One of the common ways of shipping from China to USA is maritime transportation. It is relatively safe and can transport large quantities of goods. There are some options of maritime transportation to USA ,which is a more reliable mode of transportation. The disadvantage may be the longer shipping time to some extent.
LCL and FCL are 2 different types of maritime transportation to USA. LCL (Less Than Container Load) applies to goods that are full of standard containers. In this case, the cargo will share the space in the container. But FCL (Full Container Load) is more suitable for goods that can fill the entire container.
FCL
FCL, or Full Container Load, is when your cargo fills an entire 20-foot or 40-foot container. If you’re shipping in bulk, you can save time and money by shipping FCL. FCL pricing is flat whether your container is completely full or not.
LCL
LCL or less than container load means your cargo will not fill the entire container and will be shipped with other boxes or pallets. Please note that when you ship LCL, your cargo needs to be consolidated at the port of origin and unpacked at the port of destination.This is why LCL shipping takes a few more days than FCL.
Most common maritime transportation to USA routes are:
● Hong Kong to Long Beach, California (US)
● Qingdao to Long Beach, California (USA)
● Shanghai to Guam to Honolulu to Long Beach, CA (USA)
● Shanghai to Okohama to Savannah, Georgia, USA via the Panama Canal
● From Shanghai to Okobin to New York City (USA) via the Panama Canal
● From Shanghai to Okobin to Boston, Massachusetts (USA) via the Panama Canal
Time of maritime transportation to USA
Generally speaking, the shipping time is relatively slow, and it is more suitable for goods that do not require high timeliness, or bulky goods. How long does it take to sea freight from China to USA And what’s the price? Although it will be slower in terms of transportation time, the sea freight price is very cost-effective, if it is not urgent goods,
Fast shipping to the United States can normally arrive in about 15-24 days, while ordinary ships may take about 20-40 days.Shipping large items by sea is very cost-effective.
Cost of maritime transportation to USA
Shipping costs determine the cost of transporting goods from one point to another. Rates depend on the type of cargo being transported, the mode of transport, the dimensional weight of the cargo and the distance to the delivery destination.
Other factors that affect shipping rates include seasonality, current events and capacity.
Once the cargo weighs more than around 500kg,maritime transportation to USA becomes the cheapest option. Ocean freight offers huge economies of scale (some ships can carry 20,000 20-foot containers).
Some freight forwarders offer premium service, often called expedited freight, which is a bit more expensive than regular ocean freight. As with air freight, ocean freight rates vary widely between freight forwarders, and over time, again – shop around.
Do you need to find a maritime transportation to USA freight forwarder?
Much needed, because forwarding can bring you these benefits:
Using a freight forwarder will guide you around pitfalls, taking over organization and troubleshooting if necessary. But before a freight forwarder is introduced, a step is usually taken. Before entering into an agreement with your supplier, make sure you understand how to choose Incoterms.
Importers often sign Incoterms without understanding the risk they are taking. Sometimes they get away with it, but the cargo can easily turn into a nightmare.
What kind of maritime transportation to USA freight forwarder are you looking for?
Company years
Check whether the freight forwarding company has a business license and the number of years the company has been established (longer establishment time means stronger anti-risk ability). The purpose of this is to screen out some listed small workshops. Not suitable for long-term cooperation;
Service attitude
Look at the service attitude and ability of the salesperson of the freight forwarding company. Communicate more with the maritime transportation to USA freight forwarder, on the one hand, inspect the salesperson’s ability, and on the other hand, see how the salesperson treats people and things. The salesman does not exaggerate, treats people honestly, and is worth making friends, which basically means long-term cooperation;
Compare prices
Compare prices and shop around. If it is too expensive, it may be because the price is not good, or it is not an advantageous route. Too cheap may be because bad freight forwarders deliberately lower prices in order to grab orders, or use other unstable channels. Choosing freight forwarders is not as cheap as possible, but mainly depends on service and time.
