Ocean Freight

Services > Ocean Freight

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight, also known as sea freight or maritime transportation, refers to the movement of goods and cargo by sea, using ships or vessels. It is one of the oldest and most widely used modes of transportation for international trade, and plays a vital role in the global economy.

Ocean freight is used to transport a wide range of goods, including raw materials, finished products, and even vehicles and heavy machinery. It is particularly well-suited for transporting large quantities of goods over long distances, as ships have a much larger cargo capacity than other modes of transportation such as air or land.

Advantages Of Ocean Freight

1.Cost-effectiveness:- Shipping by sea is generally much cheaper than other modes of transportation, especially for long-distance and bulk shipments. This is due to the economies of scale achieved by shipping companies, who are able to transport large volumes of goods at lower costs per unit.

2. Sustainability:- Shipping produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than other modes of transportation, such as air or road transport. Additionally, modern ships are becoming increasingly energy-efficient and eco-friendly, with many shipping companies investing in new technologies to reduce their carbon footprint.

3.Flexibility of Shipment:- The client can choose to ship the entire volume together or part by part. Ocean freight offers this flexibility to opt for an economically viable option. If you don’t want to spend much and need to export or import only a limited quantity, LCL may be preferred.

4. Safe Transportation Methods:- One of the top benefits of ocean freight shipping is that you can carry hazardous cargo via ship safely. Observing high safety standards and meticulous precautions, ocean freight guarantees the safe shipment of dangerous materials. Accidents during ocean freight are minimal compared to other modes of shipping. Therefore, sea freight is the internationally approved means for transportation of almost all legally approved items.

5. Assured Delivery:- Once you pick the right company, you can be sure about the delivery of the cargo in the promised time making ocean freight the cheapest and best shipment method.

6. Transport Oversized, Heavy, and Bulky Cargo to Any Location (connected via sea) in the World:- Forget the limitations of size, weight and shape you might encounter while shipping the cargo via air. Sea freight allows you to ship oversized, heavy, and bulky cargo to any location connected via sea. Furthermore, the cost of shipment would be much cheaper than airfreight. That is why companies choose ocean freight for transporting heavy machinery, heavy-lift items, industrial units, etc.

Drawbacks Of Ocean Freight

1. Shipping by sea can be slower than other transport modes and bad weather can add further delays

2. Routes and timetables are usually inflexible

3. You have to pay port duties and taxes

4. Basic freight rates are subject to fuel and currency surcharges

5. Further transportation overland will be needed to reach the final destination

6. Another challenge is the risk of damage or loss of cargo during transit. While shipping companies take many precautions to ensure the safety and security of cargo, accidents, theft, and other incidents can still occur. This is why it's important for companies to purchase adequate insurance to protect their goods during transit.

Process Of Ocean Freight

Every business approaches shipping differently. And there are a lot of variables to choose from as you build your supply chain: the containers, shipping method, vendor manuals, and timelines can all shift based on your business’s priorities.

But we’ve seen that supply chains operate best when generally following the below process from start to finish.

Place purchase order
Communicate shipment details to freight forwarder
Freight forwarder picks up containers
Nigeria Customs entry is filed in order to secure customs clearance
Container arrives at port
Container is loaded onto ship
Containers set off for destination port
Shipper provides documentation to consignee
Consignee reviews documentation, provides info to Nigeria Customs
Nigeria Customs reviews containers and documents
Containers arrive at port
Containers may undergo some form of customs exams
Once cleared by customs, container is attached to truck
Containers are trucked to distribution center
Consignee at the distribution center accepts containers

Phew! Supply chains have a lot of moving parts. This timeline is general, and just covers ocean shipping containers moving internationally from point A to point B. Your supply chain may be longer, shorter, more complicated, or less so.

Regardless, when all these components can work together efficiently, your business can improve your inventory turn — improving your ability to plan for the future as a result.

IN CONCLUSION

Ocean freight is a crucial mode of transportation for international trade, offering cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability, but also presenting challenges such as longer transit times and potential risks to cargo. It is important for companies to carefully weigh the pros and cons of ocean freight when deciding on the best mode of transportation for their goods.