How to Choose the Type of Cargo Delivery at Freight International Services

The success of international cargo transportation largely depends on how the cargo is transported.

The choice of the type of freight international services optimal for a specific case depends on the characteristics of various modes of transport.

Meest Company, an international freight forwarder, offers several types of cargo transportation: by sea, automobile, and air. Each type of delivery has its peculiarities from the point of view of logistics, advantages, and disadvantages, which determine the possibility of its choice.

Characteristics of Sea Transportation

Ocean freight shipping is characterized by the possibility of delivering goods to other continents and relatively inexpensive costs. It has a high transport and throughput capacity.

Disadvantages include:

• Prolonged delivery speed and territorial limitations.
• Significant dependence on geographical and climatic conditions.
• Strict requirements for cargo packaging and low periodicity of shipments.

Cargo Shipping by Road Transport

The possibility of door-to-door cargo delivery, high availability, excellent maneuverability, and flexibility characterizes international transportation by road transport. The increased security of the transported cargo illustrates this type of delivery. Compared to sea transportation, the requirements for cargo packaging are low.

The disadvantages are relatively high prices for transportation.

Characteristics of International Container Shipping by Air

Air transportation differs from other types of cargo transportation by the highest delivery speed, high reliability, and cargo safety. Disadvantages include high tariffs for transport. And also climatic and territorial dependence.

What Type of Cargo Delivery Is the Best?

Several main factors affect the choice of the type of delivery in the case of international cargo transportation:

• Delivery time.
• Frequency of shipment of cargo.
• Compliance with delivery terms.
• Possibility of transportation of various loads.
• Territorial independence.
• Cost of delivery.

When choosing a specific cargo’s delivery type, logisticians consider up to six factors simultaneously. So, if the client is most interested in speed, he will select air or auto transport. If the goal is minimal costs, the choice is limited to water transport. More advantages are associated with using road transport, which explains its lion’s share in transportation volume. However, the final choice of the type of cargo delivery is based on technical and economic calculations.

In addition to the factors mentioned earlier, there are a few more aspects to consider when choosing the type of cargo delivery for international transportation. One crucial factor is the nature of the cargo itself. Certain goods may require specialized handling or storage conditions, which can influence the choice of transportation mode.

For example, perishable items or highly fragile goods may necessitate the use of air transportation to ensure their timely delivery and protection.

Moreover, the destination of the cargo plays a significant role. If the shipment needs to reach a landlocked country or a remote area with limited access, a combination of different modes of transport, such as sea and road or air and road, may be the most suitable option. This multimodal approach allows for seamless movement of goods and efficient door-to-door delivery.

Many freight international services use one mode of transport. However, given the complex compromises between different types of cargo delivery, Meest offers mixed (multimodal) transportation. The company is doing its best to provide international transport with the lowest costs and to achieve uninterrupted traffic.