+use tokio::net::{TcpListener, TcpStream};
+use tokio::sync::Mutex;
+use tracing::{debug, error, info};
+
+use crate::error::ForwardError;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum PortForwardSpecKind {
+    Local,
+    Remote,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct PortForwardSpec {
+    pub kind: PortForwardSpecKind,
+    pub bind_addr: String,
+    pub bind_port: u16,
+    pub target_host: String,
+    pub target_port: u16,
+}
+
+impl PortForwardSpec {
+    pub fn local(spec: &str) -> Result<Self, ForwardError> {
+        let (bind_addr, bind_port, target_host, target_port) = parse_spec(spec)?;
+        Ok(Self {
+            kind: PortForwardSpecKind::Local,
+            bind_addr,
+            bind_port,
+            target_host,
+            target_port,
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn remote(spec: &str) -> Result<Self, ForwardError> {
+        let (bind_addr, bind_port, target_host, target_port) = parse_spec(spec)?;
+        Ok(Self {
+            kind: PortForwardSpecKind::Remote,
+            bind_addr,
+            bind_port,
+            target_host,
+            target_port,
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn listen_addr(&self) -> Result<SocketAddr, ForwardError> {
+        format!("{}:{}", self.bind_addr, self.bind_port)
+            .parse()
+            .map_err(|_| ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+                spec: format!("{}:{}", self.bind_addr, self.bind_port),
+            })
+    }
+
+    pub fn target_addr(&self) -> Result<SocketAddr, ForwardError> {
+        format!("{}:{}", self.target_host, self.target_port)
+            .parse()
+            .map_err(|_| ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+                spec: format!("{}:{}", self.target_host, self.target_port),
+            })
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for PortForwardSpec {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        let prefix = match self.kind {
+            PortForwardSpecKind::Local => "-L",
+            PortForwardSpecKind::Remote => "-R",
+        };
+        write!(
+            f,
+            "{} {}:{}:{}:{}",
+            prefix, self.bind_addr, self.bind_port, self.target_host, self.target_port
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+fn parse_spec(spec: &str) -> Result<(String, u16, String, u16), ForwardError> {
+    let parts: Vec<&str> = spec.split(':').collect();
+    if parts.len() != 4 {
+        return Err(ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+            spec: spec.to_string(),
+        });
+    }
+
+    let bind_addr = parts[0].to_string();
+    let bind_port: u16 = parts[1].parse().map_err(|_| ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+        spec: spec.to_string(),
+    })?;
+    let target_host = parts[2].to_string();
+    let target_port: u16 = parts[3].parse().map_err(|_| ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+        spec: spec.to_string(),
+    })?;
+
+    Ok((bind_addr, bind_port, target_host, target_port))
+}
+
+pub struct LocalForwarder {
+    spec: PortForwardSpec,
+    listener: Option<TcpListener>,
+}
+
+impl LocalForwarder {
+    pub fn new(spec: PortForwardSpec) -> Result<Self, ForwardError> {
+        if spec.kind != PortForwardSpecKind::Local {
+            return Err(ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+                spec: format!("expected local spec, got {:?}", spec.kind),
+            });
+        }
+        Ok(Self {
+            spec,
+            listener: None,
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn spec(&self) -> &PortForwardSpec {
+        &self.spec
+    }
+
+    pub async fn run<H: client::Handler + Send + 'static>(
+        &mut self,
+        handle: Arc<Mutex<client::Handle<H>>>,
+    ) -> Result<(), ForwardError> {
+        let listen_addr = self.spec.listen_addr()?;
+        let listener = TcpListener::bind(listen_addr)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| ForwardError::BindFailed { source: e })?;
+        self.listener = Some(listener);
+        let remote_host = self.spec.target_host.clone();
+        let remote_port = self.spec.target_port;
+
+        info!(
+            "local forward listening on {} -> {}:{}",
+            listen_addr, remote_host, remote_port
+        );
+
+        loop {
+            let listener = match &self.listener {
+                Some(l) => l,
+                None => return Ok(()),
+            };
+            let accept_result = listener.accept().await;
+            let (local_stream, local_addr) = match accept_result {
+                Ok(conn) => conn,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    let handle = handle.lock().await;
+                    if handle.is_closed() {
