When it comes to the shipment of goods, it’s important to understand the various types of freight and cargo to make the right choices for the shipment. Whether you are shipping within your country or across borders there are some factors to consider to select the best mode of transport depending on the size, type, and need of the shipment.
In this article, we will discuss the various ways of freight shipping and the kinds of freight that can be shipped and guide you on how to choose the best mode of transportation.
What is Freight Transportation?
It involves the movement of goods from one destination to another through transport facilities like trucks, ships, trains, and airplanes. Both methods are useful, though they have their strengths and weaknesses, and therefore, one should consider some factors such as the kinds of shipping required, cost, and nature of the cargo, among others.
The Difference Between Cargo and Freight
Freight and cargo are two terms that are interchangeable and used from the same perspective, but they are slightly different from each other. Freight is mainly used when transporting goods on the road using a truck or rail while cargo is used when moving goods through water using a ship or through the air using an aeroplane. Both terms cover the same concept: transportation of goods from one place to another.
Types of Freight Transportation
1. Road Transport (Land Freight)
Road transport, also known as land freight, is one of the most popular ways used in the transportation of goods, especially over short to medium distances. It entails the shipment of products through trucks from one place to the other, usually from a storage place to different locations or the final consumer.
Benefits of Road Freight
- Flexible transport: Road transport is also one of the most flexible since it provides door-to-door service.
- Easy to Access: This is because, unlike other means of transport, trucks can easily access areas that other methods cannot, making it suitable for urban and rural markets.
Shortcomings of Road Freight
- Delivery time: Road transport is easily affected by traffic congestion, traffic incidents, and blockages, adversely affecting delivery time.
- Limited Capacity: Trucks also have some restrictions on the total weight they can carry, and their overall size, which may be a disadvantage for very large shipments.
2. Rail Transport
It is an effective and economical method of transport used for moving large volumes of goods over long distances. The kind is most frequently used to transport large quantities of specific products such as minerals or raw materials in bulk or containerized cargo.
Benefits of Rail Freight
- Cheaper for Long Distances: Rail as a means of transport is cheaper than road transport, especially for long-distance transport of goods.
- Environmentally-Friendly: Trains are more environmentally friendly than trucks due to their ability to produce less pollution as they transport people and goods from one place to another.
Shortcomings of Rail Freight
- Less Flexible: Rail transport is a little more flexible than full-truck-load transport as it can only be done if there is a railhead nearby or the goods can be picked up from a railhead and then taken to their final destination via truck.
- Slow Mode of Transportation: Trains are comparatively a slower mode of transportation than trucks and airplanes, and thus they are not suitable for goods that need to be transported quickly.
3. Maritime Transport (Ocean Freight)
International transportation and the shipment of large and heavy products over a long distance can be instantly and effectively done through ocean transport. Seaport is another convenient method of transport as it can transport large quantities of goods across the seas, which makes it ideal for the export business.
Benefits of Ocean Freight
- Cheapest Transport Mode: Ocean freight is the cheapest transport mode, especially over long distances because of the large cargo volumes.
- Versatile: This means that ships can take all types of cargo including liquid bulk, dry bulk, and container cargo.
Shortcomings of Ocean Freight
- Slow Delivery Process: Sea transport can take even several weeks or months, and it highly depends on the distance and the chosen seaway.
- Damage may occure: Because this mode of transport takes a longer time to transport the goods and many big containers are handled in the process some goods are often damaged.
4. Air Transport (Air Freight)
Air freight is the quickest mode of transport, and is ideal for consignments that have a high value or are time-sensitive. It involves moving goods by cargo planes which are suitable for moving all goods that require timely delivery.
Benefits of Air Freight
- Speed: Air freight is the quickest mode of transport in which the goods can be transported within days or even hours.
- Global Reach: It is highly accessible because airplanes can transport goods anywhere in the world.
Shortcomings of Air Freight
- High Cost: Air shipments are the costliest mode of transportation, but they are ideal for heavy or oversized goods.
- Weight Restrictions: It may not be ideal for large and bulky products because airplanes have weight and size restrictions.
5. Multimodal Transport
This is whereby two or more modes of transport are integrated under one legal agreement. For instance, goods can be transported by sea and then conveyed through road transport to the final destination. This method is proper whenever goods have to be transported over long distances and across national borders.
Benefits of Multimodal Transport
- Efficiency: Intermodal transport is the use of more than one mode of transport for the delivery of goods, and it can result in shorter delivery times and lower costs.
- Simplified Logistics: Because there is only one contract covering the various modes of transport, there is an added advantage in the management of the means of transport.
Shortcomings of Multimodal Transport
- Risk of Delays: All modes of transport are dependent on each other meaning that a delay in one mode of transport will affect the overall shipment.
6. Intermodal Freight
Like multimodal transport, intermodal freight transport also involves multiple modes of transport but comes with separate contracts of carriage for each mode. It is widely used for container freight that can be easily transferred from ship to train or from ship to truck without offloading the cargo shipped in them.
Benefits of Intermodal Freight
- Cost-Efficiency: This method enables shippers to utilize the cheapest means of transport throughout the transportation chain.
