Sea freight rates can be high or low, so what factors affect sea freight rates? Here are 5 points to share with you, hoping to help you.
1. Type of sea freight service
Different types of sea freight services may have different impacts on sea freight rates, as each sea freight service charges different fees for different container types, distances between origin and destination, and freight classifications. In addition, the timing of your choice of shipping goods is also critical, as sea freight services are more expensive during peak seasons. Increased demand will prompt container shipping companies to increase prices. In addition, the type of shipping selected will also have different prices based on priority and urgency. For example, expedited freight methods can speed up transportation, but the price will be higher.
2. Cargo size and weight
Cargo size and weight will affect freight rates. The larger and heavier the cargo, the more space it will require during transportation. In addition, more manpower is required to transport the cargo, which will also affect your sea freight rates. In addition, full container load (FCL) and less than container load (LCL) are the two major factors that determine freight rates. If you have a large number of goods, choose to ship by full container load, but if the number of goods is small, you can choose to share a container with others to save some money.
3. Freight Classification
Freight classification will also affect your sea freight. It consists of two parts, high-level and low-level freight categories. Different categories have different rates. For example, durable and low-value goods that do not require much attention, such as boxes of grain, have lower rates. Goods in the high-level freight category are more fragile and easily damaged, and require more care, and their rates are relatively high.
4. Origin and Destination
The farther the distance between your pickup location and the final destination, the higher the sea freight rate. Differences in loading and unloading conditions, port tariff levels, and transportation time will affect freight rates. If the distance between the origin and destination is shorter, the rate will be lower because the transportation time is shorter.
5. Surcharges
Surcharges on handling fees, service fees, delivery and pickup conditions will affect sea freight rates. Other surcharges that affect freight rates include fuel surcharges, oversized cargo surcharges, weekend surcharges, etc. So, be aware of these surcharges when you consider shipping your goods.
