Shipping Guide
What is the definition of sea freight?
Ocean freight, also known as ocean freight, is a way of transporting large quantities of products by cargo ship. Goods are loaded into containers, which are loaded onto a ship, which then transports them to the country of destination.
As a general rule, shipments weighing more than 100 kg or containing multiple containers will be sent by sea. A typical cargo ship can carry around 18,000 containers. This is a cost-effective way to transport large quantities of goods over long distances.
Different types of ocean shipping services
1) FCL
FCL stands for Full Container Load and refers to a 20-foot, 40-foot or 45-foot container full of cargo as well as pallets and open top containers. FCLs are perfect when you have enough to fill a container, and can also be used to transport larger items like cars, furniture and machinery. There are various types of containers, which means you can ship almost anything, including perishable goods, to almost anywhere in the world.
2) LCL
LCL stands for Less than Container Load, which refers to goods that are not full of standard containers. Instead, containers are loaded with goods from multiple consignees sharing container space. After arriving at the port of destination, the cargo is separated at the container freight station. LCL may have higher shipping costs per unit of freight than FCL, but it may be a cheaper option for small shipments.
Since the total cost of shipping is split among multiple customers, LCL allows you to make smaller shipments in a more cost-effective manner than using air freight or paying for a full case. LCL also means that you can send your shipments when you need them, rather than waiting until you have enough product to fill a container (full case load).
3) Ro-Ro
RORO stands for Roll On, Roll Off and is the easiest and cheapest option for car transport or transporting any vehicle. The vehicle is driven directly onto the ro-ro vessel and is securely blocked, supported and tied up inside the vessel, where it is wind and water resistant for complete safety. You can also use container shipping for car shipping, check out our recent post ‘Car Shipping: Which is Better? Ro-Ro or Container Shipping?’ which discusses the pros and cons of each method.
4) Dry bulk shipping
Dry bulk shipping describes the transport of dry bulk cargoes that are unpackaged and homogeneous, meaning they can be discarded or poured into the hold of a bulk carrier. Dry bulk includes a range of agricultural products and raw materials, including coal, biomass, metals and aggregates, as well as grains and sugar. Dry bulk must be kept dry at all times as any moisture can destroy the entire load.
No matter what you need to ship, a reputable forwarder will help you find the service that meets your requirements – they will also handle your documentation and customs clearance. Some freight forwarders, such as John Goode, can also provide warehousing, transshipment and port-centric logistics, making the freight forwarding process as simple and seamless as possible.
What are the pros and cons of shipping by sea?
There are pros and cons to shipping by sea. Here we list some of them:
benefit:
Cost-effective shipping method compared to other methods such as air freight
Cheaper than other long-haul freight methods such as air freight
The most carbon efficient solution
shortcoming:
Transit time: Compared to air freight, ocean freight requires more transit time, which means that when you ship your goods around the world, you have to wait longer for them to arrive.
When shipping small quantities, prices are not sustainable.
Therefore, we recommend ocean freight as an economical and environmentally superior solution for transporting large quantities of goods. The same is true for destination countries far from the origin. So, in particular, if you want to ship containers worldwide, sea freight is one of your best options.
