Your Guide to the Ocean Freight Must-Knows: What to Know When Shipping Overseas 

If you are shipping overseas, you might be looking for more information about ocean freight. You’ve come to the right place! This article is your guide to the must-knows of shipping overseas. 

What are Ocean Freight Must-Knows?

Here’s what you need to know when shipping overseas:  

1. There are many different types of ocean freight carriers.

2. You may need an export license from your country’s government.

3. Sea freight carriers often offer great discounts and deals if you book early.

4. The most important thing to keep in mind when shipping overseas is that sea freight rates can change constantly, so it’s a good idea to check a month prior before shipment readiness.  

Understanding the Different Types of Ocean Freight Carriers 

When shipping overseas, you need to know a little about the different types of ocean freight carriers. There are three major types of carriers: liner, time charter and voyage charter. Liner ships offer consistent service, as they usually sail a set route on a regular schedule. Time charter vessels contract with shippers for specific voyages and do not have any set routes. Voyage charter vessels are contracted for one voyage only, rather than for any number of voyages in the future. 

International Export Licenses 

You may need an export license from your country’s government. This will depend on the country that you are trying to ship to and what is being shipped. For example, if you are shipping a car overseas, you would need a different type of export licence than if you were shipping clothing overseas. 

If you don’t have the correct licence when it comes to ship, you could be facing large fines or penalties from your government. 

Great Deals on Sea Freight Carriers 

Sea freight carriers often offer great discounts and deals if you book early. One of the best ways to save on shipping overseas is by signing up for a freight carrier’s email list. They will often send out promotional offers to their subscribers. 

Another strategy for saving on sea freight is booking as soon as possible and locking in your price with a carrier. The sooner you book, the less likely the rate will change before your shipment heads overseas. Some of these rates can change daily or weekly, so it’s important to keep an eye on them before booking. 

Another way to save money when shipping overseas is by checking into consolidator rates. Consolidators are companies that purchase air cargo space from airlines and resell it at a discounted rate. This is another way to save money when shipping overseas, because they usually get a bulk discount from airlines who are looking to fill up their seats. 

The Importance of Checking Rates before Booking a Shipment 

If you are looking to ship overseas, you need to know that rates can change constantly. In order to get the best deal and not overpay for shipping, it’s important to check rates before booking a shipment. 

Shipments can be a bit more expensive than they would be domestically, but they are still much less expensive than air freight. You will save money in the long run by using sea freight carriers instead of air freight because the prices won’t fluctuate as much.  

Sea freight carriers often offer great discounts and deals if you book early. The sooner you book your shipment, the better your deal will be. Even if your shipment is going across the ocean, it pays to book early because of these deals and discounts that carriers offer.  

By following these tips for shipping overseas, you should be able to find a good price on your next shipment! 

Conclusion 

Shipping overseas can save your company a lot of money and time. But there are many factors to consider when choosing the right carrier. By understanding the different types of ocean freight carriers, international export licenses, and rates your business will be able to send goods overseas at a great price. 

ProConnect Integrated Logistics for Ocean Freight

If you think Ocean Freight could be helpful and prove to be efficient for your shipping operations, talk to us. We help companies across several industries with their logistics needs, including cross-docking. We possess the experience and the expertise required that can help you reduce costs, achieve faster turnaround time, implement more efficiency, and offer strong partnership.

Know more about shipping/ logistics industry by checking out our previous article on Know Your Shipping Terminology: The Differences Between Maritime, Freight, Shipping and Logistics!

Still have questions? Looking for a quote? Contact us today.

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