Regardless of the industry, type of commodity or key markets, international shipping solutions helmed by hundreds of companies all over the world offer businesses the opportunity to grow by serving customers on all major trade lanes and inland services for a true end-to-end experience. And thanks to improved ease of movement and increased international routes, sending cargo has never been easier.
Companies in the business of shipping large items have a plethora of options available, the most popular among them being air and sea freight. While the former is quicker and more time-sensitive, most companies prefer the latter for its economic viability.
Air freight is best used when the cost of shipping is less than 15-20% of the value of the goods. Lighter shipments run the risk of being charged either by actual weight or dimensional weight, which might rack up extra fees. While air freight is faster, safer and more reliable than ocean freight, it is also markedly more expensive – a $195 ocean shipment can cost upwards of $1,000 by air. Airlines also have stricter regulations when it comes to shipping hazardous materials.
On the other hand, ocean freight is great for the capacity and value that it offers. While it is usually much slower than air, and customs issues and port holdups can cause additional delays, Express LCL - an option increasingly available on more routes and by more forwarders, often guarantees a delivery date and is often not that much slower than air. Ocean freight also has a much better carbon footprint than air freight, and allows customers to transport huge shipments within budget. Modern improvements to shipping procedures have also made it a more viable option for businesses.
Traditionally, ocean freight offered these types of shipment plans:
FCL: This stands for Full Container Load or Full Cargo Load for when shipping goods across oceans. The two standard sizes for this option are 12 pallets in a 40-foot marine container and 6 pallets in a 20-foot marine container. As its name implies, it’s suitable when you have larger volumes of cargo to transport and want to use the whole space of an ISO-certified container. It provides you exclusive rights to the container from packing to distribution.
FTL: Similar to FCL, Full Truckload means you’ll be occupying all the truck’s space and the shipment is exclusively yours. When you have to deliver heavy objects, high risk packages, or bulk consignments across long distances, this option is for you. It minimises the risk of damage to your goods from handling and transferring. Not mention that it streamlines your supply chain as it makes fewer stops along the hub system. Deliveries are done considerably faster so it’s great for meeting high consumer demand.
LCL: Less Than Container Load is where goods from different customers are consolidated into one container. If your consignments are usually less than 30 cubic metres or 6 pallets, this can be the wiser and more affordable option. The process usually goes like this: (1) the weight and volume of your cargo is measured, (2) the length of travel is considered, (3) the fee is completed and agreed on, and (4) the 3PL loads your goods into your section of the container
Until recently, smaller shipments that don’t fill a container (LCL shipments) regularly took much longer to ship than full container (FCL) shipments. Shippers wanting smaller quantities in a timely manner had to pay a premium to go air freight. But, these days, there are new fast ocean LCL services that are completing with air freight for time at a much cheaper price. Faster ships, canal upgrades cutting delays on some routes, improvements to ocean tracking, and a much more competitive freight market have all spurred these new, convenient ocean freight practices. Some forwarders are also providing express ocean services, sometimes called Expedited LCL, with guaranteed delivery days that closely match air transit times.
Now that you have a better idea of the different types of transport and distribution options, you can make wiser choices for shipping. Get in touch with one of our preferredlocal experts in Doha, Qatar, listed below, for a free quote!