When it comes to international shipping, different variables and key factors come into play. Among the decisions you are required to take, there is one fundamental question you have to answer: Which freight forwarding service should I choose? Ocean, air or road freight?
First of all, it is important to discuss destination. Indeed, you might consider shipping your goods to a nearby destination, as well as to a remote area. So, how does the destination of your goods impact on the decision you must take? Clearly, road freight suits better with closer destinations. However, if you want to reach areas that are much more distant you might opt for ocean or air freight.
To determine which operation better suits your needs, and to find a solution with ease, you should keep in mind these crucial points.
Timing, quickness and service flexibility
Transit time depends on the destination: this can be considered an axiom in freight forwarding.
When you are required to reach a far-away destination you need to ask yourself how long do you want your goods to take to arrive. Air freight is much faster – even though it implies higher costs. Nevertheless, if you think “time is money” you should pick air freight as the perfect forwarding operation for you.
What is more, in today’s ever-changing world, flexibility is something crucial for every business, especially in the freight forwarding and logistics field. That is why you should look for a logistics partner that can assure you this.
Type of goods and loading unit
The type of good you want to deliver might be helpful in taking this decision. For example, airline companies – and several national laws – apply restrictive regulations on what the nature of the air cargo could be. Furthermore, you should take into account if your shipment is of a high value, or bears products with shorter shelf lives.
In addition, loading units can also represent a determining factor. Indeed, the amount of goods you can transport with an ocean shipment is much bigger than what can be forwarded with the other services. Therefore, this is something you must consider when designing your shipment.
Overall costs
It is common knowledge that air freight is the most expensive service. That being said, its quickness can represent a real competitive advantage in some cases. It is also true that ocean freight is the cheapest way to transport your goods, even though it is also the slowest one. A compromise between the two is rail freight: depending on the destination and the type of product, it can be the best solution, when analyzing costs in relation to transit time.
Here at D.B. Group we exploit our 40-year-long experience and deep know-how to support our customers in designing the transport solution that better suits their needs – and tutoring them in this complex process. We partner with the most important carriers, and are able to forward your goods to every destination in the world.
If you need any further information, don’t hesitate to contact our teams!
D.B. Group
