Shipping ocean freight will be handy from now because HART Worldwide Logistics Limited is here to help.

We can take the liabilities of shipping international sea freight from your supplier to you easily, without mistakes, and in the best way possible. For example, one of our shipping agents can bring the products from your supplier via truck, store them in a container, and ship them to the country of destination.

We provide the best sea freight forwarding services for our clients. You can get cheap, fast, and secure sea freight services if you allow us to ship your goods.

Our dedicated team is there to clear your customs for you in the most efficient way possible. You can also clear the customs by yourself and take your shipments from the port, let us handle the freight forwarding.

HART has great experience in sea freight logistics. Our market team always keeps the knowledge of the ups and downs of the market, as it changes continuously. We have good market insights ready for you.

There are different sealines that have contracted shipping rates and signed agreements with HART. Some of them are Maersk, COSCO, ZIM, Evergreen, TIM, etc. We ensure space availability and competitive shipping rates.

HART has two major advantages for you, systematization, and standardization. Our processing system does not include an individual, we have a whole team for that. They always keep a track of your shipments all the time so that you can enjoy better services.

If you are having trouble while shipping via sea freight, you can always come to us for the solutions.

We will gladly help you.

Our Other Services Besides Sea Shipping

why

Air Freight

We ship your cargo via air freight internationally, with full customs clearance. Your goods will be in your hand in time, and at the exact destination.

why

Rail Freight

We can freight forward your shipment by rail freight to those countries that are connected with rails. If you want, we can do it for you.

why

Door to Door Shipping

We also provide door to door shipping services to you. Just send us the destination, and we can take care of the rest.

why

Express Services

You can have a lovely discount if you choose express shipping by us. We will ship your goods via international express like DHL, FedEx, TNT, China Post, etc.

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Customs Clearance

Our professional team is always researching the ways to customs policies all the time. They are also having contact with local brokers, so rest assured of customs clearance.

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Warehousing

HART Logistics can provide you with short-term or long-term warehousing services. So if you need to warehouse your shipments, you can always come to us.

why

Pickup & Delivery

You can give us the address and we can go door-to-door shipping for you. We use trucks to do the pickup and delivery for your destination from the port.

why

FBX

You can do e-commerce FBA shipping with the help of us. There are other e-commerce services too that we do.

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Consolidated Shipping

We can consolidate the orders from different providers and ship them all at once. You can reduce the risk of damaging your products along with reducing the shipping cost.

Why Choose Hart for Your International Sea Freight Shipping?

Focus

Focus on systematization and standardization to reduce sea freight costs professionally. Focus on the main market, and market conditions too.

Cheap Shipping Rate

Long-term agreements are signed with major airline and shipping companies. Always trying to improve the procedures and efficiency to ensure low operational cost.

Standardization

Standardized logistics solutions, service procedures, and cargo handling. We ensure a quick response and maintain consistency for quality service for you.

Systematization

100% paperless operation, online observation, and tracking, the software development team has created a  support system. Now the entire procedure is done by our team.

Full Self-control

We have total self-control in every node on the value chain. Hence, we have dedicated people to monitor your shipment at every checkpoint.

Custom Clearance Service

Branches and warehouses are in different regions like the US, UK, African Countries, South Asian Countries, Europe, etc. There are warehouses in more than 20 cities in China.

Wide Coverage

Branches and warehouses are in different regions like the US, UK, African Countries, South Asian Countries, Europe, etc. There are warehouses in more than 20 cities in China.

Highly Trained Team

Team members have professionalism, standards, and systematized with the continuous training provided properly. So you can have faith in all our stuff when shipping.

Professionalism

Without professionalism, the work cannot be done properly. We always ensure our staff has manners and professionalism in them when shipping products and supports.

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Qualifications and Honor for Sea Shipping

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Business Form for International Freight Forwarders

The information is given in the certificates <Foreigh Trade Laws Of The People’s Republic Of China> and <Regulations Of The People’s Republic Of China Of International Cargo Transport Agency> has been implemented and approved by the Ministry of Commerce.

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NVOCC Business Operation Qualification Registration Certificate

Some international freight forwarders in China are not NVOCC as they request the registration with the Ministry of Transportation of China. NVOCC, where HART is a member has its own advantages like booking and shopping, can issue bills of lading, etc.

