Should I Ship by Air or by Sea?
Effectively using the shipping and logistics industry to best benefit your Texas-based business can be a challenge, especially when shipping internationally. Choosing the best mode of shipment, air or maritime transport logistics in Texas, for transporting your goods out of the country can be difficult, and making the wrong decision can cost your business more then just money. To help you make a more informed decision for your next shipment, below are a few key factors to consider:
- Cost: When shipping by air, charges are usually based on the weight of your shipment. Sea carriers, however, typically charge per container and use a standard container for shipments. If you’re shipping a large shipment, you will be charged per container. For smaller shipments, you may be charged for one container or for the percentage of the container your shipment uses. For larger shipments, shipping by sea is almost always much cheaper. For smaller shipments, however, the margin between prices decreases the smaller your shipment is.
- Reliability: Both modes of shipment are reliable, but there are always possibilities for unseen delays. With air shipments, delayed flights caused by weather conditions can be an issue. With shipping by sea, unforeseen delays in ports and customs may cause your shipment to be late. If you’re looking at track records, however, shipping by sea has been a mode of transporting goods for centuries longer than shipping by air.
- Restrictions: When deciding between shipping by air or by sea, it’s important to remember that air shipments have a lot more restrictions and regulations. There is a long list of items that are prohibited on planes, including flammables, gases, toxic or corrosive items, biochemical products, magnetic substances and anything that could pose a public health risk. If the goods you are shipping fall into any of the above categories, then shipping by air is not going to be an option.
- Sustainability: Finding sustainable business practices is not only better for the environment—it is also better for business. The government rewards businesses that try to decrease or eliminate their negative effects on the environment, and consumers are smarter than ever about doing business with green companies. All of this means that businesses, more than ever before, need to consider environmental effects when choosing a shipping method. Shipping by sea is the better option when it comes to the environment. CO2 emissions produced by airplanes are much higher than those produced by cargo ships. Choosing to ship by sea means your business will be helping to reduce the carbon footprint.
A combination of all three shipping methods (land, air and sea) is the best option for most businesses. However, if you are looking to save costs on larger shipments while also doing something good for the environment, shipping by sea is your best option. If you’re interested in sea transport for your next shipment, contact Aztec Marine Agencies, Inc. With over 50 years of combined industry experience, we are the number one choice for maritime transport logistics in Texas!
Categorised in: Maritime Transport Logistics