+                        debug!("local forward accept loop ending: ssh session closed");
+                        return Ok(());
+                    }
+                    drop(handle);
+                    error!("local forward accept error: {}", e);
+                    continue;
+                }
+            };
+
+            debug!(
+                "local forward connection from {} -> {}:{}",
+                local_addr, remote_host, remote_port
+            );
+
+            let handle = handle.clone();
+            let remote_host = remote_host.clone();
+            tokio::spawn(async move {
+                if let Err(e) =
+                    proxy_local_to_remote(local_stream, handle, &remote_host, remote_port).await
+                {
+                    debug!("local forward proxy error: {}", e);
+                }
+            });
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub async fn stop(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(listener) = self.listener.take() {
+            drop(listener);
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn local_port(&self) -> u16 {
+        self.spec.bind_port
+    }
+}
+
+async fn proxy_local_to_remote<H: client::Handler + Send + 'static>(
+    local_stream: TcpStream,
+    handle: Arc<Mutex<client::Handle<H>>>,
+    remote_host: &str,
+    remote_port: u16,
+) -> Result<(), ForwardError> {
+    let local_addr = local_stream
+        .peer_addr()
+        .map(|a| a.to_string())
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+
+    let handle_guard = handle.lock().await;
+    let channel = handle_guard
+        .channel_open_direct_tcpip(
+            remote_host,
+            remote_port as u32,
+            &local_addr,
+            0,
+        )
+        .await
+        .map_err(|e| ForwardError::ChannelOpenFailed {
+            source: Box::new(e) as _,
+        })?;
+    drop(handle_guard);
+
+    let ssh_stream = channel.into_stream();
+    let (mut ssh_read, mut ssh_write) = tokio::io::split(ssh_stream);
+    let (mut local_read, mut local_write) = tokio::io::split(local_stream);
+
+    let client_to_server = io::copy(&mut local_read, &mut ssh_write);
+    let server_to_client = io::copy(&mut ssh_read, &mut local_write);
+
+    match tokio::join!(client_to_server, server_to_client) {
+        (Err(e), _) | (_, Err(e)) => {
+            debug!("local forward bidirectional copy error: {}", e);
+        }
+        _ => {}
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub struct RemoteForwarder {
+    spec: PortForwardSpec,
+    cancel: Option<tokio::sync::oneshot::Sender<()>>,
+}
+
+impl RemoteForwarder {
+    pub fn new(spec: PortForwardSpec) -> Result<Self, ForwardError> {
+        if spec.kind != PortForwardSpecKind::Remote {
+            return Err(ForwardError::InvalidSpec {
+                spec: format!("expected remote spec, got {:?}", spec.kind),
+            });
+        }
+        Ok(Self { spec, cancel: None })
+    }
+
+    pub fn spec(&self) -> &PortForwardSpec {
+        &self.spec
+    }
+
+    pub async fn register<H: client::Handler + Send + 'static>(
+        &self,
+        handle: &mut client::Handle<H>,
+    ) -> Result<u32, ForwardError> {
+        let port = handle
+            .tcpip_forward(&self.spec.bind_addr, self.spec.bind_port as u32)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| ForwardError::ChannelOpenFailed {
+                source: Box::new(e) as _,
+            })?;
+        Ok(port)
+    }
+
+    pub async fn handle_forwarded_channel(
+        channel: russh::Channel<russh::client::Msg>,
+        connected_address: &str,
+        connected_port: u32,
+        local_host: &str,
+        local_port: u16,
+    ) {
+        debug!(
+            "remote forward: server opened forwarded-tcpip channel to {}:{} -> local {}:{}",
+            connected_address, connected_port, local_host, local_port
+        );
+
+        let local_target = format!("{}:{}", local_host, local_port);
+        let local_stream = match TcpStream::connect(&local_target).await {
+            Ok(s) => s,
+            Err(e) => {
+                error!(
+                    "remote forward: failed to connect to local target {}: {}",
+                    local_target, e
+                );
+                return;
+            }
+        };
+
+        let ssh_stream = channel.into_stream();
+        let (mut ssh_read, mut ssh_write) = tokio::io::split(ssh_stream);
+        let (mut local_read, mut local_write) = tokio::io::split(local_stream);
+
+        let client_to_server = io::copy(&mut local_read, &mut ssh_write);
+        let server_to_client = io::copy(&mut ssh_read, &mut local_write);
+
+        match tokio::join!(client_to_server, server_to_client) {
+            (Err(e), _) | (_, Err(e)) => {
+                debug!("remote forward bidirectional copy error: {}", e);