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ISO9001 2015 Quality Management System Certificate

To ensure a great experience for customers and avoiding any mistakes with customers, an international quality management system has been brought in. The certified system initiates and regulates our whole working procedures.

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Certificate of Membership for WCA

World Cargo Transportation Alliance (WCA) is the biggest and the most powerful network of independent freight forwarders. As HART Logistics is already a member of it, we get the allowance to conduct business with other WCA members with complete security.

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Certificate of Membership for CIFA

China International Freight Forwarders Association, also known as CIFA is an organization guided by China’s Ministry of Commerce. CIFA has a mission to strengthen industry discipline and management, including a fair competition market environment.

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Member Unit for SIFFA

Shenzhen International Freight Forwarders Association (SIFFA), approved by Shenzhen Civil Affairs Bureau, is a social organization with a legal personality. It helps to guide, protect, and coordinate the members to exchange information.

Sea Freight | A Complete FAQ Guide

Introduction

Sea freight forwarding has been rising at its root worldwide for a long time.

Many years have passed but sea freight still remains the same because of the low shipping costs and the sea freight services.

For business purposes, you need to ship goods from the port of origin to the port of destination.

You need to understand first about the sea shipping methods if you want to save extra charges.

This FAQ guide will help you to learn about sea shipping, sea freight services, and freight forwarding methods.

Table Of Contents

  1. What Is Sea Freight And Why We Use It?
  2. How Does Sea Freight Work?
  3. How Long Does It Take For Shipping Ocean Freight?
  4. What Are The Differences Between International Sea Freight And Air Freight?
  5. What Is Incoterm And How Does It Affect On Your Sea Freight Shipping Cost?
  6. How Much Does It Cost To Ship Via Sea Freight?
  7. Is Shipping Via Sea Freight The Cheapest Method Of All?
  8. What Are Sea Freight Services?
  9. What Are The Prohibited Items That You Cannot Ship Via Sea Freight?
  10. How Can I Calculate The Sea Freight Cost?
  11. What Are The Major Companies That Ship Via Sea Freight?
  12. Is There A Weight Limit When Shipping Ocean Freight?
  13. Can I Track My Container When Shipping Via Sea Freight?
  14. How Many Methods Are There To Ship Via Sea Freight?
  15. What Are The Documentation Required When Shipping Ocean Freight?
  16. Which One Should I Choose Between FCL And LCL When Shipping Via Sea Freight?
  17. What Do I Get From Ocean Freight Forwarding Services?
  18. Does Sea Freight Do Door To Door Shipping Internationally?
  19. Does The International Shipping Companies Do Sea Freight Forwarding Services?
  20. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Shipping Ocean Freight?
  21. If I Take Sea Freight Forwarding Services, Do I Have To Go Through Customs?

1. What Is Sea Freight And Why We Use It?

Sea freight is a shipping method where you freight forward your shipment through the sea from one port to another.

You will see many seaports are providing international sea freight services.

Sea Freight Shipping
Sea Freight Shipping

You use sea freight to reduce your shipping cost when delivering goods.

There are a lot of sea freight logistics that can help you out to ship your container worldwide.

You can always come to HART Worldwide Logistics Limited for sea shipping.

We can freight forward your shipment worldwide with the lowest budget possible and in time with strict regulations.

Knock us anytime when you’re in need of shipping ocean freight.

2. How Does Sea Freight Work?

When you ship using the sea freight method, there are certain steps that are followed.

There are two types of containers that you will find, a 20-foot container, and a 40-foot container.

Also, you can ship your goods using the sea freight services by two methods, full container load (FCL) or less than a container load (LCL).

You have to book a container first before you ship your goods.

After booking, your shipment is sent to the port.

When your products reach the port, they have to go through clearing the customs.

Then shipment gets into the container and after filling up it gets placed into the ship.

After filling all the other containers, the sea freight starts moving towards the destination.

This is how sea freight works when shipping worldwide.

Here is a link that will help you to understand the sea freight logistics flow-

3. How Long Does It Take For Shipping Ocean Freight?

On average the transit time for shipping ocean freight takes around 21-60 days, which means 3-8 weeks.

