It is well known that ocean freight shipping is an option that offers shippers transportation services at an economical price point

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If your business needs to transport large quantities but there is no pressure to deliver quickly, shipping by sea may be beneficial. You need to carefully assess the advantages of shipping goods by sea.

Economical

Hands down, the ocean shipping industry offers the most competitive freight costs to shippers, especially over long distances. By comparison, some estimates show that ocean freight shipping costs are generally four to six times less expensive than air. With statistics like this one, it is easy to argue that ocean transportation is the cheapest international shipping option.

Efficiency

No matter the size of your shipments, sea freight companies can usually accommodate your needs. Smaller shipments can be grouped together with other cargo to fill a container, allowing for cost-sharing of transportation services. Larger cargo can fill one or more containers, offering shippers unmatched bulk options. In fact, vessels are the ideal way to move high volumes of cargo as they are designed to carry large amounts of goods or raw materials.

Oversized, heavy, and bulky cargo capability

A major advantage of sea freight shipping is shipping companies’ ability to handle oversized, heavy, or bulky cargo – often referred to as breakbulk or Not in Trailer (NIT) loads. Such cargo could include large vehicles, equipment, construction materials, and more. Oftentimes too heavy or large for air freight or even over-the-road transportation, very large cargo is not a problem on many shipping vessels.

Safety

Ships are designed to carry hazardous materials and dangerous cargo safely. The industry is well-versed in the handling of such goods and has regulations in place to ensure the safety of the vessel, crew, cargo, and environment. Cargo loss caused by incidents during the transportation is continually dropping as maritime safety increases and has dropped significantly in the past decade. Containers are designed to be sealed and locked during transportation for extra security.

Environmental friendliness

When compared to sea shipping, air and many other forms of transportation have much higher carbon footprints – a definite disadvantage for the environment. Ships, on the other hand, provide the most carbon-efficient mode of transportation and produce fewer grams of exhaust gas emissions for each ton of cargo transported than any other shipment method.

Here are the risks and disadvantages of transporting goods by sea, shipping by sea can be slower than other transport modes and bad weather can add further delays, routes, and timetables are usually inflexible, tracking your goods’ progress is difficult, you have to pay port duties and taxes, further transportation overland will be needed to reach the final destination, basic freight rates are subject to fuel and currency surcharges.

Freight that is shipped by boat offers a selection of transit time options, as well as options to ship by full container load (FCL) or less than container load (LCL).

There are many distinct rules and regulations that must be followed when shipping hazardous materials.

In order to ensure that they reach their appropriate destination in the safest, most efficient way possible, it is imperative that business owners familiarize themselves with the fundamentals. There are many different variables to consider when shipping hazardous goods including destination, method, and documentation. Understanding the specific details in each of these areas can be burdensome. C&D Logistics can help simplify the process for you by answering any questions you may have.

Are you shipping hazardous materials cross-border?

Most countries have different ways in which they handle the shipment of hazardous goods and materials. When shipping between Canada and the United States separate documentation will need to be filled out. Some materials will even require the approval of an emergency response assistance plan before they can be shipped. It is important to note the different systems of labeling, and placards, that is required when shipping cross-border between the United States and Canada. C&D Logistics has all of the answers to your cross-border shipping questions. Contact us for information on cross-border shipping between Canada and the United States.

There are different classes of hazardous materials including flammable, toxic, corrosive, and more. Each of these classes has different regulations that must be followed with regard to shipping procedures. Not all of these classes are allowed to be shipped via air. Some are only permitted to ship via ground. Due to the complexity of these classes and the varying shipping regulations, it is important to consult with a team of shipping and logistics experts that are familiar with the proper protocol.

When shipping hazardous materials, it is absolutely imperative that you provide the proper documentation. The correct documentation depends on what types of materials you are shipping, and whether or not they are domestic, within Canada, or cross-border to the United States. For proper domestic shipping familiarize yourself with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. This act outlines the necessary labeling and packaging requirements within Canada. When shipping to the United States it is the Toxic Substances Control Act that will be used to regulate the shipment of potentially dangerous materials.

When shipping HAZMAT, you will need to accurately determine the class it belongs to. There are 9 classes in total: explosives, gases, flammable/combustible liquids, flammable/combustible solids, oxidizers and organic peroxides, poisonous/toxic substances, radioactive materials, corrosives, and miscellaneous items like dry ice.

Once you have determined the HAZMAT you will be shipping, it is time to contact a suitable and experienced freight provider. Each carrier has specific rules regarding HAZMAT, so be sure to understand these rules before choosing one.

Depending on the products you are shipping, there are specific laws and standards that must be adhered to regarding packaging. For example, metal drums tend to be required for dangerous liquids.