+            }
+            _ => {}
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub async fn unregister<H: client::Handler + Send + 'static>(
+        &self,
+        handle: &client::Handle<H>,
+    ) -> Result<(), ForwardError> {
+        handle
+            .cancel_tcpip_forward(&self.spec.bind_addr, self.spec.bind_port as u32)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| ForwardError::ChannelOpenFailed {
+                source: Box::new(e) as _,
+            })?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub async fn stop(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(cancel) = self.cancel.take() {
+            let _ = cancel.send(());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub async fn run_local_forwarders<H: client::Handler + Send + 'static>(
+    forwarders: Vec<LocalForwarder>,
+    handle: Arc<Mutex<client::Handle<H>>>,
+    mut shutdown: tokio::sync::watch::Receiver<bool>,
+) -> Vec<LocalForwarder> {
+    let mut forwarders = forwarders;
+    let mut tasks = Vec::new();
+
+    for forwarder in forwarders.drain(..) {
+        let handle = handle.clone();
+        let spec = forwarder.spec().clone();
+        let (_cancel_tx, cancel_rx) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel::<()>();
+        tasks.push(tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let mut fwd = forwarder;
+            tokio::select! {
+                result = fwd.run(handle) => {
+                    if let Err(e) = result {
+                        error!("local forward {} failed: {}", spec, e);
+                    }
+                }
+                _ = cancel_rx => {
+                    fwd.stop().await;
+                }
+            }
+            fwd
+        }));
+    }
+
+    let _ = shutdown.changed().await;
+
+    for task in &tasks {
+        task.abort();
+    }
+
+    let mut results = Vec::new();
+    for task in tasks {
+        match task.await {
+            Ok(fwd) => results.push(fwd),
+            Err(e) => {
+                if !e.is_cancelled() {
+                    error!("local forwarder task panicked: {}", e);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    results
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_local_spec() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db.internal:5432").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(spec.kind, PortForwardSpecKind::Local);
+        assert_eq!(spec.bind_addr, "127.0.0.1");
+        assert_eq!(spec.bind_port, 5432);
+        assert_eq!(spec.target_host, "db.internal");
+        assert_eq!(spec.target_port, 5432);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_remote_spec() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::remote("0.0.0.0:8080:127.0.0.1:3000").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(spec.kind, PortForwardSpecKind::Remote);
+        assert_eq!(spec.bind_addr, "0.0.0.0");
+        assert_eq!(spec.bind_port, 8080);
+        assert_eq!(spec.target_host, "127.0.0.1");
+        assert_eq!(spec.target_port, 3000);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_spec_invalid_few_parts() {
+        assert!(PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_spec_invalid_many_parts() {
+        assert!(PortForwardSpec::local("a:b:c:d:e").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_spec_invalid_port() {
+        assert!(PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:abc:db:5432").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_spec_invalid_target_port() {
+        assert!(PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db:abc").is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn spec_display() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db.internal:5432").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(spec.to_string(), "-L 127.0.0.1:5432:db.internal:5432");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn spec_display_remote() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::remote("0.0.0.0:8080:127.0.0.1:3000").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(spec.to_string(), "-R 0.0.0.0:8080:127.0.0.1:3000");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn local_forwarder_rejects_remote_spec() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::remote("0.0.0.0:8080:127.0.0.1:3000").unwrap();
+        assert!(LocalForwarder::new(spec).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn remote_forwarder_rejects_local_spec() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db.internal:5432").unwrap();
+        assert!(RemoteForwarder::new(spec).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn listen_addr_valid() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db.internal:5432").unwrap();
