When deciding whether to use air freight or sea freight to transport their goods, the following factors should be considered: cost, delivery time, social impact, and type of goods to be transported.
Each method has its benefits, and the choice depends on particular shipment conditions. This guide will look at the differences between airfreight vs seafreight and their strengths and weaknesses to facilitate proper decision-making.
Air and sea freight are two major types of international shipping services that are important for cargo movement across countries but differ in functionality and efficiency. Air transport is used when goods are perishable, urgent, valuable, and relatively expensive.
In contrast, sea transport is less costly and used for large quantities of goods or goods that do not require urgent transportation. Being aware of these differences will help you decide which one to use depending on your business or personal requirement for freight shipping. The two choices depend on price, time, eco-friendliness, and carrying capacity.
What is Air Freight?
Air freight refers to the movement of goods through the use of aircraft. It is the quickest mode of transportation and is used when delivering time-sensitive products or highly valued products.
Logistics providers can arrange to transport cargo through specially designed dedicated cargo airlines or by booking space in passenger airlines' fully dedicated cargo sections.
Advantages of Air Freight
- Speed: Air freight is the quickest mode of transport, perfect for any consignment that needs to reach its destination quickly.
- Reliability: There is also limited flexibility on the part of the flights due to the timetable that they are always required to adhere to.
- Security: Airports also have security measures; others cannot easily steal or damage most items.
However, there are limitations to air freight. For instance, costs are relatively high, and the services are limited to a certain weight.
When to Use Air Freight
- Urgent Shipments: Air freight is suitable for perishable goods, valuables, and products that need to get to the market as soon as possible.
- Small or Medium-Sized Shipments: Air freight is suitable for small packages because of the limitations on both weight and dimensions.
What is Sea Freight?
Sea freight involves moving products in a container by sea using sea container ships. It is the most used mode of transporting high volumes of goods at a cheaper price. Compared to air freight, sea freight is selectively used for products that don’t require time-sensitive delivery so businesses can cut transportation costs.
Advantages of Sea Freight
- Cost-Effective: Sea freight costs considerably less than air freight, particularly when transporting many product units.
- Capacity: Shipments can be made in large amounts, making them suitable for large quantities of goods and items.
- Versatility: Sea freight can handle any type of shipment, especially large or bulky, regardless of size and mass.
Nevertheless, it is relatively slower than air freight and can take weeks or months, depending on the destination. Extreme weather conditions may delay delivery, and blockage of ports may lead to delayed delivery time.
When to Use Sea Freight
- Non-Urgent Shipments: If speed is not an issue, sea freight is the cheapest transportation mode.
- Bulk Goods: Sea freight is suitable for shipping bulk goods, cars, or industry machinery.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Between Air Freight or Sea Freight
You may have to consider several factors while choosing the best shippingmethod. These factors can be cost, delivery time, budget, speed, or environmental impacts. Understanding these factors can help you to choose the best shipping method for international shipments. Enables you to select the most suitable shipping method for your needs.
- Cost Comparison: Air Freight vs Sea Freight
Pricing is essential when determining which mode of transport, air or sea freight, to use. On average, air freight is often many folds more expensive than ocean transport because of fuel and aircraft maintenance costs. Air freight is relatively costly because it can be 4 to 5 times more expensive than sea freight.
- Air Freight Costs: These are given in terms of weight and volume. However, for shipments of volume less than 100 kg, air freight is cheaper. However, for larger shipments, the costs can quickly rise drastically.
- Sea Freight Costs: Sea freight cost depends on the type and volume of containers, usually the 20ft container or the 40ft container. Sea freight is thus more favorable for large shipments since the unit cost of shipment is relatively low compared to the cost of air shipping.
In conclusion, sea freight is more costly and effective within the large shipment organizational capacity. In contrast, air freight is individually expensive but more effective than sea freight in delivering urgent consignments with a small capacity.
- Speed: Which is Faster?
Air freight is, however, the fastest mode of transportation. A shipment that may normally take up to 5-7 days via sea may require about 1-2 days through air transport. This is especially necessary for industries that deal with perishable goods, such as food or drugs, that must be transported in the shortest time possible to avoid spoiling.
- Air Freight: It takes only days for a delivery to occur; thus, it is the most suitable method for international shipment.
- Sea Freight: Shipping by sea is slower. It takes between 20 and 45 days for a shipment to cross the oceans, depending on the route taken. However, for non-emergency shipments, sea freight remains an effective mode of transportation. Moreover, with the introduction of the express LCL services, shipping by sea is faster than it used to be, making it a better option.
Air freight has the added advantage if time is a major consideration in getting goods from one point to another. Nonetheless, for those who can wait longer, the sea freight is cheaper than the rest.
- Cargo Capacity: Volume and Weight Considerations
- Sea Freight: Sea freight is the most preferred mode of transport for cargo capacity. Some large ocean-going vessels can directly transport as many as thousands of these containers, which have immense carrying capacity each.
For instance, a single cargo vessel can hold between 18,000 to 24,000 volumes of twenty-foot containers; thus, it is ideal for organizations transporting many goods simultaneously.
