Finding the most efficient means of transporting your goods depends on what you’re importing and exporting.
Some methods are simply better suited than others and the best way to decide what’s going to work for you is to research as many different methods as possible.
Goods are sent all over the world in various different ways. The most common is by sea, road or air.
Sea freight is a very popular choice due to the number of destinations that can be accessed.
A cargo ship’s size also enables you to transport safely large amounts of goods of various sizes and weights.
If you have large bulky items that need to be sent to countries that are not landlocked, then this is by far the safest, most reliable option available to you.
The 5 main points to think about when choosing sea freight to deliver your goods are:
- Charges
- Cost
- Dependability
- Volume
- Speed
Once you have broken down these points in relation to your goods, then you’ll know how effective this method can be for your business.
What Do We Mean By Sea Freight?
Sea freight is a method of transporting large amounts of goods using carrier ships and it’s one of the most common methods of transportation when importing and exporting goods between different countries.
It’s so popular because the ships can manage larger quantities of products, especially heavy items like automobiles and machinery. The goods are packed into containers that are loaded onto vessels and sailed to their destination country.
The Main Benefits
There are many advantages to transporting goods using sea freight. The main one is that it is more cost-effective than many of the alternatives.
Sea freight is actually 50% cheaper overall once you’ve factored in all the costs and overheads – even duty and VAT are less than other methods of transportation.
The other advantages are:
- They can carry heavy and bulky items such as cars, machinery and military equipment.
- They’re more economical – travel by sea leads to a minimal carbon footprint as it consumes far less fuel.
- Your goods are safer – containers are constructed to be sealed and locked away during transportation for extra security.
- More shipping options – sea freight offers several different shipping options which include taking an entire container or sharing between several different loads.
- You can ship larger items – this is the biggest advantage compared to other transportation methods.
It’s Not All Good
Just because sea freight is advantageous to some, doesn’t mean that it will be for everyone. There are cons to this method, as with all methods, but it always comes back to what goods you’re importing and exporting.
Some disadvantages are:
- It’s slower – everything takes longer when travelling by sea.
- Delays can happen – because of the amount of time that’s needed from shipping to delivery, the risks associated with ocean shipping are higher. You can run into shipping delays and weather obstructions.
- More risk – sea freight is more prone to damage in transit.
- Limited destinations – certain parts of the world might not have ports and terminals and can therefore not receive large ships carrying containers.
Is Sea Freight Cost Effective?
To put it simply, the answer is yes.
Low cost is one of the biggest benefits of transporting on sea freights. A typical cargo ship can carry around 18,000 containers, making it cheaper and easier to transport high quantities over large distances. It uses a fraction of the fuel that road and air transport do, so is better for the environment, too.
Sea Freight Can Make Sense
Whatever freight method you use, it will always depend on what your goods are. For those heavier, larger and bulkier goods, sea freight is a fantastic option. It’s the most economical and cost-effective method of transportation.
Some consumers and buyers prefer to purchase shipped goods because of the reduced carbon footprint that it produces.
If you look back to the 5 key points mentioned earlier, cost, dependability, volume and speed, then you’ll see that sea freight is a very dependable method of transport, that keeps the costs down. Large volumes can be taken in any one delivery and big items can be taken with ease.
The main thing to consider is the speed at which you need this service, if slow, but more reliable suits your business model then sea freight is a perfect choice.
You can find out even more about sea freight and how it can improve your transportation processes by visiting Millennium Cargo’s website. We list all of our freight options and would be more than happy to discuss the best methods of exporting your goods.