What are the absolutely differences bettwen China Air Freight Forwarder and Sea Freight?How to Choose?-Xiongda16

Table of Contents

International logistics is a very important transportation link in international trade,and there are two common ways of air transportation and sea transportation.In simple terms,air transport is the abbreviation of air transport,which refers to aircraft transport,and sea transport refers to water transport.What is the difference between air and sea freight?What should I pay attention to when choosing air freight or sea freight?

1.The difference between China Air Freight Forwarder and Sea Freight.

Means of transport

Air transport uses the airline’s aviation aircraft as the means of transport,and the mode of operation is from airport to airport;while sea transport uses the ships of the shipping company as the means of transport,and the mode of operation is port to port.

Sea Freight

Transportation subject

The main body of air transportation is major airlines and logistics companies,such as Air Canada,American Airlines,British Airways,etc.,and the goods are transported to the designated destination through these international airlines;Large shipping companies,such as Maersk,Evergreen,etc.,deliver goods to designated destinations through these shipping companies.

Logistics time

Due to the difference in the means of transportation between the two,the logistics time for them arriving in the same country is very different.Among them,international air transport uses aircraft,and the time is fast,while international shipping uses ships,and the time is slow.

Air freight

Logistics costs

Although air transportation has fast logistics time,the transportation cost is high,so the cost is relatively expensive;while international shipping has low transportation costs,so the tariff is relatively low.

Inspection method

When the goods are transported by air,the principle of”inspect first and then enter the warehouse”is implemented,and the speed is fast;sometimes it takes time and costs to pick up and unpack the box,which will result in inspection fees,and there may also be loading and unloading fees.Trailer fee etc.

Customs clearance method

There is not much difference in the customs clearance process between the two,but there is a big difference in the time.International air freight clearance is usually done within 1-2 days,while international sea freight takes about 3-4 days,and it may take longer.In addition,in terms of miscellaneous fees,declaration documents,etc.,international air freight is less than sea freight.For example,when exporting to the United States,sea freight needs to declare AMS(American Anti-Terrorism Manifest System),but air freight does not.

2.What should we pay attention to when choosing  Air Freight ?

(1)Small parcels and document luggage are suitable for air transportation by international express,which can be delivered in a short time to meet urgent transportation needs.(2)Before transporting goods by air,be sure to clarify information such as the variety,weight,size,category,etc.of the goods,reserve the storage space in advance,and master the information such as flight departure time.

(2)The packtime of different goods by air is also different.When choosing air transportation,it is necessary to pack well according to the regulations of the airline.For example,fruit generally uses cardboard boxes,seafood should use aviation professional aviation boxes,and general clothes should use woven bags or cardboard boxes.

(3)The consignee or consignor will receive the relevant information of the goods and the number of the freight forwarder half an hour before the plane takes off,and must keep this information properly.

(4)For safety reasons,single overweight and oversized items cannot fly.Like many liquids,flammable and explosive items cannot travel.

(5)The goods can be picked up two and a half hours after their arrival of the goods.

Air Freight

3.What should we pay attention to when choosing?

 

(1)Do not sign a large contract with a small shipping company,and do not entrust an unfamiliar freight forwarder;

(2)The transportation price should be confirmed in writing as much as possible;

(3)The bill of lading information should be carefully checked and must correspond to the contract information.If there is an error,it should be corrected in time.

(4)Be careful not to be dumped because of not paying attention to the track.

(5)Renting the whole ship requires the participation of professional personnel.Don’t think that your qualifications are enough to deal with the complicated contract.

(6)The whole package cooperation must be implemented in words,and insist on not paying other fees when paying.

(7)Choosing a good freight forwarder is more valuable than choosing a good shipping company.

(8)Only customers with a good reputation can obtain the telex bill of lading provided by the shipping company,but it is impossible for unfamiliar customers.

(9)Backdated bill of lading refers to the bill of lading issued by the carrier at the request of the shipper after the goods are loaded on board,and the date of issuance of the bill of lading is earlier. than the actual date of completion of the loading.This is a commercial document fraud and should be avoided.

(10)Purchase necessary insurance in time,and supplement the insurance according to the actual situation of the goods.

(11)When the goods use wooden pallets,you should pay attention to whether the customs of the other party have fumigation requirements.

(12)Small shipping companies are cheap,but there is a risk of disappearing.