This shipping time depends on different aspects.

The factors are different shipping methods, different ports, door to door services, different continent shipping, customs, natural calamities, etc.

An example can be given, FCL shipping takes far less time than LCL shipping.

This means it can take more time to ship via LCL shipping than FCL.

Also as there are different ports, some are close and some are far.

So the time changes a lot because of that.

Thus, after all the calculations, the estimated time has been mentioned above.

4. What Are The Differences Between International Sea Freight And Air Freight?

Although sea freight and air freight have their own benefits, there are a lot of differences between sea freight and air freight.

Here, the differences are shown below-

Sea Freight Air Freight
Sea freight charges are lower than air freight Airfreight costs more than sea freight.
It takes a lot of time to ship your sea freight worldwide. Airfreight is the fastest shipping method that you can use.
The capacity and value a sea freight container can hold are a lot. Air freight cannot hold as much as sea freight.
There are fewer restrictions for shipping ocean freight. There are a lot of restrictions if you do air shipping.

These are some of the major differences that you can find while shipping.

5. What Is Incoterm And How Does It Affect On Your Sea Freight Shipping Cost?

Incoterm is a rulebook where every term has a specific set of rules and responsibilities that you have to follow.

The incoterm has made a great influence on understanding trading and made it simpler.

There are different incoterms that affect international sea freight shipping,

They are FOB (Free On Board), EXW (Ex Works), CIF (Cost Insurance and Freight), FCA(Free Carrier), FAS(Free Alongside Ship), etc.

Every Incoterm has its own rule to follow, and by using them, you can get influenced too.

The costs get divided between the buyer and the seller depending on these incoterms.

It depends on which incoterm you want to choose.

Depending on the incoterm, your cost can get ups and downs.

CIF VS FOB For Sea Freight Services
CIF VS FOB For Sea Freight Services

6. How Much Does It Cost To Ship Via Sea Freight?

As international sea freight has two types of shipping methods, the cost for shipping is also different.

The cost of shipping a container via the FCL method differs for the container size.

A 20-foot container can cost around $2,000- $3,000 on average.

On the other hand, a 40-foot container can cost around $3,000-$4,000 on average.

This is only for your FCL shipping method cost.

The LCL shipping method depends on per CBM (Cubic meter).

For per CBM, the LCL shipping cost is estimated at around $300-$400 for shipping worldwide by international sea freight.

These costs can change for different aspects too.

Like the port, you are choosing to ship in, door to door service, insurance cost, freight forwarder cost, etc.

7. Is Shipping Via Sea Freight The Cheapest Method Of All?

Undoubtedly, shipping via sea freight is the cheapest method of all.

Shipping large product quantities via air freight can cost you a lot of money, as per kg can cost around an estimated $4-$6.

When you ship a large number of goods, the cost can rise too.

But sea freight methods made the shipping cost lessen.

You can go for FCL shipping for large shipping and can save a lot of money.

If you are running a small business and want to ship your goods, air freight will not be a good option.

Most of your money can go to bring your goods to your destination place.

But sea freight made it easier to handle.

Shipping ocean freight can help you out to bring a big container where you can load as much as the container can fill.

These are some of the reasons why you can say sea freight forwarding services are the cheapest method of all.

8. What Are Sea Freight Services?

When you ship from the source to the destination via international sea freight, you should be aware of the sea freight services.

Your shipments are carried out through large containers and vessels for transportation.

They are closely monitored by the authorities of shipping to ensure safety and security while shipping your goods.

These are some of the sea freight services that you can learn about.

Shipping By Sea Freight
Shipping By Sea Freight

There are a lot of sea freight forwarding services too.

You can have any sea freight logistics to do the freight forwarding for you.

There are customs brokers who provide services for customs clearance.

These are all the sea freight services you can get when shipping.

9. What Are The Prohibited Items That You Cannot Ship Via Sea Freight?

When you do international sea freight shipping, you will find out some restrictions.

Prohibition On Products Shipping By Sea
Prohibition On Products Shipping By Sea

There are some prohibited items that you cannot ship when you are taking sea freight services.

