Sea Freight What is it?
Sea freight is a shipping method used by businesses to transport large amounts of goods overseas by sea using cargo ships. It is cost-effective, and most businesses prefer to use this mode of transportation when moving huge quantities of goods.
Sea freight is distinct from traditional modes of goods as ideally large loads of goods, or heavy machinery is shipped through sea freight.
In Sea freight, goods are transported in large metal containers. There are fewer restrictions imposed on sea freight.
How does sea freight work?
Sea freight is one of the most important parts of a supply chain. While moving goods throught sea freight, you need to first contact a shipping company.
Once you have come into contact you need to instruct them about your product and the weight of your load, the type of goods the are being transported, and where the pick-up point is. If your want to send your goods to the shipping company, you can do that too, or just pay a small fee and get your goods picked up from your supplier or from your address easily.
The idea behind the transport of only huge loads is simple, a shipping container is big enough to transport tonnes of goods, and cannot be used to transport small quantities of goods due to cost.
Who uses Sea Freight?
Sea freight is used by people who want to import & export goods from and to other countries. If you have large quantities of heavy goods your ideal choice should be Sea freight, for smaller goods it is best to choose other options as it is time-consuming and unsafe for smaller items.
What type of goods are shipped by sea?
Most goods can be shipped using ocean freight, although you will still need to consult and confirm with your freight forwarder. If your goods weigh more than 100KGS, your ideal option should be to ship by sea freight.
You need to know that there are restrictions to shipping some goods via sea freight. Dangerous and perishables goods need to be transported by special containers specifically designed to transport these kinds of goods.
You must inform your shipping agent or freight forwarder of the type of goods that are being shipped
What are the advantages & disadvantages of Sea freight?
Advantages of Sea Freight
- Cost Effective
- Best for Heavy Cargo
- Safety
- Environmentally Friendly
Disadvantages of Sea Freight
- Time-Consuming
- More Chances of Damage
- Lesser Connectivity
How Long Does Sea Freight Take?
Ideally, sea freight can take anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks depending on the distance between departure and destination.
There are also other factors that need to be taken into consideration. Moving through customs at the port of departure & the port of arrival, the weather during transit can also affect the time needed to move the goods by sea.
The other factors are the type of goods, the documentation required, and the carrier. There may also be unexpected additional delays during the process.
You will need to make sure that you add at least one week’s time on both ends of the process to be safe, particularly if you are planning to ship over a specific holiday time period.
Which is better Sea or Air?
Although they are not interchangeable as a means of transport, there are pros & cons, and the types of goods and their quantities shipped through these are different.
If shipping goods or important items like documents, tech equipement, or items that may have a smaller weight and should be delivered in lesser time, then it is better to ship by air.
If you are shipping large loads of gods, and if the goods are less perisable, then shipping via sea is a better option. The costs incurred here will be much lower.
Taking into consideration whether sea or air is best for you is completely dependent of the type, weight and the time of delivery.
What are LCL & FCL?
There are two types of shipment in Sea freight – LCL & FCL. The shipping company will advise you on whether your shipment needs an LCL or FCL shipment.
LCL (Less than container Load) shipments are best suited for goods which are too small to fill a whole container. Therefore the goods are loaded and transported is a shared container with other shipments.
FCL (Full container load) shipments are for goods that are big enough to be transported in one whole container. The goods fill the entire container.
Conclusion
Sea freight is one of the most effective means of transportation of goods and the world trade & economy depend on that. With the advancement of technology and better shipping techniques coming up, it’s getting easier to use sea freight.
Why Choose ICLS
Ocean transport’s structured and successful nature has enabled ocean freight to become the most popular form of shipping internationally. Supply chains rely heavily on and benefit from this transport method, with a staggering 90% of international trading being carried out by sea. imdo-iShip-index
With over 3 decades of experience, our freight services in Ireland are strengthened to work with our clients to find the best solution to transport your cargo, wherever the destination. We provide full support for the duration, ensuring safe transfer and seamless processing as your consignment passes through customs and different ports on its journey.
Our team of agents provides the professional support you need and will organise the transportation and simplify everything for you. You assign the details of the shipment and we take care of the rest
Independent Customs & Logistics maintains a high standard of service and close collaboration with clients to ensure a seamless shipping process. Our commitment to excellence provides peace of mind for our clients throughout the entire transportation journey. We transport a wide variety of goods, including heavy machinery, to destinations all over the world. Our FCL import and export services are available to and from various countries.
Our professional & fully experienced team understands the importance of clear and efficient communication to keep our clients informed about the status of their shipments. We are committed to providing a personal service that caters to your business needs.
Independent Customs and Logistics Services
As a premier freight forwarder, we provide custom-built freight management through excellent established partnerships to fit our customers both locally and internationally.
We offer quality service and responsiveness to each shipment from start to end delivery.
To help you make the right shipping choices Contact our sea freight specialists
Also, Read supply chain solutions