What Are the Differences Between Sea and Air Transport for Cross-border Logistics?

Cross-border logistics refers to the planning, implementation and control management process of the effective flow and storage of physical goods and information on both sides of the customs border. So what are the modes of cross-border logistics and transportation? What’s the difference? Follow the editor of the shipping system to learn about it!

Common cross-border logistics and transportation methods mainly include: international express, air transportation and sea transportation . The four major international express delivery companies are UPS, FedEX, DHL, and TNT. I believe everyone is familiar with them. So what are the differences between sea and air?

Shipping is a way of using ships to transport goods between ports in different countries and regions through sea lanes, including FCL and LCL.

Air freight refers to the use of aircraft as a means of transport to transport goods across borders.

sea freight, air freight,
freight forwarder

The main differences between sea and air transportation are:

  1. The transport subject is different;

The main body of air transportation is major airlines and logistics companies, and the main body of sea transportation is major shipping companies.

  1. The transportation timeliness is different;

Relatively speaking, the timeliness of air transportation is higher, and the timeliness of sea transportation is slow, so you can choose air transportation for urgent goods.

3.Customs Clearance

Although there is not much difference in the customs clearance process between air and sea transportation, there is a big difference in the time limit for customs clearance. International air freight clearance is usually done within 1-2 days, while sea freight takes about 3-4 days. In addition, in terms of miscellaneous fees, declanation documents. etc.. air freight is less than sea freight. For example. when shipping from China to USA. sea freight needs to declare AMS (American Anti-Terrorism Manifest System), but air freight does not.

  1. 4. Shipping costs are different;

Air freight has high timeliness, but the transportation cost is high and the price is high. Although the sea freight is relatively slow, the transportation cost is relatively low.

  1. 5. Different inspection methods;

When transporting goods by air, the principle of first inspection and then warehousing is implemented, which is faster; shipping needs to pick up and unpack boxes, which is time-consuming and costly.

If you choose large and heavy goods, then sea freight may be your best choice; while air freight has the least resistance and the shortest transportation route. Because the air assist is far less than the frictional resistance of water and the ground, the straight-line transportation distance of air transportation is also far less than the curved transportation of sea transportation.
However, when choosing sea freight, the bill of lading should be carefully checked, and it must be checked with the contract and LC. If there is an error, it should be corrected in time. Insurance should be timely and supplementary insurance should be carried out according to the different goods.

The above is about the difference between sea freight and air freight. If you want to know more, you can follow us! TJ CHINA FREIGHT shipping system can provide logistics track tracking, face sheet printing, container arrangement, shipping notification, logistics node information reminder, financial bill management, delivery order management, quotation management, shipping report management and other systems for shipping dedicated line logistics enterprises. functional service.

What Will Be the Trend of China’s Freight Forwarding Industry

Since the reform and opening up, China freight forwarding industry has developed rapidly and played an important role in expanding foreign trade, attracting foreign investment, expanding employment, and promoting the development of third-party logistics. At present, with the implementation of the “One Belt, One Road” strategy and the vigorous development of cross-border e-commerce, the development of international freight forwarding is expected to enter a new chapter.

Before the reform and opening up, cargo agent in China was strictly controlled and lagged behind in development. After the reform and opening up, the Chinese government gradually liberalized the management of international freight forwarding, international freight forwarding industry has ushered in rapid development. China’s international freight forwarding industry employs about 2.5 million people, the development momentum is strong. At the same time, the “Belt and Road” strategy and the continuous development of cross-border e-commerce provide sufficient growth momentum for the international freight forwarding industry, with a bright future. However, the international freight forwarding industry itself also has certain limitations. On the one hand, the international freight forwarding industry is a pure service industry, closely related to the quality of service, geographical location, interpersonal relationships, past history, etc., resulting in a small number of small and medium-sized freight forwarding companies and large freight forwarding companies, which is not conducive to the further development of the industry.

On the other hand, international freight forwarding is an industry where competition and cooperation coexist. For international freight forwarding enterprises, to achieve complementary business between different countries, regions and enterprises, information sharing and freight network sharing to enhance their own strength. In the above context, China’s international freight forwarding industry will show the following four major trends.

First, large-scale application of Internet information technology to improve the scope and efficiency of sharing and cooperation. Through the use of modern information technology, the integration of physical logistics networks and invisible information networks can be achieved.

Second, continue to extend the industry chain. A strong freight forwarder will certainly expand its business to logistics and supply chain management consulting services to improve its competitiveness.

Third, specialization, refinement and specialization continue to strengthen. With the increasingly fierce competition in the market, how to stand out has become the primary consideration of many small and medium-sized international freight forwarding enterprises. Therefore, strengthening specialization, refinement and specialization is inevitable. Finally, the speed of integration is accelerating. Since the development of the international freight industry, the trend of integration has gradually unfolded, especially for enterprises with similar geographical ties, regional concepts and social relations. With accelerated integration, the international freight industry can develop better.

Everything About Ocean Freight Forwarding You Need to Know

If you are an entrepreneur owner who is doing cross-border business, then you will need send your cargo to your clients or buying goods from other countries, you will need a local freight forwarder to help you process the shipping, paper documents, delivery, and more. Usually, ocean freight is one of the most common ways to ship, and make sure you know things about ocean freight forwarders so that you can select the right freight forwarder to help you arrange everything well. When you are importing or exporting to China, TJ China freight is your prior option for sea freight, air freight, rail freight, amazon fba preps, door to door delivery, and the professional team is committed to shipping your cargo speedy and safer at a lower price. Below, we will list a few questions about ocean freight forwarders. Read on!