Here is the list of prohibited items that cannot be shipped via sea freight-

  • Flammable and toxic items
  • Plants and animals
  • Illegal items
  • Firearms
  • Ammunition
  • Drugs and medications without prescriptions, etc.

These are some of the enlisted prohibited items that you should not ship via international sea freight.

10. How Can I Calculate The Sea Freight Cost?

Mainly the sea freight cost is calculated per CBM when you ship via LCL.

For many products, the rules of thumb to select the most cost-effective mode is used.

As you know the shipping time can go more than 5 weeks via sea freight, still, the cost is worth going by.

Calculation Process For Shipping Via Sea Freight
Calculation Process For Shipping Via Sea Freight

Now, to calculate sea freight costs, you need to learn all the other costs that come with it.

Here are all the aspects that come with the shipping costs-

  • Customs cost
  • Insurance cost
  • Surcharges
  • Routing charges
  • Container freight station (Only apply for LCL)

 These are also calculated when you calculate the sea freight cost.

11. What Are The Major Companies That Ship Via Sea Freight?

When you ship via sea freight, you will find many major companies that do the freight forwarding for you.
The top 10 major companies that do sea freight forwarding services are given below-

  • COSCO
  • Maersk
  • ZIM
  • GMA CGM
  • ET
  • TK
  • EK
  • MSC
  • Evergreen
  • Yang Ming, etc.
Major Container Shipping Companies In The World
Major Container Shipping Companies In The World

These are the major companies that uphold a big part of the sea shipping industry.

12. Is There A Weight Limit When Shipping Ocean Freight?

You cannot ship as much as you want via sea freight, because there is a limit to how much you can ship.

As there are two types of containers, the maximum weight limit can differ too.

The weight limit is measured by CBM which is also known as cubic meters.

If you ship by a 20-foot container, the internal volume that you can fill maximum is 33-34 CBM, which is 19,000-20,000 kg.

On the other hand, if you ship a 40-foot container, the maximum internal volume you can get on average 75-76 CBM, which can contain 26,000-27,000 kg.

You can calculate the maximum rates by using these volumes and weights.

Here is a link that can give you information about weight limits-

13. Can I Track My Container When Shipping Via Sea Freight?

Yes, you can easily track your container while shipping via international sea freight.

A container tracking method is a great addition for you to get your shipment status all the time.

Track Your Cargo Using Sea Freight Services
Track Your Cargo Using Sea Freight Services

You can easily get access to the location of your container by using a tracking device.

The tracking method always gives you the port details and where it is located.

In order to track a container, you need to gain the container number or bill of lading, or booking number.

By using these numbers you can get access to the location of your container.

You can immediately get the status of your container if you use a tracking system.

There are many online container tracking systems available that you can use to track your container.

Or you can simply ask your freight forwarder to give you access to learn about the location of your shipment.

14. How Many Methods Are There To Ship Via Sea Freight?

There are different methods to ship via sea freight.

These are-

  • FCL (Full Container Load)
  • LCL (Less than a Container Load)
  • RORO (Roll-On Roll-Off)
  • Dry bulk shipping.

FCL shipping method is a method where you can ship your products using the whole container by yourself.

In this method, the shipment of other individuals will not be loaded.

LCL shipping is a method where your products fill part of a container with the kinds of stuff from other companies.

In this method, you have to wait for your shipment longer than other methods because of the loading period.

RORO is also known as roll on roll off is a method where you ship your products by the same vehicle from the supplier.

In this method, you do not need a container to ship.

The last method is known as shipping dry bulk.

This method is used when the ship holds the product instead of a container.

These are the methods you will see when you ship your products by sea freight.

15. What Are The Documentation Required When Shipping Ocean Freight?

It is important to keep the documents ready when you ship via sea freight.

You can also take sea freight services as a logistics to help you out with the documentation issues.

The documents are essential to clear your customs.

Here are all the documents that you need for shipping ocean freight-

If you have all these documents with you, you can easily ship your container via sea freight without breaking a sweat.

16. Which One Should I Choose Between FCL And LCL When Shipping Via Sea Freight?

FCL and LCL are two different methods of sea freight shipping.

