Air Freight vs Sea Freight

When shipping goods internationally, there are many factors to consider. One of the biggest, is what mode of transport you are going to use to get your goods there. No matter the reason of what and why you are shipping, deciding between sea and air freight is extremely important. Contacting an experienced freight company like the team at Supreme Freight can help you make this choice using our industry experience to get you the most suitable freight solution. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages to them, some of these may apply your needs, so before making a decision, doing your research is strongly advised. Today, we are looking into the differences and the benefits between sea and air freight to help you make that all-important choice! Considering the Factors When trying to make the important decision between shipping your items by air or sea freight is dependent on the following four variables:

• Cost – No matter your budget or your circumstances, cost will have an influence over your decision making. It is typically thought that sea freight being the cheaper of the two and while that may be the case in a lot of situations, it’s not for all. Ensure that you shop around and get quotes for both modes of transport with different companies.
• Speed – If you have a time restriction on when you need your goods to get to their final destination then we would strongly advise that you consider air freight. Sea shipments can take as long as a month, whilst air freight can be there in a day or two. If you are shipping for business, the time and convenience of your goods getting there in such a quick timeframe, may more than make up for the cost of air freight. If you don’t require a quick timeframe it could make a lot more sense to send it via sea freight.
• Reliability – When we’re deciding on the right company for their services, we want them to be reliable and it is no different here. When it comes to air and sea freight, ocean sea freight companies have had a much longer history and time to perfect their processes; however, airlines are very keen to stay on top of schedules with much fewer delays and cancellations, it comes out at the most reliable.

• Environment – With the ever-increasing issue of climate change pressing on the world, there’s no better time than now to make more environmentally friendly choices to help preserve our planet. As social awareness is growing, companies are trying to do their bit to provide more eco-friendly business solutions. When looking at both, it appears sea freight would surely win hands down as it releases far less CO2 emissions; however, with oil and chemical spills and sea freight impacting on water ecosystems that might not be so clear cut after all.

What are the Advantages of Sea Freight and Air Freight? Still not completely sure with which to go for? Read up on the benefits of each: Sea Freight

• Cost Effective - For businesses looking to import large quantities of goods. Sea freight has been known to be 4 – 6 times cheaper than air freight. Additionally, duty and VAT are calculated at a cheaper rate than air freight keeping the costs down in other ways.
• Flexibility - There are a lot of options to sea freight as mentioned above. This flexibility could suit a number of businesses. Sharing containers spreads the cost between companies.
• Less Restrictions - Sea freight importing does not have as many restrictions of what companies can import, in terms of size and amount as other methods do. Bigger items such as furniture or vehicles isn’t going to be so much of a problem by sea as it would by air.
• Accessibility - Sea freight is pretty much accessible from anywhere in the world. Sea freight importing is much better for the environment than other methods.

Read more about our Sea Freight services. Air Freight

• Efficiency – Air freight is quick, particularly if you use a direct service. You can expect goods to be at its intended destination within days of sending it whilst sea freight can take several weeks.
• Good Value on Smaller Deliveries – Air freight is charged based on weight as opposed to volume which makes it more cost effective to send smaller deliveries via air freight than by sea.
• More Options – Shipping companies are able to offer more options to the importer with air freight, including consols and direct routes.
• Less Potential to Damage Shipment – Providing the goods are correctly packaged, air freight is usually a better way of shipping fragile items as damage is less likely compared to sea freight.
• More Traceable – As flights are tracked, shipments are more easily traceable which can give businesses more peace of mind.

Read more about our Air Freight services.  Contact us today to see which solution is the best fit for your shipment.