SHIPPING BY AIR: UNDERSTANDING AIR CARGO TRANSIT TIMES Airfreight is one of the fastest modes of transportation for shipping goods. It is selected when deadlines are near or other urgent timelines need to be met. In most cases, shipping by air will get your goods to the final destination the next day or within a few days. However, there are circumstances that can drastically extend the transit times of airfreight shipments. It is important to be aware of them to be sure it is the best solution for your import/export needs. We need to first address that airfreight does not translate to “overnight” or “expedited” freight. This is a common misconception associated with air cargo. Although air freight is typically faster than its shipping by ocean or ground, it is also exposed to certain limitations. Such restrictions can affect transit times. Below we examine some specifics of air freight that are important to be aware of for your shipment.
SCHEDULING: Depending on your carrier and your final destination, flights may be more or less frequent. High volume airports in major cities such as New York, NY (JFK) or Shanghai, China (PVG) will have flights to and from daily. They will usually have multiple flights throughout each day. In the case of shipping to and from high volume cities, cargo can arrive just about any time of the day and make a same-day flight. However, in cities that have a lower volume of travel scheduling becomes far less frequent. In some cases, such airports will only have one to two flights a week! Missing a cut off for a scheduled flight would make you miss a day, but several days or even a week. Further to this, fewer flights can create backlogs. So even when cargo lands, there may be cargo ahead of it that has precedence. In short: Be aware that not all flight schedules are daily. Some can be weekly or on specific days. Plan accordingly and ask your freight forwarder questions to fully understand the scheduling of your air cargo. ROUTING: If you are shipping by air from one major city to another, chances are you will have a non-stop or direct flight. However, when shipping to smaller remote cities that have less flights cargo usually needs to connect/transship at a major hub before continuing to its final destination. A few issues can occur when these connections are made. The connecting airport may not have as frequent of a flight schedule. This means your cargo could sit for a few days or more while waiting for the connecting flight. Smaller airports also can become overbooked more easily. When new cargo arrives there may be other cargo present that will have priority. These issues can easily add days to weeks to an air shipment. The takeaway: Be aware that not all air cargo is a direct/non-stop flight. Many need to connect at another airport and transfer to another aircraft. This can make your air cargo/shipment dependent upon different flight schedules ultimately adding time to transit. CARRIER RESTRICTIONS: Proper packing and preparation of your air shipment can affect the ETA of your cargo. Major airports will usually have a higher variety of aircraft that service the area. However, smaller and less frequently traveled airports may not have larger aircraft available. If a shipment requires a particular aircraft but needs to travel to a more remote location the shipment may need to be broken down in order to safely board a connecting aircraft. Certain airports may not allow specific types of planes. Cargo may need to board a specific model aircraft to get to a connecting airport. If such aircraft is not common, cargo will sit until one becomes available adding time to transit. Such situations are rare but it is a good practice to be very specific about your cargo details to avoid unnecessary delays. Final Notes: Not all air cargo requirements are equal and may need specific aircraft depending on the destination. Be very accurate when informing your freight forwarder of all your cargo details. Be fully aware of your cargo and flight details. This will ultimately help access accurate transit times and ETAs when shipping by air. Never assume that air cargo will always be a next day transit. Ask a logistics expert at Vital Worldwide Logistics for all your air freight-related concerns and needs today! More details: Air Freight Forwarder Edison NJ Source
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There’s a lot to be said about global shipping. It’s how we as consumers acquire so many things in such a short amount of time. Have you ever wondered about the many tasks you have to do before you can ship? How do you go about shipping something small versus a large shipment of cargo? PREPARING YOUR SHIPMENT