- Air Freight: Air freight has a smaller cargo space than sea freight in capacity. This means that a large freight aircraft can carry roughly ten times less than a cargo ship can. Therefore, sea LTL wins the battle in the capability of moving bulky cargo or items inconvenient in air transport.
- Environmental Impact: Carbon Footprint
Sustainability continues to be an important and powerful challenge in the logistics industry. Air freight and sea freight move goods from one location in the world to another, but based on their impact on the environment, ocean freight has little effect on the environment compared to air freight.
- Air Freight: This is more likely to generate a considerably greater carbon footprint because air travel is fuel-based. Air freight releases approximately 500 gm of CO2 per kilometer for each metric ton of cargo.
- Sea Freight: Ships also produce CO2 emissions but at a lower rate of CO2 emissions per ton-kilometer than aircraft. Shipping emits 10 to 40 grams of CO2 per tonne/kilometer and is logically more sustainable than other transportation modes of equal efficiency, which are of primary concern to businessmen today.
Furthermore, new standards coming in from 2024 will further lower carbon emissions and make sea freight even more environmentally friendly. When delivering environmental impacts, sea freight is preferable for firms willing to minimize their exposure to carbon emissions, especially where the transport distance is extremely long.
- Type of Cargo: Which Option is Best?
Air freight and sea freight transport differenttypes of cargo but are restricted in their capacity in some ways.
- Air Freight: Most suitable for small, valuable, and perishable goods such as electronics, drugs, and fashion accessories. However, some conditions include a weight limit and size limit.
- Sea Freight: Primarily used for large, heavy, or bulky cargo, this is typically the case with industrial equipment, vehicles, and raw materials. It also enables the packaging and containers to be made flexibly in size.
- Customs and Documentation
Although customs and documentation are important for air and sea freight, the processes differ slightly.
- Air Freight: Usually, customs formalities are less time-consuming than sea freight as they have shorter transportation and processing times. This results in less time in ports waiting for clearance and customs formalities.
- Sea Freight: More complex because it takes more time to transit and handle the goods, but it provides more time to produce documents needed to process and enter goods at the port. There are always customs checks and port delays that can greatly affect transit, so air freight is preferable regarding time limits.Risk and Cargo Safety: How Secure are Air Freight and Sea Freight?
Cargo safety is crucial to air and sea freight, but air freight is more secure for delicate and valuable shipments. Aerospace transport involves less handling of goods as they are likely to get damaged. Airports also have many security measures to avoid theft. However, both approaches have merits and demerits on the issue of risk and safety.
- Air Freight: Air freight is less risky than other means of transport since airports are well protected with high levels of security and thus have a lesser risk of theft or damage.
- Sea Freight: Another advantage of sea freight is the reliable level of security, which means that the goods are sealed in a container. While sea freight is generally cheap, there is a higher chance of damage or theft as the shipment goes through many handlings at port.
Further, they expose your shipment to the danger of rough seas and other unfavorable weather conditions.
- Types of Goods: Perishables vs Non-Perishables
- Air Freight: Suitable for perishable and urgent items. Air transport is advised for cargoes like food products, freshflowers, or goods that can withstand a short time in transit.
They guarantee that their delivery is fast so that products are received in good condition and can be used immediately. In the same way, air is used when the shipment is time-sensitive and needs to be delivered in the shortest time possible.
- Sea Freight: Perfect for Non-perishable and Large Items. Sea transport is ideal for nonperishablegoods such as electronics, furniture, and industry machinery. As delivery times take more time, it can ensure that these goods do not spoil before they get to the final consumer.
Moreover, the carrying capacity of sea freight enables you to ship in large volumes without worrying about the costs.
Selecting the right freight of your choice
Despite the general information above, the choice between air freight and sea freight can be based only on the details of your shipment needs. Here’s a quick recap:
Choose air freight if:
- You need a fast delivery.
- You are supplying goods of high value or that should preferably be sent within a short time.
- Time is more important than cost.
Choose sea freight if:
- You’re moving big and heavy products.
- Delivery speed is not a priority for buyers as long as the cost of the goods is lower.
- You are sending non-perishable products.
However, combining both methods, called multimodalshipping, is possible depending on the circumstances. This means that business can move their goods by sea freight, which is cheaper for a part of the journey, and then use air freight for fast delivery.
Conclusion
Air freight can be compared with sea freight based on the cost, delivery time, types of goods, and environmental impact. Air freight is suitable for urgent or valuable goods, while sea freight is suitable for large, non-urgent, and, consequently, cheaper shipments.
Ultimately, depending on your cargo's requirements, it's an individual choice. No matter the priority, whether speed or cost, there is no simple answer; however, gaining insight into air and sea freight is beneficial.
FAQS
- What are the advantages of sea freight over air freight?
Sea freight has many advantages over air freight, such as cost and cargo carrying capacity. Sea freight is considered cheaper for large and heavy shipments and thus suitable for organizations engaged in massive production.
Further, sea freight is environmentally friendly compared to air freight because it emits less CO2 per tonne of cargo transported.
