How Sea Freight Benefits your Business

One of the most crucial decisions a business can make involves expanding its market across continents. While this decision offers numerous advantages, several factors need to be considered, including the available shipping options. In this article, we will delve into how sea freight shipping work and how they can substantially benefit your business. We will explore the financial advantages, environmental sustainability, and global reach that sea freight offers, equipping you with valuable insights into how it can drive your company's growth and sustainability.

The Basics of Sea Freight

Sea freight is a shipping service used to transport goods across continents via cargo ships. It serves as a popular and cost-effective solution, especially for moving large and heavy items internationally. Goods shipped via sea freight are loaded into containers, which are then placed on cargo ships, allowing for the transportation of a vast quantity and variety of items, from raw materials and manufactured goods to consumer products.

The ocean freight service is known for its ability to handle large volumes of goods at a lower cost compared to alternative shipping options, such as air freight. While sea freight generally entails longer transit time than air freight, it remains the preferred choice for businesses seeking an efficient and cost-effective way to shipping goods across long distances. Furthermore, sea freight significantly contributes to global trade and the movement of goods that bolter economies worldwide.

When booking sea freight services, there are different options to choose from based on your budget, specific needs, and the level of involvement you're willing to undertake. We will further explain each option and the differences between them, to help you make an informed decision:

Door-to-Door option:

The shipping company will pick up the freight from the sender's location and transport it to the departure port. Upon arrival at the destination port, a local shipping company will directly deliver the goods to the recipient's address. While this option offers a hassle-free shipping solution, it is generally more expensive due to its convenience and the range of services included.

Door-to-Port option:

This shipping option involves the transportation of goods from the sender's location to the departure port, where they await loading onto the vessel. When the freight reaches the destination port, the recipient or a separately hired local shipping company takes over delivery.

Port-to-door option:

With this service, the sender must deliver the goods to the departure port or depot. Once the goods reach the destination port, a local shipping company collects them and arranges delivery to the recipient's address.

Port-to-Port option:

This basic sea freight shipping service is primarily used for transporting goods between two specific ports. Both the sender and recipient are responsible for delivering goods to and from the respective ports, managing customs clearance and transportation at each end.

When discussing ocean freight, it's essential to mention the FCL (Full Container Load) & LCL (Less than Container Load) services. The quantity of freight should guide your choice between these two options. You can find more information about these two shipping options by accessing our FCL vs LCL guide.

Advantages of the Sea Freight Service

Shipping a consignment internationally, especially for businesses that are just starting to explore the market outside their home continent, often raises various questions. We understand the importance of a well-informed decisions and strive to provide our customers with answers to all their queries, enabling them to select the service that best suits their needs.

Cost:

One of the primary advantages of the sea freight service lies in its cost-effectiveness compared to its main competitor, air freight. If you are shipping large quantities of goods or heavy, oversized items, this service represents the optimal choice for you. However, it's important to consider the urgency of your delivery, as sea shipping typically involves longer transit times compared to air freight.

Environmental Impact:

If you are concerned about the environmental footprint of your shipping choices, sea freight is the most environmentally friendly option available. Studies have shown that airplanes emit around 500 grams of CO² for every metric ton of freight transported per kilometre compared to ships which emit 10 to 40 grams of CO² per kilometre. While it's worth noting that this measurement context raises some concerns, as there are additional pollutants apart from CO², sea transport still emerges as an eco-friendlier choice compared to air freight.

Volume:

The sea freight service offers a remarkable advantage in terms of capacity when shipping large and heavy items. It can accommodate oversized items, machinery, and equipment that may be impractical to transport by other means. This substantial capacity allows businesses to move their goods in a cost-effective and secure manner, promoting the global exchange of heavy industrial machinery, construction equipment, and more.

Moreover, the capacity of the sea freight services extends beyond size to encompass the sheer volume of goods that can be transported. Containers and vessels of varying sizes can be employed to match the specific requirements of shippers. This adaptability ensures that both smaller pallet loads and vast quantities of large, heavy items can be efficiently handled. This provides a flexible and reliable solution for businesses seeking to transport their oversized cargo across the world's oceans.

Book your sea freight option now!

If you decided that ocean freight shipping is the ideal solution for you, then you are in the right place. We connect the UK to over 200 international ports, and you can request an instant online quote on our website by providing a few details. Book your shipment now via our booking page and access the most competitive prices in the industry. Your choice, our commitment!