Logistics workers have to make essential choices about their goods on a daily basis since the supply chain is more congested, complicated, and dynamic than it has ever been. This involves deciding on the best forms of transportation. How to transport your precious cargo or items is a crucial factor to take into account if you work in the logistics sector. Also, the selections or choices become a great deal more complicated when worldwide shipping demands and short deadlines come together. You have two options for exporting internationally: Freight Forwarding Services or ocean freight. Typically, business owners are faced with a decision between airfreight and ocean freight. Do you belong to that group?
Even if there are some clear distinctions between air and water travel, it is crucial to take into account a number of factors and possible unknowns. The decision between the two primary freight options— Freight Forwarding Services and ocean freight—takes centre stage in this complicated and high-stakes setting. A company’s whole supply chain strategy may be shaped by the decision of whether to use airfreight or ocean freight. Making a choice now might make the difference between fulfilling the high demand at year’s end and falling short, as well as between having a smooth supply chain and dealing with delays that could ruin your whole business.
Comparison Between Ocean And Air Freight
Airborne Cargo
When transportation costs are less than 15% to 20% of the item’s worth, air freight is the most cost-effective option. Use this chargeable weight calculator to determine if your cargo will be billed based on dimensional weight or actual weight for light shipments.
Although airfreight is more costly than ocean freight—a $195 ocean package may cost $1,000 by air—it is also quicker, safer, and more dependable. Find out more about the cost of airfreight here. Regulations governing the transportation of hazardous items by airlines are likewise more stringent. Consult the following and your Freight Forwarding Services.
Sea Freight
More value and capacity are available with ocean freight; a single container may accommodate 10,000 beer bottles!
Sea Freight Forwarding Services often moves much more slowly than air freight and delays at ports and with customs might add to the delay. Express LCL is speedier than standard ocean freight and is becoming accessible on more routes and via more forwarders. It also often comes with a delivery date guarantee.
Transit Times for Sea and Air Transportation
Up until recently, full container (FCL) shipments were sent significantly faster than smaller shipments that do not fill a container (LCL). Shippers that wanted to ship in lesser numbers were soon forced to pay more to ship by air.
However, there are now far more affordable ocean LCL options available that may rival airfreight in terms of time. There are other causes for this, such as increasing ship speed, improved ocean tracking, upgraded canals that eliminate delays on specific routes, and a very competitive freight market.
Express ocean services, also known as Expedited LCL, are now offered by some forwarders. These services provide guaranteed delivery days, are almost as quick as FCL, and have nearly equal air transit timeframes. The majority of air cargo is usually consolidated, although this requires time to assemble, and there are usually only one or two specialised services offered each week. Thus, shipping periods range from five to seven days. This should be compared to specific LCL express shipments. For example, it may take as little as 8 days to go from Europe to the East Coast, but given the present state of affairs, this might take considerably longer.
Which Is Better for Heavy Shipments Based on Weight?
As previously discussed, the cost of airfreight is determined by the larger of the actual weight of your package or the dim weight. Airfreight may get costly very quickly if you are shipping anything substantial. The cost of shipping the same goods via ocean freight is often much lower. Put another way, you will find that ocean freight is a more economical option when it comes to large goods.
Handling: Should High-Value Ocean or Air Ship Goods?
When shipping expensive handbags, for example, your products must arrive undamaged. Your belongings will get minimal handling while shipping by air, mainly because fewer people will actually touch your package.
Freight Forwarder Services containers, on the other hand, are loaded onto and off chassis for over-the-road drayage, lifted into and off of the vessel by crane, put back onto a chassis and transported to the following location, etc. Not to mention the time that maritime freight cargo spends at sea when exposed to wind, waves, and boat shaking, your ocean freight goods may arrive with some dents and bruises if they need to be packaged carefully.
Lastly, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is in charge of stricter safety and security regulations pertaining to aviation cargo. The increased security these regulations provide against theft and damage to airfreight goods is a further benefit. Airfreight is ultimately the better option when it comes to transporting pricey or sensitive things.
Conclusion
The decision between air and sea freight is based on a number of variables, such as capacity, speed, dependability, and connection. To choose the best method of transportation for their shipments, businesses must compare these variables to their unique requirements and objectives.
Through an awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of each method, businesses may streamline their logistics processes and guarantee economical, effective global shipping of products. Recall that it is critical to collaborate with seasoned logistics companies that can give knowledge and direction in determining which kind of transportation is best for your particular requirements.