If you’re shipping products that need to maintain a specific temperature, in addition to protections such as the use of passive pallets, you must consider what type of shipping transportation works best for you. Transporting cargo by marine vessels is one of the oldest methods in human history, and it’s still in heavy use today. Here are the two primary advantages and disadvantages of considering this shipping method when combined with passive pallet protection for your products.
The Pros Are:
It’s The Cheapest
Shipping by sea vessel is still the most cost-effective way to get goods from point A to point B for global shipping distances. We’ve had aircraft for over a century, but on average, the shipping cost of air freight versus sea freight is usually 4-6 times greater. So, for people who prioritize better economic performance, choosing sea freight is often going to make the most financial sense.
It Can Handle Huge Volumes
In tandem with the cost-effective advantage comes the ability to ship very large amounts of freight. Today’s “super freighters” are capable of carrying over 20,000 20-foot cargo containers, which means that even the largest shipments, with proper scheduling, can be loaded onto the same vessel and sent to their destination. Aircraft are extremely limited in just how much freight can be loaded and come nowhere near the total capacity of today’s largest cargo container ships.
The Cons Are:
They Are Slower
This may be an issue for people shipping time-sensitive cargo, especially if they require temperature maintenance and businesses are not using passive pallet protection or any other kind of active temperature maintenance, such as a reefer unit, to provide refrigeration to the goods. While shipping by sea is the most cost-effective solution, it should not be considered if you need to ship things quickly. Sometimes delays may also occur due to unforeseen events, such as when one cargo container ship blocked the Suez Canal, thus delaying every single ship behind it.
They Are Less Flexible
Because freight-carrying vessels vary in size, there may be limitations on which ports they can use. A smaller vessel has the flexibility to use just about any port available, but there are some strict limits on which ports have the infrastructure to manage the largest cargo container ships. Aircraft do not have this limitation as they can use any freight airport in the world.
If you’re shipping temperature-sensitive products and want better coverage, such as passive pallet protection, we can help. Contact us to explain your shipping needs and obtain a quote.
