What You Should Know About Ocean Freight?

For shipments that weigh more than a certain amount (generally 20 lbs.) shipping freight by sea is considered to be the cheapest and the best mode of transportation. At a glance, ocean freight might seem like a steep bargain but its advantages lie in scaling. The more you ship, the more you save is the general rule when sending freight by sea. For instance, if sending 20 lbs. shipment costs 300 USD, 200 lbs. might cost only a little extra, for instance, 310 USD. Hence, shipping goods by sea scale well and is thus the best option for transporting the bulk shipment.

Ocean Freight is Different from Other Modes of Transport

If you have never opted for ocean freight before, there are some important things that you must know about. Generally, sending freight by the sea is a little different from using a usual logistics provider. If you are shipping freight independently, you will have to ensure that the carrier allows the required space for your goods.

Securing carrier space can be tough and highly expensive sometimes. It is better to use the services of a professional 3PL provider. Also, if you are shipping goods via the sea, there are some other arrangements that have to be made as well. For example, if the goods have to reach a city that doesn’t have a port, some other carrier transport will have to be arranged after the goods reach the nearest seaport.

Customs Clearance at the Port of Destination

This is one of the most important things that you have to consider when hiring sea freight logistics. Until the terms of customs are cleared the situation is like your shipment is being held at ransom at the seaport. You will have to make sure that the adequate customs clearance documents accompany the shipment and all the necessary fees have been paid beforehand. This will ensure the smooth passage of the goods from the port to the carrier or logistics authority.

Air Freight vs. Sea Freight: Which is better?

Two of the most important things that have to be considered when deciding before air freight and sea freight are which one is the most convenient, depending on the goods you are shipping. A good logistics manager will be able to guide you well about the best mode of transport to be chosen. Since you are running a business, the cost is also the most crucial option. Whichever mode of transport is to be chosen must look good when applied to the bottom line.
Lastly, the environmental impact must also be given some due thought. In this regard, it is ocean freight that seems to be the clear winner as it causes less pollution than air freight over the same or similar distance.
20Cube Logistics is an international freight forwarder which also provides ocean freight services across different countries.

There are several sea freight forwarder services available that ship goods in bulk internationally. Most of them are managed by 3PL logistics providers that also offer a number of additional services such as making sure that the carrier space available is ideal and the warehouse where the shipment will be stored has already been prepared. Some logistics providers also offer additional packaging services before the products are dispatched to the final consumer.