Air vs Sea freight

 

Air freight vs. ocean shipping

Determining the ideal mode of transportation for your freight requires ongoing analysis. A one-time review of your supply chain needs won’t be sufficient to keep your supply chain efficiency and cost effective.

No matter which method you choose, working with a provider who offers a full suite of global logistics and technology services can help ensure the method you want is available when you need it most.

Be sure to consider the following when evaluating whether air freight or ocean freight is the best option to meet your current transportation needs.

 

Cost is based on freight characteristics

While it may seem like ocean shipping is always cheaper than air freight, you first need to understand how each is billed.

Air freight is billed through chargeable weight, which is a metric calculated by combining the weight and size of the shipment. In ocean shipping, shipment weight is not usually factored in. Instead, ocean shipping is billed by container—a full standard container (20’ x 40’) is charged a flat rate. Less than container loads (LCL) are billed by cubic meters.

For large, heavy shipments, shipping via ocean is often much less expensive. But as shipment sizes decrease, the margin between air and ocean prices also decreases.

But the actual cost of transportation is only the beginning. You also need to calculate inventory costs. Warehousing fees related to ocean shipping tend to be more expensive than warehousing fees at airports.

Keep in mind that both modes of transportation will face customs and destination fees when shipping internationally.

 

Speed varies greatly by mode

Air freight is faster than ocean freight, hands down. Ocean shipments can sometimes take weeks to arrive. Air freight can reach its destination in only a day or two. While ships are getting faster and ocean shipping routes are being constantly optimized, there is still no beating the speed of air freight.

Faster delivery times are quickly becoming expectations across many industries, but before immediately shipping everything by air, take the time to strategically plan out your shipping strategy. It will create long-term efficiencies and save you money.

 

Reliability can be achieved through both modes

Airlines are typically better at handling schedule changes than ocean carriers. Factors like weather conditions can throw off airline schedules far more easily than ocean journeys, but flights tend to be rearranged and rescheduled quickly and efficiently. Additionally, there are usually multiple flights each day between major cities, while ships tend to leave weekly.

This does not necessarily mean that air freight is always more reliable than the ocean freight. When ships are thrown off schedule, they tend to need a few days to get back on top of their operations. However, ongoing alliances between ocean carriers can build reliability and integrity for ocean service, which makes ocean shipping an appealing option—even for some time-sensitive freight like perishables, fashion, and auto parts.

 

Complexities of ocean alliances may affect service

While the alliances between ocean carriers produce increased reliability, those same alliances can cause complications. For example, if three ocean carriers work together, one week you may have a vessel from one carrier, and another week you have the same vessel but a different carrier. Each carrier has its own set of rules about what commodities are allowed. So even by shipping the same product on the same vessel every week, if a different carrier is in charge, there is a possibility that your product could be denied because the rules have changed.

 

Should you use air freight or ocean shipping?

Typically, the number one reason to choose air service is the speed of delivery. Moving your cargo through the air allows for a truncated timetable compared to ocean service. This is particularly useful when shipping items with short shelf lives. However, the price for faster service is often higher than transportation costs. It’s up to you to determine what makes sense for your shipping strategy.

So, which should you choose? Evaluate when your goods need to arrive at their destination, what your budget is, and how each mode will affect your business’s top needs.

If your shipments have a hard, quickly-approaching arrival deadline and your budget allows, ship via air. If you have more arrival date flexibility or want to save money, ship via ocean.

 

Final thoughts

If you’re having trouble making optimal shipping decisions, trust a third-party logistics provider (3PL), like C.H. Robinson, to help. Choose a 3PL that has the scale to consolidate your air and ocean freight with others for better cost-efficiency. The best global providers bring their experience of working with the largest, most sophisticated shippers in the world and apply it to your success.

Learn more about how an experienced 3PL can help your business optimize your global shipping processes, whether you choose to use ocean shipping or air freight.

Should I ship air or Sea?

The choice between air and sea normally depends on your shipment’s size, weight, and contents – and how fast you need your goods. 

