In freight forwarding business, sea freight presents distinct characteristics different from other modes of transportation due to the characteristics of the transportation mode, which directly affects the design of logistics solutions and cost control.
The transportation cycle is long but the stability is high. From the port of departure to the port of destination, the transoceanic route usually takes 20 to 40 days, and the near-ocean route also takes 7 to 15 days. Although the cycle is long, it is less affected by the weather. Unless there is an extreme storm, there are rarely major delays. This stability makes it suitable for bulk cargo transportation planned in advance, and enterprises can deal with long-term problems by reasonably arranging inventory.
Large carrying capacity and few category restrictions. A single container ship can carry thousands of standard containers, and a single container can carry tens of tons of cargo, far exceeding air and land transportation. From large machinery, building materials to bulk agricultural products, and even liquid chemicals, they can all be transported by sea, especially for special cargoes that are extra-long and extra-wide, and only need to plan the space in advance.
Significant cost advantage. The transportation cost per unit weight of sea transportation is only one-fifth to one-tenth of that of air transportation. For goods with large quantities and low timeliness requirements, it can significantly reduce logistics costs. For example, for a batch of 20 tons of industrial raw materials, the cost of sea transportation is nearly 80% lower than that of air transportation, which is also the core reason why manufacturing and international trade give priority to sea transportation.
The packaging requirements focus on moisture and pressure resistance. During sea transportation, goods are easily affected by sea water moisture, especially in the rainy season or tropical routes, and need to be packaged in waterproof wrapping film or sealed wooden boxes. At the same time, stacking transportation requires that the cargo packaging has sufficient pressure resistance to avoid damage to the packaging due to long-distance bumps.
In addition, sea freight requires a complex customs declaration process involving certificates of origin, packing lists and other documents, which requires a high level of professionalism from freight forwarders. Understanding these characteristics can help shippers choose transportation methods more reasonably and balance timeliness, cost and cargo safety.