Finding the right freight forwarding company is not always easy. There are many moving parts that are vital to the entire process of global shipping. Considering all of the aspects that there are to global shipping, it’s very important to prepare yourself. Whether that means to pack your own cargo or to use one of the freight forwarders services is up to you. WHAT TO SHIP AND WHEN There are several different ways to ship your freight. Knowing your cargo and the mode of transportation to send it in can be very important for efficiency reasons. Classifying the weight and dimensions of your cargo so you know which method to send it in may also help you determine when to ship it as well. COMPANY REFERENCES You should reach out and find good references from companies that have ties with the country you plan on shipping to. Researching different companies will help you find what you are looking for in a company. HAVING THE CORRECT PAPERWORK There is a mountain of paperwork behind every shipment. That’s why it’s extremely important to keep your paperwork up to date and accurate. The slightest error can cause a domino effect. GET MULTIPLE QUOTES It’s always recommended that you get quotes for the services that you need. Prices and services vary from company to company. You will never know which shipping company is the best fit for you if you don’t expand your research. Many freight forwarding companies offer free quotes and will give you a detailed estimate of the costs for shipping containers. ASK QUESTIONS Knowledge is power. Sometimes companies don’t give you a clear description of what they offer and sometimes it’s difficult to explain what services you may need. Asking questions plays an important part in deciding which company to choose and how to ship. What other companies have they worked with? How much experience do they have with the freight I’m shipping? WHAT SERVICES DO THEY OFFER Each of these companies offers an array of services to fit the shipper’s needs. You should understand and evaluate what services they offer and which ones you will be needing. Some offer specific services that others do not. You wouldn’t choose a company that doesn’t fit your needs. DUTIES AND TARIFFS Germany has recently required paperwork to [rove that the items you ship there are recyclable. This is just one example of several that every country has a different set of duty fees and regulations. Make sure you find out what the duty fees are for the goods you’re going to ship. Also, look into the items that are prohibited from shipping to the country you’re shipping to. Otherwise, you could be looking at a lot of hassles in your future. MISREPRESENTATION AND UNDER-DECLARING YOUR ITEMS VALUE The more the shipper (you) packs the items by themselves, the higher the chance there is of customs inspection and extra charges associated with the inspection. This would cause your shipment to come to a dead halt. Once your items are in the customs department of that country, it’s out of the freight forwarders’ hands. Customs will release the goods when they decide to, and that’s if they decide to release them in the first place. COVER ALL YOUR BASES Make sure you read the entire quote that you’ve been provided with. Always ask if your goods are covered by insurance and how much it will cost you. You never know what can happen during a shipment. Delays can happen from things like bad weather and even customs can have a hand in the situation. Regardless of the situation, it’s important to keep your goods covered to ensure their safety during transit. Otherwise, you could end up losing your money and your goods. SHIPPING BULK ITEMS Say you have a large shipment of fragile items that you need delivering right away. It’s safe to say that your easiest bet would be a type of bulk cargo service. Crating your items provides the highest level of protection from these items being damaged during transit. It’s important to check the cost of the packing fees that the company you choose offers so you can ensure your shipment is safe and secure. CUSTOMS INSPECTIONS AND QUARANTINE In the event that customs decide to inspect your items, there will be additional fees. They may end up even confiscating your items and then subject them to quarantine. This can happen for a number of reasons. Most commonly from goods that pose a possible health violation such as certain foods and supplements. This could mean you paying a much larger amount in the future. CHOOSING BEST MODE OF TRANSPORT FOR GOODS Certain requirements need to be met when shipping perishable items. This includes choosing the proper shipping method. You would be more suited to choosing an air carrier due to the time-sensitivity of the cargo. This is just one example of many as to why it’s important to understand the needs of your shipments. You could end up spending more money when you use the wrong method of shipment. DIFFERENT CUSTOM REQUIREMENTS Brush up on the standard customs requirements and prohibited items before you decide to ship anywhere. This is important because your goods may be intercepted and confiscated. You may even be breaking that country’s laws. There are hundreds of different requirements for certain items in each country. BEWARE OF HIDDEN FEES If you haven’t fully researched the freight forwarding company that you’ve decided to use then you could end up paying hidden fees. They may be charging you for packaging and warehousing fees. Make sure that you read the quote that they give you and ask any questions you may have about the process of the shipment. Plenty of work goes into shipping your goods. That’s why it’s important to plan these things out. It’s smart to ensure the safety of your items. It’s equally as important to check the quality standards of the company you choose. You need to know if they’re careful with your goods as well as having the capability to deliver the shipment on time. More details about Freight Shipping Experts in Edison NJ. Source |
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