Under normal conditions, shipping air for small shipments often makes a lot of sense. It may cost more – for example, an 85 kg shipment might cost $400 by LCL and $600 by air – but your goods will arrive within days rather than weeks. For goods such as retail, where quick turnover is key, or electronics, which benefits from air freight’s heightened security, the air is usually the right choice. 

Currently, all freight prices, including air freight prices are much more expensive than normal, due to a range of factors. Nevertheless, airlines are flying, and even augmenting cargo plans with passenger planes. So if your transit time or another factor demands it, you can still ship by air. 

Just like during non-pandemic times, ocean freight is typically far cheaper, especially for larger shipments. If you have time to wait for your goods, try to ship by Sea when possible. 

Read on for more information on choosing between the ocean and air freight.

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Air Freight vs Sea Freight Cost

To calculate the cost difference between shipping via air freight vs. via sea freight, head over to us to get live Quotes from vetted logistics providers. Once you have a better idea of the differences, consider the other factors discussed in this guide and decide what mode is best for your shipment.

Air vs Ocean Freight Comparison

Air Freight

• Air freight is best used when the cost of shipping is less than 15-20% of the value of the goods. For light shipments, use this chargeable weight calculator to work out whether your shipment will be charged by actual weight or dimensional weight.
• Air freight is faster, safer, and more reliable than ocean freight, but it’s also more expensive – a $195 ocean shipment can cost $1,000 by air. 
• Airlines also have stricter regulations when it comes to shipping hazardous materials. Refer below and discuss with your forwarder.

Ocean Freight

• Ocean freight offers more capacity and value – one container can hold 10,000 beer bottles!
• Ocean freight is usually much slower than air, and customs issues and port holdups can cause additional delays. Express LCL is increasingly available on more routes and by more forwarders, often guarantees a delivery date, and is faster than the regular ocean freight.
• Sea freight has a much better carbon footprint than air freight.

Air Freight Restrictions for Hazardous Goods

There is a long list of prohibited items for air freight and it varies by national law and airline regulations. With less obvious examples in brackets, these prohibited items include:

• gases (e.g. lamp bulbs)
• all things flammable (e.g. perfume)
• toxic or corrosive items (e.g. batteries)
• magnetic substances (e.g. speakers)
• public health risks (e.g. untanned hides)
• oxidizers and biochemical products (e.g. chemical medicines)
• anything with a danger sign on the packaging.

If you are considering air cargo, you should carefully discuss the nature of your cargo with your freight forwarder. And don’t forget to mention ancillary items like handles.

Packaging can also be subject to restrictions. For instance, there is a maximum weight restriction to corrugated fibreboard boxes.

For further information check out the Freightos Hazardous Material Table.

Air Shipping vs Sea Shipping Transit Time

Until recently, smaller shipments that don’t fill a container (LCL) regularly took much longer to ship than full container (FCL) shipments. Shippers wanting smaller quantities reasonably soon had to pay a premium to go air freight.

But, there are now ocean LCL services that can compete with air freight for time and are a lot cheaper. This is due to several reasons, including ships are getting faster, canal upgrades cutting delays on some routes, improvements to ocean tracking, and a much more competitive freight market.

Some forwarders are now providing express ocean services, sometimes called Expedited LCL, with guaranteed delivery days, actually faster than FCL, and close to matching air transit times. Most air cargo is typically consolidated, but it takes time to put together, and dedicated services are typically once or twice a week. So, transit times are usually 5-7 days. Compare this with some express LCL shipments. For instance, Europe to the East Coast can take as little as 8 days – but it’s important to note that with current conditions this can be much longer.

So air vs ocean freight now? These services suit high-value products, with a critical, but not immediate, due date. It also works well for products with a short shelf life, but longer than a couple of weeks.

Air Freight vs Sea Freight Carbon Footprint

International bodies, governments, and individuals are increasingly taking responsibility for their impact on the environment. Even smaller businesses are considering how they contribute to a more sustainable future. This will increasingly have a business impact too: not having green credentials will lose business.

So does sea freight or air freight leave a bigger carbon footprint on the environment?

CO2 emissions from ocean freight are minuscule compared with air freight. Even withstanding some concerns about measurement, ocean freight has a much smaller carbon footprint.

These guidelines should help when you get to the air vs ocean freight decision.