How to choose between the ocean and air freight?

When moving long-distance to another continent such as Australia, the process can be very complicated. All your belongings need to travel a long way across the globe before they reach the final destination. Therefore, you should start the preparation at least 8 weeks before the actual move starts. Why is it important to inform well? This kind of moving happens usually once in a lifetime. There would be many complex items to transfer such as your car or bulky furniture. There are two ways how you can ship the items. Either by air or ocean freight. Whichever option you choose, you will need help from international moving companies worldwide movers. In general terms, air will be faster but more expensive while ocean will be slower and more cost-efficient. Beyond these generalities, there is much more to consider. In this article learn how to choose between ocean and air freight.

Choosing between the ocean and air freight with a  moving company

This long-distance complex move to Australia will not be an easy thing to do. Before the moving day, you will have to make many important decisions. Above all, it needs patience, time, and finances. Since you will have many different questions regarding the move, the best option is to consult the international movers to Australia. Skilled movers will give you the best advice on whether to choose between ocean and air freight. They have a lot of experience, partners, and associates around the globe. Sometimes this decision is straightforward. Yet when global shipping needs and tight timelines collide, the choice may become far more challenging. Both air freight and ocean shipping are the two most popular methods to ship goods across continents. They have advantages to consider before choosing one or the other. Reliable movers will help you make a choice.

Way to ship your car and other heavy belongings

Your car and heavy furniture are some of the most precious items that you will need to transport across the ocean. This is something that you should not attempt to do on your own. Normally, the number one reason to choose air service is the speed of delivery. However, the price for faster service often results in higher transportation costs. Due to capacity, weight, and safety factors, air freight is somewhat limited in the type of cargo it can carry. On the other hand, international car transportation means shipping your car via ocean freight. Ocean freight is the method of transporting containerized cargo loaded onto vessels by sea. As a general rule, shipments weighing more than 100kg – or consisting of multiple cartons – will be sent by sea freight. Therefore, let the professionals handle this complex for you and make it safe.

Guidelines to choose between the ocean and air freight

Let’s start with the air freight first. Airfreight is best used when the cost of shipping is less than 15-20% of the value of the goods. This means of transportation is faster, safer, and more reliable than ocean freight.

It’s also more expensive – a $195 ocean shipment can cost $1,000 by air.  Depending on the type of cargo you’re shipping and available space, in a typical season, international air cargo rates can range from approximately $2.50-$5.00 per kilogram. Overseas relocation via ocean freight offers more capacity and value. But, ocean freight is usually much slower than air. In addition, customs issues and port hold-ups can cause significant delays. With ocean freight, you can go either for FCL, or full container load shipping, or LCL – or Less Than Container Load. The latter is a cost-effective alternative to FCL if you cannot fill the whole container.

Delays in air freight shipping

When you need to choose between the ocean and air freight, you might give an advantage to air freight for several reasons.  First, you might have a deadline by which you need to transport the goods. Since this way of transportation is much quicker you will logically opt for that. However, even with this means of transportation, a delay may occur. In most cases, your belongings are safe. The experienced moving company will put the items in safe storage units. The good thing is that you can always track the progress of your shipment. A reliable shipping company will provide you with the correct tracking number to track the status of your belongings. One of the most common factors of delays is the weather condition. Thanks to modern technology, shipping companies have instruments to predict weather forecasts. This can help prevent delays a lot.

Ocean and air freight- prohibition and regulation

When shipping something overseas to Australia, either by the ocean or by air, there are certain rules and regulations we must follow. Since sending goods by plane has more severe regulations we will mention these. It is important to inform on time to prevent any delays in goods transportation. Since every country in the world has its own laws and regulation, you need to learn about the goods prohibited to import to Australia. Items such as explosives, matches, radioactive or infectious materials can by no means travel by plane. Some other items you can send in checked baggage are stick or club-type sporting equipment, dry ice, knives, and other cutting instruments, and so on.  If you need additional information on the rules and regulations it is useful to contact your overseas moving services. Failing to follow these prohibition rules will not only cause delays but also the complete prohibition of entry into Australia.

When it comes to long-distance relocations, it can be overwhelming to fulfill all the needs. It may happen that due to certain import regulations you cannot bring all the items you wanted to Australia. To prepare everything, take your time and do the research on different ways of shipping. A reliable moving company will help you choose between the ocean and air freight. They will present you with all advantages and disadvantages of each shipping option. This way you can transport all the goods in the most efficient way.