Which Types of Goods Are Not Suitable for Sea Freight?

Sea freight has become the mainstream mode of transportation due to its low cost and large volume. However, not all goods are suitable for cross-border delivery by sea freight. If the wrong mode of transportation is chosen, it may lead to damage to goods, delivery delays and even legal risks.

This article will start from the professional perspective of international logistics service providers, combined with core topics such as Sea Freight Shipping, to deeply analyze which goods should be carefully selected for sea freight, and provide alternatives to help companies optimize supply chain decisions.

Advantages and disadvantages of sea freight logistics

Advantages

Low cost: suitable for bulk cargo transportation (such as furniture, industrial raw materials).

Wide coverage: supports China to major ports around the world (such as Sea Freight from China to USA).

Environmental protection: unit carbon emissions are lower than air transport.

Disadvantages

Slow time: It takes 25-40 days from China to the United States, and it may take longer if there is port congestion.

Uncontrollable environment: cabin temperature and humidity fluctuate, and the risk of turbulence is high.

Multiple loading and unloading: Increase the probability of cargo damage.

What types of cargo are not suitable for sea transportation?

Urgent cargo

The time cost far exceeds the transportation cost. For example, seasonal promotional products (such as Christmas gifts and Black Friday inventory) miss the sales window due to sea transportation delays; or the raw materials urgently needed for factory production are delayed due to customs clearance.

Alternative: Air transportation may be a better choice. Although air transportation is more expensive, it is extremely fast and can deliver goods to the destination in a short time. Air freight or China-Europe train (Rail Freight) is preferred. Through Chinadivision's intelligent logistics system, real-time monitoring of ship schedule dynamics, 15 days in advance planning and stocking, and buffer time are reserved.

Perishable fresh goods

Seafood, flowers, fruits and vegetables and other goods are damaged due to failure of container temperature control or extended voyage; cold chain drugs such as vaccines and biological agents lose their efficacy due to transportation interruptions. However, the shipping cycle of sea freight is long, and it may face problems such as temperature changes and poor ventilation during transportation, which is fatal to fresh goods.

Alternative: Refrigerated container transportation is a good choice, but the premise is to shorten the transportation time as much as possible. If the destination is far away, it is recommended to use air transportation + refrigerated delivery. Use refrigerated air freight or express sea freight. For medium and short-distance transportation (such as Southeast Asia), refrigerated container sea freight can be used, but the shelf life needs to be strictly calculated. The cargo damage rate of cold chain air freight is 90% lower than that of ordinary sea freight, which is suitable for high value-added fresh products.

High-value and small-volume goods

Gold, diamonds, chips and other high-value goods have a surge in transportation costs due to the high marine insurance rate of 3%-5% of the value of the goods; sample orders and small batches of trial production goods are forced to pay high LCL fees due to the sea freight volume requirements (usually 1CBM). Customers are not only worried about the loss or damage of goods during transportation, but also worried that the long transportation time will affect market opportunities. Although sea transportation has low costs, it has relatively high risks and long transportation time, which obviously does not meet the transportation needs of such goods.

Alternatives: For such high-value goods, air transportation is the first choice. Air transportation is not only fast, but also highly safe, and can effectively reduce the risk of loss or damage of goods. In addition, Chinadivision can also provide insurance services to customers to ensure that the value of the goods is protected during transportation. At the same time, we will track the status of the goods throughout the transportation process and provide timely feedback to customers to reassure them.

Dangerous chemicals such as flammable and explosive

Sea transportation has strict qualification requirements for dangerous goods (such as lithium batteries and chemicals). Non-compliant declaration will result in cargo detention or fines. These goods may cause serious accidents such as fire and explosion during transportation, which will not only endanger the safety of crew and cargo, but also cause serious pollution to the marine environment. Concealing dangerous goods will lead to container detention, high fines and even criminal liability.

Alternatives: Choose a logistics provider with dangerous goods transportation qualifications (such as Chinadivision's dedicated line) and transport them by sea freight (LCL) or air freight dedicated line.

Precision instruments and equipment

Semiconductor equipment and medical imaging equipment have lost calibration due to sea turbulence, and the cost of repair exceeds the value of the goods; oversized goods (such as wind turbine blades) cannot be shipped normally due to port loading and unloading restrictions. They usually need to be shockproof, moisture-proof, and dust-proof, and cannot be squeezed or collided during transportation. The transportation environment of sea transportation is relatively complex, and ships may encounter bumps, shaking, etc. during navigation, which may cause damage to precision instruments and equipment.

Alternative solution: It is recommended to adopt customized packaging solutions to ensure that the goods are fully protected during transportation. For example, use materials such as shock-proof foam and moisture-proof film to package the goods and fix them in the container. In addition, Chinadivision can also choose air or rail transportation, which are relatively stable and can better protect precision instruments and equipment. At the same time, we will arrange a professional logistics team to track the status of the goods throughout the process to ensure that the goods arrive safely at the destination.

How to choose the right logistics method?

Cargo characteristics

Different goods have different transportation requirements. In addition to the above-mentioned types of goods that are not suitable for sea transportation, there are also some special goods that need special attention. For example, oversized and overweight goods may need to be transported by special ships, while some goods with extremely high requirements for temperature and humidity require special container equipment.

Balance between cost and time

Logistics cost and transportation time are two important factors to consider when choosing a mode of transportation. Although sea transportation has low costs, it takes a long time to transport; although air transportation is fast, it costs a lot. As an international logistics service provider, we will provide customers with the most optimized logistics solutions based on their budgets and time requirements. For example, for some goods that do not require high time, sea transportation can be chosen; while for some urgent goods, air transportation or a combination of air and sea transportation can be chosen.

Logistics infrastructure at the destination

The logistics infrastructure at the destination will also affect the choice of transportation mode. If the port facilities at the destination are complete, sea transportation is a good choice; but if the airport facilities at the destination are more developed, air transportation may be more suitable. We will recommend the most suitable mode of transportation for customers based on the specific conditions of the destination.

Hot topics about sea cargo freight

From China to the United States, how to choose between sea and air transportation?

Ocean freight (1,500-3,000/CBM) is suitable for goods over 200kg; air freight (5-8/kg) is suitable for time-sensitive small-volume goods. West Coast Express (12-15 days) vs. Air Freight (3-5 days).

Which is more cost-effective, LCL or FCL?

The advantage of LCL is that its starting volume is low (starting from 1CBM), which is suitable for mixed loading of multiple SKUs; while the advantage of FCL is that it can avoid delays in LCL unpacking, which is suitable for large quantities of single SKU goods.

How to reduce the risk of customs clearance by sea?

Prepare FDA, EPA and other certification documents in advance, use HS CODE smart matching tools, and choose AEO advanced certified logistics providers (such as Chinadivision).

Why choose Chinadivision?

Full-link solution

Covering multimodal transport such as sea, air, rail, and truck;

Providing value-added services such as US FBA head leg and European overseas warehouse drop shipping.

Intelligent risk control system

Real-time monitoring of global port congestion index, dynamic adjustment of transportation plan;

100% of goods are insured, and the loss compensation rate is less than 0.03%.

Localized service network

7×24 hours Chinese and English bilingual customer service, 15 minutes to respond to needs.

Whether it is emergency replenishment, cold chain transportation or dangerous goods compliance, Chinadivision's expert team can provide customized solutions. Click to consult and get free logistics quotes from China to the world, so that every shipment can reach its destination safely, efficiently and at low cost!