  • What is an Ocean Freight Forwarder?
  • What is Ocean Freight Forwarding Services
  • Is Ocean Forwarding Cheaper than Air Forwarding Service?
  • Does an Ocean Forwarder Charge Less than an Air Forwarder?
  • The Globally Top Ocean Forwarders in the World

What is an Ocean Freight Forwarder?

A freight forwarder is a person or company with the know-how to safely and effectively transport your freight from point A to point B. While freight forwarders don’t generally own the trucks, ships, or airplanes necessary to move your cargo, they serve as middlemen who know every step of the complicated shipping process and can ensure that your goods get to their destination. Some forwarders specialize in air freight, while others work exclusively with ocean freight. TJ China freight serves both sea freight forwarding and air freight. You can send an inquiry here to know the rates of shipping from or to China.

An ocean freight forwarder specializes in moving freight via cargo ships. This specialization enables ocean forwarders to know precisely how to complete any shipment and build the relationships necessary to get the best ocean rates, which they can then pass on to their customers.

What is Ocean Freight Forwarding Services

Despite how crucial freight is to the world economy, it’s a pretty difficult field to navigate.That’s why even the most seasoned of shipping professionals rely on a sea freight forwarder’s services for their ocean shipments. An ocean forwarder knows what goods can be shipped, the correct procedures for shipping them, all of the paperwork required for shipping, how to get your cargo on a vessel, and what to do in case something goes wrong.

That means that with the right ocean freight forwarding services, you can be confident that your freight is in good hands and worry about the more important parts of your business.

Does ocean freight forwarding cost less than air freight?

Unsurprisingly, ocean rates are less expensive than air rates. But there are tradeoffs. If speed is a priority, you may want to look elsewhere. Ocean shipments take over one month to be delivered, whereas air shipments take a few days. Reliability is also a factor that should be considered. While air shipments run on a very tight schedule, it’s not uncommon for freight ships to take longer than expected to embark. That said, there is a reason why 90% of cargo is sent via the ocean. It is the most cost effective and environmentally friendly way to send goods internationally. It’s also the best way to send oversized and hazardous items.

Who are the Top and Best Ocean Freight Forwarders?

Ocean freight is a highly fragmented market, with the top ten ocean forwarders dominating only 43% of the market.

  • Kuehne + Nagel. A clear leader, whose ocean freight revenues are estimated to be around 65% larger than its nearest rival. But in a highly fragmented market, its share is estimated at just 9.2%.
  • DHL Global Forwarding. Although coming in second, DHL’s ocean freight revenue is smaller than their air and truck operations. In 2015, DHL Global Forwarding ocean freight revenue reached $3,850M.
  • Sinotrans.  China’s largest freight forwarder is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange but wholly owned by the government. Much of its ocean freight business takes place in the coastal cities of Eastern China.
  • DB Schenker. Headquartered in Germany, the freight giant employees nearly 100,000 employees around the world. In 2015, it’s ocean freight volumes were 1,942m TEUs.
  • DSV. The Danish company’s acquisition of another leading sea forwarder UTi approximately doubled ocean freight forwarding revenues of DSV a year ago. Their 835,487 TEUs of ocean freight in 2015 brought in $1,7580 m in revenue.

Check the full list of top freight forwarders 2022 here. Need China freight forwarder? Contact us today, and get an instant quote!

What is the Main Difference Between NVOCC and Freight Forwarder?

There is nothing more important than choosing a proper shipping agent whether you are importing or exporting.  In order to help you to choose the right partner, we are here to give you the difference between NVOCC and freight forwarder. Continue to read.

What Is NVOCC?

An NVOCC may be defined as an entity that provides ocean freight services as a “carrier,” albeit with or without own or operated vessels.

The NVOCC accomplishes this by buying slots or space from a VOCC (Vessel Operating Common Carrier) and reselling the same to their customers, who can be exporters or forwarders.

NVOCC issues its own House Bill of Lading as a “carrier” and, in doing so, undertakes the responsibilities of a carrier subject to, of course, the terms, conditions, and liabilities of their bill of lading.

Apart from obtaining a license from the FMC, NVOCC operators also have to file a tariff before operation in the USA.

A tariff contains actual freight rates, charges, surcharges, freight classifications, rules, regulations, and practices of a common carrier (VOCC or NVOCC).

Who is a freight forwarder?

A freight forwarder is a supply chain expert who arranges for the seamless movement of cargo. And they do that by arranging and facilitating the transportation of your goods via different modes: ocean, rail, air, or road. The only golden rule about freight forwarders is that they are not the ones moving your cargo, only arranging for it.

Exporting goods is not easy with way too many steps, documents, and certificates to clear. It’s almost impossible for novice exporters to know all about these. So when you’re hiring a freight forwarder, you’re basically paying them to get all of these in order. As a result, in many instances, freight forwarders are referred to as ‘shippers’ in relation to ocean carriers.

What is the difference between NVOCC and Freight Forwarder? Check the following chart

Looking for China freight forwarder, TJ China freight is always the most trusted partner who will handle everything for your cargo. We offer sea freight, air freight, and rail freight and more. Better service and competitive price.