The last kind is flexibility. Sea freight is flexible concerning the type of container and enables companies to decide how to pack and ship goods. Although it is slower than the air freight system, shipping by sea is cheaper and capable of transporting large quantities of cargo, making it suitable for non-urgent products.
- Is air freight more expensive than sea freight?
Yes, it will be seen that air freight is comparatively more costly than sea freight. The fixed cost of operating aircraft is significantly high because of fuel costs, maintenance, and faster delivery. Costs associated with air freight include both weight and volume; hence, it tends to be slightly expensive to transport large quantities or heavy consignments.
On the other hand, sea freight is calculated based on the size of the container (for instance, a 20′ or 40′ container) but is normally way cheaper when dealing with consignments of a large capacity.
Business people prefer air freight for valuable or perishable goods that cannot wait to reach their destination because it is more expensive. Nevertheless, sea freight is generally cheaper for less urgent, high-volume, or large and dense shipments.
- Which mode of transportation should I choose: air freight or sea freight?
The decision whether or not to transport goods via air or sea depends on the characteristics such as cost, speed, and the type of product. If your shipment arrives within days, air freight will be most suitable. They considered it to be faster and more secure to convey urgent products. Nonetheless, it is more expensive. It also cannot support heavy loads and is relatively smaller.
On the other hand, sea freight is far cheaper and ideal for large and massive shipments, although this mode of transportation takes time. These may include the speed of delivery, the cost of the services, and whether the firm impacts the extreme environment.
In this case, air freight is suitable for relatively small shipments of high value. Sea freight is preferable for large-volume consignments as well as non-emergency ones.
- Which is better: air freight or sea freight?
As we acknowledge, air and sea freight depend solely on your requirements. Air freight is perfectly suitable for businesses or individuals needing to transport small but valuable goods quickly. It is faster and more effective where perishable products that require quick delivery are concerned. Of course, it can be very costly compared to sea freight, and there are restrictions on weight and dimensions.
Ocean freight is mostly preferable for bulk and non-time-sensitive shipments. It is far more economical, particularly for large quantities or large-sized products. Furthermore, sea freight is more environmentally friendly than air transport and a suitable option for environmentally conscious companies.
- What are the differences between sea and air freight?
Sea transport is a means of transporting freight by ships over the seas. It is mostly associated with the transportation of products that are in large containers, including raw materials and production machinery, among others. The advantage of sea freight is its relatively low price, which makes it affordable, especially when shipping bulky goods.
Air freight, on the other hand, refers to the transportation of goods through aircraft. It is the quickest means of transporting goods and is very popular for electronics, pharmaceutical products, and fashion clothes. Air freight costs are relatively higher than any other mode of transport, but it provides speed and reliability.
- How can we compare air freight with cargo freight?
Air freight relates only to transporting goods by air, while cargo freight involves transporting goods through air, sea, road, and rail. Air freight is expensive and takes a relatively short time, while others are cheap but will take a long time, such as sea freight.
Thus, air freight can be referred to as one of the subsectors of cargo freight services. Companies that transport goods may prefer to use one type of cargo freight over the other if it is faster, cheaper, or adapted for carrying definite goods.
- What is the cost difference between air freight and sea freight?
Air freight is more expensive than sea freight. Air freight costs are normally four to five times higher than sea freight due to the higher cost of running airplanes in terms of fuel, maintenance, and airport charges.
On the other hand, sea freight is charged per container and, therefore, cheaper when the shipment is large or has massive value. Although air transport is relatively faster than sea transport, it costs little per ton. Hence, it is widely used to transport bulky and non-urgent goods.
- Why is sea freight cheaper?
Sea transport is cheaper mainly because of the large carrying capacity of the vessel and proportional operating costs compared to airplanes. Ships can hold ten thousand containers and distribute the costs over many more goods. Moreover, sea freight has a slow transport rate; hence, the fuel consumption is comparatively cheaper than that of the high-end aircraft commonly used for air freight.
The system of transportation used with sea freight is also cheaper than that used in air freight. It is not restricted by weight or size; hence, it is best suited for businesses that mass ship bulky or heavy goods. Due to this, sea freight is relatively cheaper than other modes of transport in making long-distance shipments of goods for which time is not of the essence.
- What are the disadvantages of air freight?
The most significant disadvantage of air freight is cost, as it is the most expensive of all modes of transport. Air freight is always more costly and can cost up to 4 to 5 times more than sea freight; hence, it is suitable for large or heavy loads. There is also weight restriction in air freight, but more significantly, there are size constraints, making it a less viable solution for large and bulky shipments.
This has made them another disadvantage since most companies have transformed into being environmentally conscious. Air freight produces more CO2 emissions than sea freight, a disadvantageous factor for any organization aiming to minimize its carbon footprint.
Finally, air freight is much more heavily regulated and requires more extensive security measures than ocean freight, which can slow down the shipping process for some products.
- Is air freight expensive?
Indeed, air freight typically costs more than the other modes of transport or shipping. Several factors contribute to the cost, including the time to deliver the products, the cost of aircraft-relevant maintenance services, and fuel costs.
