Whether it’s air freight or sea freight, choosing the right transportation for your cargo is not easy. It can be especially difficult for those who are new to international shipping and don’t have much experience with either mode of transport. While both methods have their own pros and cons, what you choose will depend on your core requirements.

Air freight has many advantages over sea freight, but it’s not always the best option. Airfreight is a better choice for small volumes of cargo and when you need your shipment delivered quickly. If you’re transporting large quantities of goods, the volume capability for sea freight may be more beneficial to you.

Choosing between the two could be confusing, we agree. This article takes a look at both of these modes giving you more clarity.

Air Freight VS Sea Freight

If you’re looking for a fast and reliable way to ship cargo, air freight is your best option. Express shipping and fast transport are synonymous with air freight. This is because the term “air shipping” refers to goods that are transported by airplane on charter or commercial flights. Shippers who wish to keep their inventory lean prefer air freight since it’s faster than land-based transportation (TAT). Learn more about the significance of air freight in one of our previous articles.

If you’re shipping something across international borders, it’s best to use sea freight. Sea freight is the option to go with if you have heavy shipments or bulky and break bulk items that need delivered overseas. Shipping on a ship will be your next bet in situations where shippers have 20-30 days of time at their disposal or when they want a cost-effective method of delivering goods cross country.

Air Freight VS Sea Freight

Understanding the key differences between air freight and sea freight is crucial for you to be able to make a better choice. We will share some tips that might help you with making your final decision.

Air Freight:

• It is recommended to opt for air shipping when the shipping cost is less than about 20% of the goods value. But remember that freight charges are calculated based on the weight or volume of goods to be transported.
• If you are looking for safer and faster deliveries, safer and secure shipping options, air freight should be considered.
• If your cargo requires more security, air freight would be better. Cargo at the airport undergo more security checks compared to seaports.
• Choosing air freight also depends on the type of goods you are shipping

Sea Freight:

• Sea freight is a better option for heavy and larger volumes of shipments. Sea freight  offers more capacity compared to air freight.
• It is slower than air freight, obviously. Sea freight could take 3X more time than air freight.
• Customs issue, holdups, route changes could result in more time delays
• Again, the type of goods that are shipped will dominate your choice between the tow modes.

ProConnect Integrated Logistics – Go-To Freight Forwarder

Recently, the shipping industry has been challenged by the unavailability of container space from various lines on desired dates and delays. Shipping rates have skyrocketed and many shippers are turning to air freight for their urgent needs.

We have experts in air and sea freight who are accessible across the world. Whether you choose air cargo or shipping, we can provide you with a route that is both competitive and of excellent quality. Our expert team reaches out to agents and networks locally to get the best connection options, schedules and rates for your shipment – be it an IT company sending electronics overseas or anything else! Give us a try too!

We handle all the chaos and shipping documentation so that you don’t have to, simply share your enquiry at https://proconnectlogistics.com/get-quote/ and get a quick quote.