Daniel Thompson
January 5, 2023
The last few years have been fraught with challenges for individuals and businesses alike all across the world, and many of these issues don’t look likely to go anywhere or improve much in the near future.
The rising cost of living and fuel prices, a shortage of employees in key roles and struggles to recover and readjust following the pandemic are just a few examples of what industries are facing today.
Here we will take a look at how these and other factors are affecting the freight industry, and how you can still find the cheapest and best ways to transport your goods.
Why are freight charges so high?
The rates for shipping and transporting goods have reached record levels, costing more today than ever before in so many places. This has led many companies to struggle to afford to ship their freight, but it is an industry-wide problem that has many causes.
One big issue is the rise in fuel costs around the world. This has long been expected and arguably long in coming, and is unlikely to dramatically drop any time soon. This issue affects many industries, and transportation is perhaps the hardest.
The freight industry was also one of the worst hit by the pandemic. There were endless disruptions caused by a lack of movement between different countries, flights and sailings were cancelled and delayed, and there are still container shortages as companies try and make this up.
Demands changed over the last few years, there is a shortage of drivers and means to transport goods, and recovery from the pandemic has been slow and piecemeal at best.
Between all of these factors and more, it is hardly surprising that freight charges are so high, but that doesn’t mean that you have to just accept the first price you are given from the first company you look at. There are still ways in which you can exert some control and try and reduce your freight costs overall.
One of the best ways to manage this is to shop around and check the best options available. You can get a free quote from an excellent and reputable company like Darwin Transport to see how easily and affordably your freight needs can be met.
What type of freight is the cheapest?
The best, and ideally the cheapest, way of transporting goods will depend on where you are going from and to, the amount that you wish to send as well as a number of other criteria. Sending small but valuable items locally can easily be achieved through a courier service, while larger, heavier items, bulk goods and so much more may need to be shipped by sea or flown in by plane.
In general, sea freight is the cheapest type available for you to utilise for your business. You can transport huge amounts of products this way and all at comparatively little expense, but it does come with its own downsides.
The number one issue is how long it can take. Sea freight is the slowest choice for your items and can be subject to huge delays and other issues before it reaches its destination. It can be much less reliable than other freight options, but if slow and steady is alright with you, the benefit is that you can save as much as 50% or more compared with air and other types of freight.
Air freight is more expensive, but it is also super speedy and highly trustworthy as a way of getting your products where they need to go. Delays can cost you money in the long run, so you may decide that air freight is actually the better and less expensive option in both time and customer satisfaction.
The size of your item or goods is also a contributing factor to your choice of freight. Sea freight is ideal for larger products, with anything too small, under 100kg for example, not really worth the expense. Smaller items are better off being flown, especially if you want to receive them sooner rather than later, while bigger products almost exclusively have to be shipped by boat.
Air freight and couriers get exponentially more expensive as your packages grow in size and weight, while sea freight remains great value for pretty much any sized goods. If time is not a factor, make the right choice and choose sea freight as the cheapest option.
What is the easiest type of freight to get?
Depending on where you are and the kinds of goods you are looking to transport, you may be able to take your pick of sea, land, rail, and air freight. The last of these is arguably the quickest and easiest to get, but it is also often the most expensive and so best used with small and more valuable items.
Travelling by air is the quickest way to get from A to B, and freight can get halfway around the world in just a matter of a day or days, compared with sea freight which can take months. If you are looking to get your goods sooner rather than potentially much later, air freight is the way to go.
For many places that are less serviced by planes and ships, land freight can be the easiest option. The right company can cheaply and efficiently meet your transporting needs in areas like the Northern Territory and sort out deliveries from ship to lorry to the door.
The right kind of freight for you will vary based on your specific location and needs, so it is important to do your research and check out the options available. If you aren’t in a rush, you can save a massive amount of money using sea freight over air freight, and the easiest option may depend on what is available in your area.
Conclusion
The freight industry has been and still is struggling under less than optimal conditions that have contributed to sky-rocketing charges being passed on to businesses. Make sure that you are searching for the cheapest and best freight for your company, with the lowest prices, highest quality and the right methods to get your products where they need to go.
Sea freight is indeed the cheapest, but the ideal option for you may lie elsewhere, so get researching freight in your area today and see if you can save and get perfect service all in one place.
