July 30, 2020 Top Five Advantages of Ocean Freight Shipping

The advantages and disadvantages of using ocean freight shipping or an air carrier.

If you are setting up a business that requires transporting your product overseas, you are probably wondering if you should use ocean freight shipping or if you should use an air carrier. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method of transportation. Before you make your decision, you should be aware of the major benefits of using ocean freight.

The Cost

You know that ocean freight shipping takes a long time but cost less than an air courier. However, you may not be aware of the enormous difference in the price. Ocean shipping is normally four to six times cheaper than sending your products by air.

Although air shipping may be faster, you have to consider the size of an airplane and how much cargo it can actually carry. A commercial boat has plenty of room and it can carry a good deal of heavy cargo. Whereas it may take an entire plane to carry one shipment of your product.

It is Good for the Environment

Shipping a product across the ocean on a cargo ship is much more environmentally sound than flying products. Cargo airliners are terrible for the environment, They release a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The cirrus clouds that form behind airplanes can contribute to global warming.

Even if you do not consider yourself an environmentalist, having a more eco-friendly means of transportation may still be in your best interest. There are tax write-offs for businesses that take their environmental impact into consideration. Depending on the nature of your business and your clientele, it may be beneficial for you to advertise your product as green.

It is Convenient

If you export or import a small amount of a gourmet food product or an article or two of clothing for a small shop, you may not need much space to transport your product. If you use an ocean freight shipper. You may be able to share a container with another company.

It Can Carry Heavy Cargo

If you have very heavy or oversized merchandise to ship, you may find and ocean freight to be your only option. It would be hard to transport iron or steel products on a plane and it is actually safer to transport certain types of grains used in cereal on a ship. Products such as wood chips come into the United States from Asia. They are heavy and bulky and they would be impractical to transport in an airplane.

It is Safer

If you are transporting chemicals or other hazardous material, You may want to consider an ocean freight. Maritime employees have special training in the shipping of hazardous goods. Containers are sealed for extra security and the crew regularly inspects the cargo through the ship’s journey.

Unless time is of the essence, ocean freight shipping is better in almost every respect. The world is 71% water and people have been getting around by boat for centuries. There are millions of shipping containers on the water every day.

Modern shipping containers have been around for about 60 years and they have made ocean shipping safe, secure, and cost-effective.

If you would like to learn more, dedola.com can give you information about shipping your product by ocean freight.

Authoritative Sources:
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/climate_law_institute/transportation_and_global_warming/airplane_emissions/index.html

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