Ocean Freight Meaning: What Is Ocean Freight?
Freight transport by sea involves shipping goods in shipping containers.
Exporters and importers commonly use ocean freight as their main mode of transport. In fact, 90% of everything is sent by sea and ocean freight. (By courier, standard air freight, express air freight) The other modes of international freight transportation are faster, but they are more expensive. Other modes of transport are primarily used for shipments that are small and of high value.
Some freight forwarders offer express shipping in case ocean freight is too slow, but air freight is too expensive. The service is frequently just as fast as air freight, but may be less expensive. This method streamlines ocean freight processes and ties in the faster ocean services with premium trucking services.
Why Ship By Sea?
A single container can hold up to 10000 beer bottles! And ocean freight is cheaper. If your shipment weighs more than 500 kg, air freight is too expensive. With this chargeable weight calculator, you can find out whether you will be charged by the actual weight or dimensional weight for your shipment. Our FBX index shows live international shipping rates.
The number of restrictions on the transport of dangerous goods is lessened through the harmonisation of international law, national law, and regulations of individual carriers. A greater number of products are restricted as air cargo than ocean freight, including: gases (e. lamp bulbs), all things flammable (e.g. Items that may contain toxic or corrosive properties (e.g. batteries), magnetic substances (e.g. Public health risks (e.g. speakers), oxidizers, and biochemical products (e.g. chemical medicines) are also evaluated. untanned hides). The Hazardous Material Table has more information.
Compared to air freight, ocean freight is a significant source of CO2 emissions. According to this research, the transportation of 2 tonnes by ocean freight for 5000 kilometers will result in 150 kg of CO2 emissions, compared to 6605 kg of CO2 emissions by air freight.
ocean freight
What Are The Downsides Of Ocean Freight?
Speedy airplanes move about thirty times faster than ocean liners - passenger jets cruise at 575 mph while slow-steaming ocean liners move at 16-18 mph. Therefore, it is not surprising that a shipment of goods traveling by air freight from China to the US usually takes at least 20 days longer.
Port congestion, customs delays, and foul weather generally add more days to sea freight than to air freight. Air freight tracking technology is often more advanced than ocean freight tracking. This means ocean freight has a higher likelihood of getting lost compared to air freight. Shipments under a container load are particularly vulnerable to this. The digitization of ocean freight is making it more reliable.
Ocean freight has a higher likelihood of getting damaged or destroyed than air freight. Due to longer transit times and more movement on ships, it is in transit longer. Do not worry too much about ocean cargo falling off of ships. A common urban myth claims 10000 containers are lost each year, but it's more like 546 of 120 million containers a year that fall into the drink. Even less likely is piracy. Horn of Africa, Gulf of Guinea, and Malacca Straits have been hotspots recently.
Ocean Freight Services
There are two additional ocean and sea freight options: the full container load (FCL) and the less than container load (LCL). The LCL method involves packing multiple shipments into one container. A forwarder has more work to do; additional paperwork is involved along with having to consolidate the shipments before a main transit and then de-consolidate them once they arrive at the other end. This gives LCL three disadvantages:
Shipping by LCL takes longer than shipping by FCL. Typically, it is recommended to allow one to two extra weeks for LCL.
LCL is susceptible to damage, misplacing, and loss.
LCL costs more per cubic meter.
When your shipment is large enough, it may be worth using a full container, even if your goods do not fill the container. The tipping point for upgrading from LCL to FCL (those are the smallest sized containers) is in the range of 15 cubic meters.
Sea Freight Rates per kg
In general, LCL is priced per volume of goods, and not per weight.
container Freight rates Use these guidelines for selecting the most cost-effective mode of delivery for most products:
Shipments over 500 kg are not economically feasible by air.
China-US shipments take around 30-40 days by sea, and ocean freight is around $2-$4 a kg.
A shipment between 150 kg and 500 kg from China to the US can be transported economically by air freight and take around 8-10 days.
Express air freight is faster, but more expensive.
Those packages weighing less than 150 kg are best transported by courier (express freight).
Your freight quote includes the following costs, rates, and charges:
These items can be found on ocean freight invoices and quotes:
