Air & ocean shipping for imports

Your company can now import goods from any country through B2B Freight, the easy-to-use online platform where you can receive instant quotes for most of your freight and logistics needs.

If you want to import goods or commodities efficiently, effectively and economically, B2B Freight is your solution.

What are your options for importing freight?

When shipping goods abroad, you have many airports and seaports to choose from. However, before deciding whether to use ocean or air freight services to transport your goods, it makes sense to consider the positives and negatives of the different options. We will describe some of those pros and cons on this page.

Sea Freight

Less than Container Load (LCL):There is no need to ship an entire container if you don't have enough goods to fill it with. With LCL shipping, your shipment can share a container with other goods and you will only pay for the space you use. It is ideal for smaller loads that cannot be shipped as air freight.

Full Container Load (FCL): Exporters with large loads or who do not want their cargo to share a container can choose FCL. This option gives you the exclusive right to use a container, which you can partially or fully fill with your cargo. FCL is generally faster than LCL shipping and typically more economical for large shipments.

Air Freight

For speed of delivery, nothing beats air freight. While the duration of sea transport is measured in weeks, air freight can be completed in a matter of days. That said, it is by far the most expensive way to ship cargo.

How much does it cost to import cargo?

The price of all shipments to import goods will depend on the following factors:

• The nature of the goods being shipped;
• The shipping method chosen;
• The size, weight and volume of the freight;
• The distance the goods need to be transported;
• The choice of door-to-port, port-to-door, port-to-port or door-to-door delivery.

Weight doesn't just affect the shipping fees you'll pay for your shipment; but also, it may affect your choice of air or sea shipping. This is because goods weighing over 100 kg (220 lbs) are usually shipped more economically, such as ocean freight.

There is rarely much difference; however, between the air and sea freight quotes for goods weighing less than 100 kg (220 lbs), which means that in such cases shipping by air ends up being preferable.

Customs Clearance

Many countries have complex customs clearance rules and regulations. Many exporters decide to hire the services of an agent to handle the process. It is a good way to avoid unnecessary delays in shipments and ensure compliance with relevant legislation.

Agents still need exporters to present certain documentation with their loads. Below, we list the documents that customs officials, and those based in their port of origin, will normally request:

• Commercial Invoice;
• Packing List;
• Certificate of Origin;
• Letter of Credit or other Payment Terms (depends on the contract between the parties involved);
• A Bill of Lading for Ocean Freight or Airway Bill for air freight (B2B Freight will provide this for you).

You may need to provide additional documents. with your shipment; perhaps a permit, license or certificate. A lot depends on the nature of the goods you are shipping.