+        let addr = spec.listen_addr().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(addr.port(), 5432);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn listen_addr_invalid_host() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec {
+            kind: PortForwardSpecKind::Local,
+            bind_addr: "!!!invalid".to_string(),
+            bind_port: 5432,
+            target_host: "db".to_string(),
+            target_port: 5432,
+        };
+        assert!(spec.listen_addr().is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn local_forward_bind_and_accept() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local(&format!("127.0.0.1:0:remote:5432")).unwrap();
+        let forwarder = LocalForwarder::new(spec).unwrap();
+
+        let listen_addr = forwarder.spec.listen_addr().unwrap();
+        let listener = TcpListener::bind(listen_addr).await.unwrap();
+        let bound_addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+        drop(listener);
+
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local(&format!(
+            "127.0.0.1:{}:remote:5432",
+            bound_addr.port()
+        ))
+        .unwrap();
+        let forwarder = LocalForwarder::new(spec).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(forwarder.local_port(), bound_addr.port());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn remote_forward_proxy_bidirectional() {
+        use tokio::io::{AsyncReadExt, AsyncWriteExt};
+
+        let echo_listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+        let _echo_addr = echo_listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+
+        let echo_server = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let (mut stream, _) = echo_listener.accept().await.unwrap();
+            let mut buf = [0u8; 64];
+            loop {
+                let n = match stream.read(&mut buf).await {
+                    Ok(0) => break,
+                    Ok(n) => n,
+                    Err(_) => break,
+                };
+                if stream.write_all(&buf[..n]).await.is_err() {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        });
+
+        let local_listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+        let local_addr = local_listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+
+        let proxy_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let (stream, _) = local_listener.accept().await.unwrap();
+            let (mut read, mut write) = tokio::io::split(stream);
+            let _ = io::copy(&mut read, &mut write).await;
+        });
+
+        let mut local_conn = TcpStream::connect(local_addr).await.unwrap();
+        local_conn.write_all(b"hello").await.unwrap();
+        let mut buf = [0u8; 64];
+        let n = local_conn.read(&mut buf).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(&buf[..n], b"hello");
+
+        echo_server.abort();
+        proxy_task.abort();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn forwarder_spec_access() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::local("127.0.0.1:5432:db.internal:5432").unwrap();
+        let forwarder = LocalForwarder::new(spec.clone()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(forwarder.spec(), &spec);
+        assert_eq!(forwarder.local_port(), 5432);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn remote_forwarder_spec_access() {
+        let spec = PortForwardSpec::remote("0.0.0.0:8080:127.0.0.1:3000").unwrap();
+        let forwarder = RemoteForwarder::new(spec.clone()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(forwarder.spec(), &spec);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/wraith-core/src/client/mod.rs b/crates/wraith-core/src/client/mod.rs
index c9a6434..e1fe3bb 100644
--- a/crates/wraith-core/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/wraith-core/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 pub mod channel_manager;
+pub mod forward;
 
-pub use channel_manager::{ChannelManager, ForwardRequest};
\ No newline at end of file
+pub use channel_manager::{ChannelManager, ForwardRequest};
+pub use forward::{LocalForwarder, PortForwardSpec, PortForwardSpecKind, RemoteForwarder};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/wraith-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/wraith-core/src/lib.rs
index 41f1f1b..e71ae91 100644
--- a/crates/wraith-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/wraith-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ pub mod error;
 #[cfg(feature = "testutil")]
 pub mod testutil;
 
-pub use error::{AuthError, ChannelError, ConfigError, TransportError};
+pub use error::{AuthError, ChannelError, ConfigError, ForwardError, TransportError};
 pub use transport::{Transport, TransportAcceptor, TransportInfo, TransportKind};
 pub use client::channel_manager::{ChannelManager, ForwardRequest};
\ No newline at end of file