What is Ocean freight?
Ocean freight shipping is the method of transporting containerised cargo loaded onto vessels by sea. Over 90% of all the world’s trade is carried by sea. If you want to ship your freight around the world, ocean freight is the most convenient option.
As a general rule, shipments weighing more than 100kg – or consisting of multiple cartons – will be sent by sea freight. The containers are designed and built for intermodal freight transport. That means the containers can be used across various transportation modes – from ship to rail to truck – without unloading and reloading the cargo.
Benefits and disadvantages of ocean freight shipping
There are numerous benefits and disadvantages when shipping ocean freight. We want to be transparent about both, so you know whether this is the best option for you.
The benefits of ocean freight shipping include:
- Cost-effective freight method compared to other modes (e.g. air freight)
- Cheaper than other freight modes (e.g. air freight) over long distances
- Most carbon-efficient solution
The disadvantages of ocean freight shipping include:
- Longer transit time than air freight, which means you have to wait longer for your goods to arrive
- When shipping smaller amounts of goods, the price is not sustainable