Transport solutions
Shipping by sea freight requires a certain amount of experience on the part of the freight forwarder. The right transport route, including pre- and post-carriage, must be selected for each product, and customs clearance must be completed as quickly as possible. ITG’s sea freight specialists solve these tasks every day for customers from a wide range of industries.
We work with carefully selected shipping companies and partner companies who, together with us, ensure optimal processing for shippers and recipients. This allows you to focus on your core business while we take care of sea transport.
Sea freight is still the cheapest method of shipping goods on intercontinental transport routes. However, it does involve a number of administrative and operational challenges.
For example, VGM (Verified Gross Mass) guidelines must be complied with, customs declarations must be completed and safety aspects must also be taken into account. Our sea freight experts keep an eye on all legal requirements.
Some areas of sea transport pose particular challenges for sea freight forwarders. These include not only perishable goods that have to be transported in sea containers with their own cooling systems, but also dangerous goods or particularly sensitive products such as semiconductors. Our experts have the necessary experience to handle even critical transport goods safely.
When it comes to textile imports, we have a particular focus on fashion and lifestyle. As specialists in fashion logistics, we have the necessary expertise and equipment to transport hanging textiles safely. We also take care of the customs formalities involved in textile imports, such as certificates of origin and import licences.
FCL stands for Full Container Load, meaning that the freight fills an entire sea container (or, for legal reasons, cannot be transported with other goods in a general cargo container). The shipper is responsible for correct packaging and load securing.
LCL shipments, on the other hand, are general cargo that is shipped in appropriate collection containers. Transport routes and times must be planned accurately to avoid unnecessary delays.
There are various container sizes in sea freight, with 20-foot and 40-foot containers being the most common. The goods themselves are often still packed in wooden crates or on pallets. However, it should be noted that many countries require proof that the wood used for packaging complies with the ISPM 15 standard for imports.
Refrigerated containers are available for perishable goods, and liquids can also be transported as sea freight in special tank containers. There are also open container variants that can be covered with a tarpaulin after loading if necessary.
Calculating sea freight costs is complex because prices vary not only depending on container size, cargo and destination port, but are also subject to fluctuations over time.
It should be noted that prices for sea freight containers have unfortunately been subject to significant fluctuations for years. This is not only due to volatile transport capacities on a route, but also to other factors. For example, the tense political situation in the Middle East has a price-driving effect on shipping routes between Europe and China.
The duration of a sea freight shipment depends not only on the distance to the destination port, but also on other factors such as environmental influences. As a rough guide, however, sea freight shipped from the east coast of the United States to Germany takes approximately four weeks.
Sea transport from China to Germany takes approximately 28 to 35 days. Here, we can offer a real alternative to sea freight with combined sea/air shipments. Ask our experts about it!
ITG Group
ITG Fashion & Life Style
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