Sea, Air & Land Freight – When Should You Use These Modes Of Transport?

In every purchase order process, selecting the right transport system is crucial for your freight needs. The three modes of freight transportation are sea freight, air freight, and land freight. Each of these modes has its own set of pros and cons. So, how would you pick between shipping goods by sea, air, or land? We’ll look at each one below.

Sea Freight

Despite their slow speed, sea shipping is usually steady. It’s also the most cost-effective way to transport your goods. Shipping via sea is usually done with the help of large containers. Therefore, sea shipping is best suited for big and heavy products or large amounts of products that can be grouped together. When it comes to the types of items that can be shipped out on cargo ships, there are fewer restrictions than on airplanes – so if you’re shipping items like heavy machinery or vehicles, this would be your best option. As far as environmentally friendly options go, sea freight is the best.

Obviously, some businesses cannot afford to be dependent on such long delivery times as sea freight requires. Weather delays may also impact the departure of cargo ships.

Air Freight

The most convenient and reliable way to ship is by air freight. Air freight is usually a quicker method of shipping. Thus, perishable items, which can’t stay in transit for more than a day or two, can arrive on time. The best method for transporting fragile goods is also by air, since packages shipped by air may be better protected against accidental damage than those transported by cargo ships or trucks.

Obviously, one of the downsides of air freight is the cost, which is mainly due to the way it is calculated. Shippers are charged for the volumetric weight (also known as dimensional weight) by airlines, which can result in a huge hole in your company’s budget. Further, inclement weather can cause delays in deliveries, which can hurt your business.

Land Freight

The majority of land transportation is made by trucks or railroads. They are classified as either LTL (less than truckload) or FTL (full truckload). FTL has higher cost-effectiveness and a lower risk of shipping damage along the route because it requires less handling. However, you must have sufficient inventory to fulfil such a massive shipment. While land freight is slower than air freight, it is less expensive and produces less pollution. Air Sea Logistics can help you with all the three kinds of freight above. Reach out to us to know more.