Air freight vs. sea freight cargo transport

Choosing the right type of carriage is one of the key elements of international transportation. Whether you are moving or you are in the import/export business you need to understand how international transport works in order to gain the most benefits. Of course, people who move overseas will have different requirements than business owners. That is why Transparent International NYC this article to explain all about air freight vs. sea freight cargo transport. Read it and find out what is the best option for you.

Why we are talking only about air freight vs. sea freight cargo transport?

When we talk about international cargo transport, there are more than two options available. Airfreight and sea freight cargo transportation are the two most common options. However, road freight and rail freight have their advantages in some situations. Still, because of their limitations concerning worldwide transport, we will concentrate more on air freight vs. sea freight cargo transport. We will take a look at their pros and cons and try to help you decide on the best option.

Air freight is the fastest way to reach your desired destination

There are many situations in international transport when time is an important factor. If you are moving from USA to Norway, for example, and you do not want to wait for your items for weeks, air freight is the best option to ship your items. On the other hand, if you are a manufacturer and your customer sets you a short timeframe, the only option is to ship it by air.

Documentation will be easier to gather

Air freight requires less documentation than sea freight. Even though airport security is on a much higher level, thanks to the fact that a plane can fly directly to your destination, required documentation will be easier to gather. That is another big benefit of using air freight to transport your cargo.

Air freight is the safest way to ship cargo

Not only that shipping your cargo by air is faster and simpler it is also the safest way to do it. If you really care about your items ask your international household movers to ship them by air. Also, if you are in a manufacturing business and you have a highly valuable product, shipping it by air is the safest option.

Air freight is expensive

Ok, so we have established the benefits of using air freight, but what about the cons? Of course, the first most obvious downside of the option is the price. Airfreight is by far the most expensive way to ship your cargo. If you are moving, it is not always easy to pay for a plane ticket for your boxes. On the other hand, if you are an exporter, the price of transport will significantly affect the final price of your product.

Planes have carrying limitations

Another thing about air freight that might concern someone is its carrying limitations. Even though, an average plane can carry much more than an average person knows, in some situations, the plane simply does not have the capacity to carry your stuff. This mostly concerns exporters who are exporting goods in bulk.

It is cheap to ship your cargo by sea

When it comes to sea freight advantages, the first and most obvious is the price. Shipping your items by sea is by far the cheapest option available. Great for someone who is moving on a budget or simply doesn’t want to spend too much on a relation. Or as an import/export solution for businesses where the price of transport needs to stay low.

A cargo ship can carry the biggest load

Another advantage of sea freight is carrying capacity. When it comes to cargo ships, there are simply no limitations in what they can carry these days. Whatever the size or weight of your object you can always find a way to ship it by sea. Of course, this doesn’t concern people who move.

Cargo ships are slow

The biggest disadvantage of sea freight is the time required to reach a destination. Sea freight is by far the slowest way to ship cargo. In some situations, your cargo will need a few weeks to reach the target. Some people just cannot wait that long and are forced to pay more for air transport.

Ships can use different routes which means more time

Shipping companies use different routes to reach a destination. That is why when you are choosing your ship you need to be careful. Moreover, some companies will use a route with more stops that they need to make along the way. As this is a very slow way to travel every stop means much more wasted time. Make sure that you understand this before you start choosing for logistic companies. Remember that the lowest price usually means a longer trip. And you will be surprised when you start getting their quotes and see the differences in prices.

Sea freight is not the safest way to transport goods

Even though ships are slow, big, and strong, you will be surprised when you realize that possibility of damage to your items is much higher on the sea than it is in the air. Rough sea conditions, bad weather, or in some regions even pirates can all affect the conditions and whereabouts of your items.

Those are the main air freight vs. sea freight cargo transport differences. Everyone has its one requirements, hopefully, this article will help you to decide what is the best option for you.