Maritime transport is crucial to the world economy and global supply chains as over 90 of world trade is carried by sea. Maritime transport is the most cost-effective way to mobilize goods and raw materials around the world.
At Blink Global, we provide our clients with all types of freight options but for shipment over 100lbs, we recommend our clients to opt for ocean freight. It is the cheapest and the best option as shipping by sea scales well. For instance, a shipment of X lbs might cost you Y$; whereas a shipment weighing 100X lbs might cost you only 20Y$, making it the best option for transporting in bulk.
However, for someone who is new to international trading, ocean freight may appear a little intimidating. In this article, we are addressing 3 of the most common and pressing concerns that our clients have about ocean freight.
This is a basic concern that many people have. There are two types of options in maritime logistics: LCL and FCL. FCL, or a full container load, is a shipment process where you get a full exclusive container for a single shipment. In FCL, your cargo space is not shared by any other cargo. However, in LCL you do not get an exclusive container, instead, you pay for the share of the space you use. With LCL, you are not required to book for a full 20 or 40-foot capacity container.
Many people believe that customs clearance at seaports is way too complicated compared to airports. A good freighting partner such as Blink Global will make sure that you meet all of the legalities, have adequate clearance documents, and have paid all the necessary fees beforehand. Meeting all of these simple pre-reqs will ensure a smooth passage of goods from the port authorities.
Calculating ocean freight is in fact easier than air freight or land freight. LCL shipments can be expensive in terms of price per unit. However, since you are not required to book a full container, you can ship limited goods at a fair price. For LCL shipments, the freight is calculated in terms of the volume your shipment will acquire (for exceptions like fragile or extremely lightweight cargo, the pricing may be different). For FCL, you have to pay a flat price for the container.
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