90% of the world trade is carried by sea. Maritime transport is the most cost-effective way to mobilize goods and raw materials around the world. However, maritime transportation of goods takes a lot of time and if you want to get your goods shipped ASAP, air freight seems like the obvious choice.
Despite how appealing it seems, air shipping is not always that convenient. We are listing four important things that you must know about air freight.
Time is the most important factor why many businesses decide to choose air freight over sea freight. However, air transport is not always reliable as the air traffic is very vulnerable to weather conditions. Flights get delayed when the weather is not certain. Since air traffic can be affected by adverse weather conditions, you must always be prepared for unexpected delays.
Many business owners realize that air transport is costly but often find themselves asking, “How costly can it really be?” Well, it turns out that it’s very expensive and can get 10 times to 100 times more expensive than maritime transport. Airfreight is regarded as the most expensive mode of shipping. Air freight rates are so high that it usually isn’t practical for transporting low-value products.
If you are shipping internationally, your cargo is going to have to be properly packed for the long, arduous journey. Many business professionals believe that air shipping is totally safe for the cargo but it’s important to remember that just like ocean shipping, your cargo is going to be handled by different people multiple times during transloading and other operations. So it’s imperative that you put in the time and money to make sure that it’s packaged properly. It is wise to apply ample amounts of padding and add more protective layers to give your cargo the extra cushioning it needs.
Lately, we have seen large corporations taking on “green” initiatives as there has been a great deal of scrutiny on businesses to pledge to sustainability with more eco-friendly operations. While major environmental risks such as oil spills are also associated with oceanic transport, the carbon emissions in air freight are guaranteed. Air transportation poses a more consistent threat to the environment so if your business has or wants to create an impression of eco-friendliness, air freight is certainly not a wise choice.
About Blink Global
BlinkGlobal is your next Global Sourcing Partner. We excel at B2B industrial and consumer products with centralized procurement and precise delivery. We are ready to help you make the right decision, get in touch with us today!
