Businesses around the globe use freight shipping for moving goods and products from one place to another. It’s an important part of their daily operations.
Freight shipping involves moving large amounts of goods by sea, air, or land. It is an important aspect for businesses that need international and local shipping.
There are three primary ways of Canadian freight shipping, air freight, truck freight, and ocean freight. The costs and lead times vary depending on the freight shipping. Among the three options, air freight is the fastest. Trucks, on the other hand, offer a good balance between speed and affordability.
What Is Freight Shipping?
Freight shipping involves the movement of huge volumes of commercial goods using sea, air, or land transportation. These operations span the globe, utilizing seaports, airports, and truck depots as hubs for transferring merchandise.
Freight shipments refer to goods exceeding 150 pounds weight or 30 x 30 x 30” dimensions. These items are packed in large shipping containers and dispatched through express parcel couriers such as USPS.
It’s worth noting that freight shipments are not sent directly to end customers, instead, they are delivered to a designated warehouse. Once these goods are stored in the warehouse, individual orders are then dispatched for delivery to the ultimate recipients.
For high-volume merchants, a common strategy is to collaborate with third-party logistics providers (3PLs). This partnership grants access to warehouse storage space and ensures packages are delivered to customers on time.
Types Of Freight Shipping
Freight shipping is primarily of three types, and it includes the following:
- Air Freight
Cargo is loaded on palettes and transported by air. These operations are overseen by a single company, such as the freight divisions of express courier services like FedEx or UPS. It is a preferred choice for merchants seeking swift delivery within a week or less.
- Truck Freight
For this approach, palettes are loaded onto light trucks or semi-trailers, making their way to the designated warehouse. Truck freight is best for shipping large to medium shipments that need to reach their destination in less time. It is more cost-effective than air freight.
- Sea Freight
Cargo gets packed into a shipping container at the nearest seaport, and transported by an ocean carrier. This method is ideal for shipping bulky or large volumes of items. For this, you need to collaborate with a freight forwarder and shipping company to handle logistics, including customs clearance, transport, and more.
Freight shipping is extremely crucial for businesses because it helps them move large volumes of goods for trade or delivery purposes. They use various freight methods for reaching the goods to their destination.