A Beginners guide to Sea Freight

Whether your UK business is importing or exporting goods, it’s important to research the most cost-effective shipping methods. In most cases, sea freight will be far more affordable than air freight, however, time constraints can be a drawback and it’s also not the most cost-effective method of shipping smaller packages.

That said, here are the Independent Freight guidelines to sea freight shipping for your information.

Different Types of Sea Freight

You can choose a range of solutions when you send goods by sea. These include:

• Full container load shipments where all your goods are loaded into one container (these can be varying lengths).

• Shared container shipments, known as less than container load, which can be arranged by your freight forwarding company.

• Roll on and roll off shipments, which as the name suggests relate to lorry loads which can be driven onto the cargo ship and then driven off at the arrival port.

• Dry bulk shipping is reserved for dry materials, like aggregates and metals which can simply be poured into the hold of the cargo ship, then offloaded at arrival ports.

Benefits of Sea Freight

One of the main advantages of sea freight is that it’s so cost-efficient for transporting larger quantities and heavier loads over long distances. When you shop around you will find that sea freight can be up to six times cheaper than air freight. Many countries apply lower duties to goods arriving by sea, as these are often calculated as a percentage total cost of goods. In addition, from an environmental perspective sea freight is far less harmful to the planet.

If you would like to learn more about sea freight into or out of the UK, why not speak to the experts here at Independent Freight? We also offer a Customs Clearance Service and a Brokerage Service. Get in touch today to find out more!

Urgent shipments? we have the solution 

No matter what time of day, when you have urgent shipments to organise you can rely on Independent Freight to provide the best possible, hassle-free, and speedy service. We’re your “go-to” forwarding company, based in Nuneaton, in the very heart of the UK. Whether you’re overseas and need to arrange UK freight forwarding or you’re in the UK and desperately need to get your sea freight to its final destination, the experts here at Independent Freight will handle your logistics problem swiftly and without any fuss.

What We Do

Our logistics service includes:

• Customs clearance
• Speedy courier services
• Road freight throughout the UK and Europe
• Air freight
• Sea freight
• Warehouse and storage

Customs clearance for air cargo and sea freight is a breeze when you use Independent Freight

Many UK businesses are struggling with the sort of customs clearance issues they will face following any potential No Deal Brexit, but when you opt for our services you can rely on us to ensure your freight arrives at European destinations on time. We’re also happy to expedite your European freight into the UK, in the same effective manner, and can provide storage facilities if needed.

We also handle freight forwarding to any global destination, whether you need air or sea cargo, and are happy to deal with all associated customs clearance administration on your behalf.

Why Choose us for your Urgent Shipments?

We’re proud of our fantastic reputation as one of the best freight forwarders in the UK, and offer all customers the same courteous service. No matter whether you’re an e-commerce startup needing to send a couple of packages overseas each month or a larger organisation with more complex freight shipping requirements, the experts at Independent Freight can deliver on every logistics problem.

Get in touch today to find out more!