How to ship your goods to and from Southeast Asia

Brands that trade their products at a global level and want to be competitive in the market must always be one step ahead.

While facing the uncertain and constantly changing scenario currently involving the Far East - Europe trade route, a reactive and agile supply chain designed to anticipate challenges is necessary to optimize product demand management and inventory.

Unstable geopolitical situations, unexpected weather events, demand peaks, etc.. looking at recent years’ trends we have learned that disruption is part of the new normal. Season peaks have replaced peak seasons, and planning supply chain considering unexpected events is no longer optional.

What can you do?

Service diversification allows you to leverage the characteristics of each mode of transport and, when used strategically, it can generate a competitive advantage.

Thanks to a widespread network of offices in Asia, D.B. Group offers multiple shipping options to support brands that need to transport their goods to and from the ASEAN countries.

 

Shipping to and from Southeast Asia: discover how D.B. Group can help you

• Ocean Freight

• Air Freight

• Rail Freight

 

 

Ocean freight to and from Southeast Asia

Although the longer transit time, it is generally known as the most cost-effective mode of transport, and, also for this reason, it is the most used. However, the congestion on the Far-East – Europe route has made this service unstable.
What can you do?
Planning and organizing your shipments well in advance can help you to split the load between LCL and FCL options. This way, you can diversify the direct risks associated with ocean transport and secure better rates. Furthermore, using the spaces already booked by your provider can reduce the chances of rolling and consequently the unexpected costs arising from delays in the delivery.

 

 

 

Air freight to and from Southeast Asia

In addition to speed, air freight offers greater security for goods in transit due to reduced interaction, and reliability in terms of delivery deadlines. However, the cost of this service, already significantly higher with respect to other modes, is increasing due to spikes in demand from e-commerce giants and the complexities affecting ocean transport. To ensure faster lead times, consider splitting your shipment into smaller units and sending them as soon as possible through a groupage service.

D.B. Group's solutions for air shipments to and from Southeast Asia:

Import Air Consol from Southeast Asia to Italy

Origin	Frequency	Transit Time
KUALA LUMPUR	Weekly	2-3 days
BANGKOK	Daily	2-3 days
HANOI	Weekly	2-3 days

 

 

Export Air Consol from Italy to Southeast Asia

Destination	Frequency	Transit Time
KUALA LUMPUR	Weekly	3-4 days
HO CHI MINH	Weekly	3-4 days

 

 

 

Rail Transport from Southeast Asia

Rail freight is a good alternative to ship goods between Asia and Europe, competitive compared to ocean-freight in terms of transit time and to air-freight based on price. It offers the best speed-for-price ratio with the benefits of sustainability, security, and loading capacity. The main advantages are:

• Security: Surveillance at terminals, GPS, escort duty available.
• Sustainability: Contributes to a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

D.B. Group's Solution for rail shipments to and from Southeast Asia: When importing your goods from Asia, you can benefit from our standard transport services and our Block Train solution. The latter is a premium shipping solution activated by D.B. Group to provide our customers with the highest diversification level during peak congestion at port and airport hubs. Recently, we have widened our import options including departures from Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Rail freight import from Southeast Asia to Italy

Origin	Transit	Destination	Transit Time
BANGKOK	Chengdu/Chongquing (China)	Bologna/Melzo/Verona	34-38 days
HANOI	Chengdu/Chongquing (China)	Bologna/Melzo/Verona	32-35 days
CAMBODIA*	Chengdu/Chongquing (China)	Bologna/Melzo/Verona	40-45 days

* first leg by road to Bangkok

 

 

What can you do to secure the success of your shipments to and from Southeast Asia?

Although this trade route is currently under pressure and congestion is to be expected, there are best practices you can implement that will make your shipments more efficient:

• Diversify transport modes: Choose the most suitable mode based on your needs.
• Forecasting: It is essential to act in advance and stay up to date on the freight forwarding market situation and its trends. Have you ever heard about our Market Update service? Read here to learn more: [LINK]
• Consider LCL options: They can allow you to take advantage of existing agreements between shippers and carriers, access better rates, and use spaces already contracted with carriers by your logistics provider.

D.B. Group team is at your complete disposal for any transport need to and from Southeast Asia.

With our network offices in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar, we will take care of your goods at every step of the shipping process.