Air Freight vs. Ocean Freight: Which is Better?
With the rise in ecommerce businesses and increased international trade in many categories of physical goods, companies, and individual suppliers need a reliable method to send their products overseas. International shipping is predominantly done through air and ocean freight, although rail is used in some places.
But which type of air freight service is preferable? And how do you determine whether air or ocean freight is ideal for your shipment?
For this, you’ll need to know how air and ocean freight works and compare the benefits and downsides of each. Which option will also depend on your shipment type, delivery time, and other factors.
Benefits and Downsides of Air Freight
When shipping internationally, air freight is preferred amongst most businesses. It’s fast, safe, and can be used to send foodstuffs and other time-sensitive shipments. However, it’s also costly, and booking air freight can be challenging.
If you’re dealing with time-sensitive goods and have enough profit margin to afford the high air freight costs, then it’s the ideal method to export goods. Air freight is suitable for e-commerce stores where delivery time is a significant success factor and for businesses that export foodstuffs.
However, besides the high costs, air freight is also limited in the types of goods you can ship. Many countries have restrictions on shipping chemicals, flammable goods, and other materials by air. In such cases, you may have to apply for a special permit or send it with an alternate method.
Benefits and Downsides of Ocean Freight
Ocean freight is still the most popular method for shipping goods and services. While it’s slightly slower than air freight, it’s much cheaper and can be used to dispatch all types of goods. Ocean freight is also reliable, especially if you have a shipping partner with a good reputation. Lionext Inc. offers the ultimate shipment services for you to grab.
Ocean freight isn’t ideal for all types of businesses, especially if you’re dealing with time-sensitive goods or the shipping distance is significant. Small ecommerce stores may prefer shipping with air over ocean freight because of the time restrictions. Similarly, shipping fresh foods by ocean freight isn’t feasible.
However, for most other types of shipments, ocean freight is ideal.
What to Consider Before Choosing Between Air and Ocean Freight
It would be best to consider several factors before choosing whether to ship your goods by air or ocean. You’ll have to look at delivery time, shipping rules, cost, and other factors that are offered by Lionext Inc. Let’s look at these factors in detail:
Shipping Time
Air freight is often much faster than shipping by ocean, but it depends on the type of goods you send. Two scenarios where you may need to consider shipping time are when your business model depends on timely delivery and when your product is perishable.
In both cases, air freight is ideal since you’ll get the shipment delivered within hours or days.
Shipping Cost
After time constraints, you’ll have to consider the cost of shipping goods through different mediums. If your shipment cost is a significant part of your product cost, it’s better to go with the cheaper option.
Lionext Inc. offers you the best shipment cost with the handling options that makes your overall experience comfortable.
Other Shipment Restrictions
Finally, you’ll have to consider the regulations of different countries when choosing which medium to ship your goods with. If your shipment isn’t allowed by air or ocean freight, you’ll have to go with the only available option.
Wrap Up!
Lionext Inc. is the ultimate option when you have to choose a reliable shipping company. With us, you don’t have to worry about damaged goods or shipment loss. Moreover, enjoy the best pricing and other service features.