One of the best and most effective ways of transporting your goods is by using ocean freight forwarders. However, many business owners choose other forms of shipping services for their import and export process. No matter how beneficial it may seem, no other services are as effective as ocean freight shipping.
Choosing a professional and well-experienced international shipping company to handle your business transportation will help you to deliver the goods faster. Additionally, you would understand various viable options such as helping you calculate costs, offering custom solutions for the containers, preventing delays, and revealing hidden fees.
Before you hire ocean freight forwarders for your business, you need to know some points that will help you with the process. In this article, we will discuss the top 4 things that you should know while using ocean freight forwarding services.
You May Not Require Full Container to Transport the Materials
Most of the first-time shippers, as well as business owners, assume that they need to hire full containers to transport their goods. However, this is a major mistake that will increase the cash flow of your business. But, some other freight forwarding companies will provide you less-than-container loading services instead of using full-container loading services. However, going through the LCL route means that your merchandise will be shipped with other consignments. This will help you to save money on shipping costs. Additionally, many freight forwarders always look for smaller shipments to fill their shipping containers. They will also provide you great rates.
The Pricing is Simpler
Many business owners become overwhelmed with the process of calculation the exporting and importing costs across the international and domestic borders. But, the pricing system of ocean freight services is easier than the air freight forwarders. For instance, calculation the cost of shipping through the port of San Francisco is extremely simple. The formula for determining the LCL shipments is length x width x depth = total volume in cubic feet. Even though this formula is appropriate for most solutions, some variables such as lightweight or fragile goods can affect the outcome.
Be Aware of the Hidden Fees
One of the most hidden costs of your shipping invoice can be the fuel charges. Even though this charge is expected, but many shippers avoid considering the fluctuations in gas and oil pricing. Hence, make sure you discuss and ask regarding the fuel surcharges. This is one of the greatest ways of getting the perfect quote.
Take Care of the Packaging
You might think that the initial packaging is good and will protect the product, but it may experience some sort of damage during the shipping process. As per Ptpackaging, product packaging must be reliable and sturdy. Remember that the container will be lifted off and on with a crane and then it will travel through the ocean for a couple of days. This is why you need to take help from the ocean freight forwarder as they will provide your suggestions.
Conclusion
These are the top 4 things you should know about ocean freight. Do you have any questions? Comment below to let us know.
