For anyone who transports goods internationally, it is well known that ocean freight is an option to provide shippers with transport services at an economical price. As one of the oldest transportation options, it is also one of the most widely available because the ocean and waterways cover most of our planet. In fact, more than 90% of the goods transported in the world are transported by the international shipping industry. But with other options, like air, road, and rail freight, why should shippers consider sea freight?
Read on to learn the Top Five benefits.
● Economical
There is no doubt that the shipping industry provides shippers with the most competitive freight rates, especially long-distance transportation. In contrast, some estimates indicate that ocean freight costs are usually four to six times cheaper than air freight. With such statistics, it is easy to think that ocean shipping is the cheapest international shipping option.
● Efficiency
Regardless of the size of your cargo, shipping companies can generally meet your needs. Smaller products can be combined with other products to fill a container, allowing cost-sharing for transportation services. Larger cargo can be filled with one or more containers, giving shippers unmatched bulk options. In fact, ships are the ideal way to transport large quantities of goods because they are designed to carry large quantities of goods or raw materials.
● Oversized, heavy and bulky cargo capability
One of the main advantages of ocean shipping is that shipping companies can handle oversized, heavy or bulky cargo, commonly referred to as split or non-trailer cargo (NIT). Such goods may include large vehicles, equipment, construction materials, etc. For air transport or even road transport, it is usually too heavy or too large. On many ships, oversized cargo is not a problem.
● Safety
Ships are designed to safely transport dangerous goods and materials. The industry is competent in handling such cargo and has formulated the relevant regulations to ensure the safety of ships, crews, cargo and the environment. The loss of cargo caused by accidents during transport has been decreasing with the improvement of maritime safety and has decreased significantly in the last decade. The container is designed to be sealed and locked during transport to improve security.
● Environmental friendliness
When compared to sea shipping, air and many other forms of transportation have much higher carbon footprints – a definite disadvantage for the environment. Ships, on the other hand, provide the most carbon-efficient mode of transportation and produce fewer grams of exhaust gas emissions for each ton of cargo transported than any other shipment method. These already-low emissions continue to trend downward as technology advances, new ships come online and liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered options are utilized.
Wrapping Up:
Providing
a speedy, low-cost, environmentally aware service: sea freight is not only historically important but as relevant
today as it ever was. Its versatility and tremendous application for transit
make it something that all companies associated with import and export should
bear in mind ahead of the alternatives.