Sea Freight

 

3.What should we pay attention to when choosing China Sea Freight forwarder or China Air Freight forwarder?

1.In terms of price

International shipping:The shipping cost of shipping is about 1/25 to 1/20 of railway transportation and 1/100 of road transportation.
International Air Freight:Usually the weight is 45KG,if the weight is less than 45KG,it will be calculated as 45KG.For goods less than 45KG,some airlines will have N price,that is,they do not need to bill according to 45KG,but can be charged according to the actual kilogram.

2.Customs clearance way

The customs declaration lead time,the same sea freight takes longer than air freight.It takes 2~4 days for international shipping,such as opening on Friday and customs clearance on Wednesday.It only takes 0.5 to 3 days for international air freight,such as customs clearance for flights on Fridays and Thursdays.

3.Is it possible to enter the warehouse in batches?

International shipping can be put into the warehouse in batches,while international air freight generally cannot be put into the warehouse in batches,such as the Capital Airport.

4.Commercial inspection

International shipping sometimes has to pick up/unpack boxes,which is time-consuming and costly;there are inspection fees,and there may be loading and unloading fees,trailer fees,etc.
When inspecting international air shipments,the principle of”inspection before warehousing”is implemented.The speed is fast,and there is generally no inspection fee.

5.Customs inspection

International shipping needs to pick up/cut out the container,which consumes time and costs a lot.It will produce inspection fee,handling fee,towing fee and so on.
International air freight no picking/taking out,fast;There is generally no inspection fee.

6.Transport documents

Ocean bill of lading:the information must be checked with the customer whether the original or telex release.
Air waybill:requirements are not as strict as ocean bills of lading,but it is better to confirm with the customer.
In the form of”letter of credit”transaction,special attention should be paid to the check of bill of lading.
At last,If you had other questions in mind,please contact us!s,and I will endeavor to respond.

At last, If you had other questions in mind, please contact us!s, and I will endeavor to respond.

Ask Best Shipping Rate
shipping pallets
Shpping Guide
Mark

How to Pack Shipping Pallets | Best Guide from Xiongda

What is “shipping pallets “? Shipping pallets in international logistics refers to a certain number of scattered goods into a pallet (Pallet) for the purpose of facilitating loading and unloading, reducing cargo loss and discrepancy, improving the efficiency of loading, and reducing the cost of logistics – i.e., the process of changing from bulk goods

Read More »
Amazon product research
Shpping Guide
Mark

5 Best Guides to Do Amazon Product Research from Xiongda

How to do Amazon product research before importing from China? We can start from the following five dimensions. Heliun 10 is an Amazon product research tool that is recommended to use it. Doing Amazon product research Understand product categorization Understanding the product categorization, that is, understanding the product parameters, performance, and finding the target products

Read More »
Eliminate Amazon packaging
Industry News
Mark

News:Eliminate Amazon Packaging to Protect Environment

In a September 15 update, Amazon’s US site suddenly made an announcement about eliminate Amazon packaging. Due to the Amazon Accelerate conference launched including reducing packaging waste and environmentally friendly initiatives, it is expected that by 2024 (that is, next year) to all FBA sellers to reduce packaging waste by eliminating Amazon packaging, which is

Read More »

Know More About Xiongda

Ocean freight forwarding company from China to USA

Freight Logistics China Shipping Agent-Xiongda

Xiongda is a professional shipping agent in China since 2006, and with the 16 years of development, Xiongda now has 6 branches in China.

As an entrepreneur in China, Xiognda provides hundreds of jobs to let more people have work. And also Xiognda will take some charity events to give back to the society.

Door to door shipping freight

Shipping Logistics China To USA-Industry News

Xiongda has been staying focus on shipping from China to USA about 16 years. We will share the latest news in the shipping industry.

The latest industry news cover air and sea freight from China to USA, and FBA freight to USA. We can also provide the one stop shipping solutions, contact us if you need.

Shipping process from China to USA

China Freight Forwarder- Latest Post About Shipping

Shipping from China is easy with freight logistics China Xiognda, because we have been doing our work for about 16 years! We will share anything about shipping from China to USA.

We have rich experience in air and sea shipping, as well as the FBA freight to USA. Feel free to contact us if you need a shipping solution.

Scroll to Top
Xiongda always care about your products, and will provide full services in the freight progress.