They have their own benefits when you need to ship.

You should learn about them to utilize them to the fullest.

FCL shipping basically means the shipping method where you can load the whole container by your product.

In this method, you just have to pay the sea freight service shipping charge and the container charge.

So you can load as many products as you can.

The price will not get that high for shipping via FCL.

On the other hand, LCL shipping is a shipping method where you can ship your products besides the products of other people.

FCL Shipping VS LCL Shipping
FCL Shipping VS LCL Shipping

In this method, if you don’t have a lot of products you can ship them using the LCL shipping method.

The cost can go high and low depending on your product’s dimensions.

Also, LCL shipping takes quite a long time to load than FCL shipping.

Because as soon as your products are filled in the container, the shipper starts loading the container in the ship.

Again, for small shipping, you should be advised to go with LCL shipping.

As for FCL, even if your container is not totally filled, they will charge for the whole container.

So, depending on the situation, you can choose either of the methods you want.

17. What Do I Get From Ocean Freight Forwarding Services?

There are a lot of benefits you can get from sea freight forwarding services.

Ocean freight forwarding services ship your container from one place to another with a lot of facilities.

You can track your shipment via inland transportation when shipping international sea freight.

Along with that, you can get facilities like export documentation, warehousing, negotiable freight charges, freight consolidation, container insurance, etc.

You can also gain the filling of insurance claims when shipping international sea freight.

Sea freight services play an important role on top of that.

You can book container space if you take sea freight forwarding services.

There are more facilities like the freight forwarder fills up all the documentation needed for sea shipping.

You can have a look at HART Worldwide Logistics Limited.

You can get the best sea freight services if you choose us.

18. Does Sea Freight Do Door To Door Shipping Internationally?

Yes, door to door sea freight services is open internationally.

If you want, you can do door-to-door shipping via sea freight.

Unlike port-to-port shipping, door-to-door shipping provides you with more benefits.

There are several express shipping companies like DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc who provide services like door to door.

You can even ask your freight forwarder to do door-to-door shipping for you and certainly, you can get the facilities.

The process is actually simple.

At first, your freight forwarder will receive the products from the supplier.

Then the freight forwarder will ship via sea, arrive at the final destination port.

After clearing customs, he will transport your goods to your premises.

This is the process of how door-to-door shipping works via sea freight.

19. Does The International Shipping Companies Do Sea Freight Forwarding Services?

Yes, most of the international shipping companies do sea freight forwarding services.

What they will do is, they will ship your products from the port of origin to the port of destination.

There are various sea lines they take when they ship your products.

20. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Shipping Ocean Freight?

As there are advantages for shipping ocean freight, there are some demerits too.

Here the advantages and the disadvantages are given below-

Advantages

  • Sea freight is less costly than other freight forwarding services.
  • If you want to ship tonnes of goods in bulk, sea freight is the most viable option.
  • The safety guarantee is top-notch as the security is tight and secured.
  • Sea freight services give a lot of benefits if you know the proper use of them.
  • Your duties and VAT are less than other shipping methods, as they are calculated as a total percentage cost.

Disadvantages

  • The transit time takes a lot when shipping via sea freight.
  • Some of the incoterms from sea freight services can cost you a lot of money.
  • There are possibilities of your shipments damage as it takes quite a long time to ship via sea freight.

Although there are some disadvantages, sea freight is one of the best freight forwarding options you can get.

21. If I Take Sea Freight Forwarding Services, Do I Have To Go Through Customs?

Yes, every container or cargo that is getting shipped from one port to another has to go through customs clearance.

It is your duty if you ship something from one port to another, then you have to pay the duties and taxes.

It does not matter how you are shipping your goods, you have to pay customs and you cannot avoid that.

If you do not want to clear the customs by yourself, you can always ask the freight forwarder who is shipping your goods.

Without paying customs duties, VAT, taxes, and proper documentation, you cannot ship your products inside the port of destination.

Final Words

Hope this FAQ guide can help you out to learn about sea freight, its usage, and the rates.

Also hope you got an idea about sea freight services and how they work.

If you have any other queries that are not mentioned here, you can always knock HART, we will gladly help you with that.

Tell us when you are ready to ship.

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