- Flexibility: This makes this mode of transport flexible because containers can be transported from one mode of transport to another, especially for long-distance travel.
Shortcomings of Intermodal Freight
- Complex Coordination: Because the contracts are required for each mode, the management of the arrangement may be more difficult.
Types of Cargo
1. Container Cargo
Container cargo is carried in standard shipping containers to facilitate ease of handling in various modes of transport such as; road, railway, and marine. This method is quite common for the export of numerous products across the world.
2. Liquid Bulk
Liquid bulk involves products like oil, chemicals, and beverages often transported in large quantities. These products need to be packed in special containers or tankers for transportation purposes.
3. Dry Bulk
The dry bulk cargo includes solid materials that do not contain any moisture such as grains, coal, and raw minerals. They are primarily shipped in large volumes in ships that are built for bulk transport.
4. Breakbulk
The breakbulk cargo consists of cargo that cannot fit in standard containers because they are either too big or too heavy. Some of the products that are classified as breakbulk include machinery, vehicles, and construction products.
5. Livestock
Transporting live animals is a unique process, which is based on the availability of space, food, and water to the animals. Animal transportation is usually in vehicles such as trucks, ships, or planes, which are well-fitted to accommodate the animals safely during transport.
6. Ro-ro (Roll-on/Roll-off)
Ro-ro cargo is a term used to describe cars, trucks, and other heavy equipment that can be driven on board a ship. This method is widely used for the transportation of cars across oceans.
7. Refrigerated Cargo
Foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals are examples of items that require a cool environment during transportation and hence are transported using reefer cargo shipping containers. It also ensures that these containers maintain a specific temperature to ensure the contents do not spoil during the journey.
Things to Look at When Selecting a Freight Method
When deciding on the best way to transport goods, several factors come into play:
- Distance: For large distances, rail transport or ocean transport could be the best depending on the type of goods to be transported. For short distances, however, road transport is appropriate.
- Speed: Air transport is the most rapid means and is however relatively costly as compared to the other means of transport.
- Cost: Ocean transportation is the least costly way to transport goods internationally, while FTL (Full Truck Load) is cheaper to transport large items domestically.
- Type of Cargo: Sensitive products require refrigerated cargo transport while large vehicles utilize the Ro-ro services.
FTL Shipping vs. LTL Shipping
Full Truckload (FTL) Shipping
The most appropriate use of FTL shipping is when you have a large shipment that occupies the entire truck space. This method ensures that the truck is used only for your shipment hence reducing the handling time and thereby minimizing the chances of getting damaged.
Benefits of FTL Shipping
- Speed: Since the truck can only transport one shipment, the delivery period is shorter.
- Less Handling: With fewer stops, there is little chance of your goods getting damaged in one way or another.
Shortcomings of FTL Shipping
- Higher Cost: FTL shipping is also more expensive than LTL shipping since it covers transportation of shipments that do not require an entire truck.
Less-than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping
LTL shipping is used when you have a shipment that will not occupy the whole truck space. Several consignments from various suppliers are grouped and transported in one vehicle, which makes it cheaper for smaller loads.
Benefits of LTL Shipping
- Cost-Effective: It is cheaper for small shipments because you only pay for the space that you take up.
- Environmentally Friendly: They are environmentally friendly, fewer trucks are on the road, meaning that there are fewer emissions from vehicles on the road.
Shortcomings of LTL Shipping
- Slower Delivery: One disadvantage is that when several shipments are combined, the delivery time may be relatively long.
- More Handling: The multiple handling of your goods may lead to damage.
Conclusion:
The type of transport varies according to your needs. When the delivery must be effected in the shortest possible time, air transport is most suitable, while large shipments for international shipments are most economically transported by sea.
Road transport is particularly ideal for domestic use, and the integrated transport mode can avail the characteristics of as many modes as possible while seeking the best and cheapest solution. It would be necessary to define the proper freight for the business depending on the type of goods, available budget, and time for delivery.
FAQs
- What is the Optimal Method of Goods Delivery?
The mode of transport that would be most appropriate depends on aspects like the type of cargo, cost, and time. The fastest is air transport which is suitable for urgent or lightweight products to be delivered.
- What is the difference between Freight and Cargo?
Freight usually refers to goods that are moved from one place to another for business purposes, in large quantities and at a lower cost per unit, while cargo refers to any items that are being shipped normally those that require being shipped, via air or by sea.
- Which type of freight is most often transported?
Road transport is the predominant mode of freight, which encompasses shipments utilizing trucks. It is commonly used for local deliveries because of its features for flexibility and availability of door-to-door delivery services. Ocean freight is mainly used for international transport and is suitable for large volumes of goods.
4. What are the 7 Types of Cargo Ship?
The 7 Types of Cargo Ships are Container Ships, bulk cargo, Tanker Ships, General Cargo Ships: Reefer Ships, Ro-Ro Ships, and Livestock Carriers.
5. What is Freight Transportation?
Freight transportation is transporting large volumes of commodities through different means like land, air, water, and rail. It is vital to distribute goods across the international market with goods arriving at their intended destinations on time. There are many freight services because different products require different kinds of transportation and delivery.
