Regular shipping, express shipping, and e-commerce dedicated sea freight are the three main types of cross-border sea freight channels currently available. The core differences lie in the shipping company’s positioning, route logic, transit time, cargo space rules, customs clearance and delivery, price structure, and target customers. They are not simply differentiated by speed, and their applicable scenarios are clearly distinct.
Next, Weefreight will provide you with detailed explanations, hoping to be helpful to you.
I. Essential Definitions and Core Positioning
Regular Shipping (Traditional Sea Freight / Bulk Carrier)
This belongs to traditional ocean container shipping, mainly using large container ships. It has many port calls and a relaxed sailing schedule, with the core purpose of transporting large quantities of goods at low cost. There is no priority for transit time. It is the most basic form of sea freight and the mainstream channel for traditional foreign trade B2B large cargo.
Express Shipping (Matson, ZIM, CMA CGM, etc. express shipping products)
These are high-efficiency sea freight products specially created by shipping companies. They use high-speed vessels, dedicated berths, short-haul direct routes, and fewer port calls. They have higher priority than regular shipping, and terminal loading and unloading and schedules are highly controllable. They aim to match air freight transit times and provide a near-express delivery experience, balancing speed and cost.
E-commerce Dedicated Sea Freight (Sea-to-Door / Sea-to-Truck Dedicated Line)
This is not a single type of vessel, but an integrated one-stop logistics product. It is formed by freight forwarders integrating regular/express shipping cargo space + domestic consolidation + destination country customs clearance + last-mile truck/express delivery, creating a “door-to-door” all-inclusive channel, designed specifically for Amazon FBA and cross-border e-commerce websites.
II. Transit Time and Stability Comparison
Regular Shipping: The longest transit time and high variability. US routes take 30-50 days, European routes 40-60 days, and can be extended to over 60 days during port congestion and peak seasons. On-time performance is low, and there is no priority for loading and unloading.Express Shipping: Fast and stable transit times. Matson Express ships to the US West Coast in 12-18 days, and to the US Midwest/East Coast in 18-25 days. It features frequent direct routes, strong resistance to port congestion, and significantly higher on-time performance than regular shipping.
E-commerce Dedicated Line: Transit time depends on the type of vessel used. Express shipping takes 20-30 days, while regular shipping takes 35-50 days. The advantage is integrated end-to-end service, with unified tracking and handling of exceptions, eliminating the need to separately manage trucking, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery.
III. Pricing and Cost Structure
Regular Shipping: Lowest base freight rate, no additional service premiums, but requires separate payment for trucking, customs declaration, port fees, destination port customs clearance, and delivery. Total costs are calculated by adding up each item.
Express Shipping: Unit price is 30%-100% higher than regular shipping, with higher premiums for schedules and capacity, but offers significant time-saving value, suitable for high-turnover goods.
E-commerce Dedicated Line: Mostly door-to-door all-inclusive pricing. Quotes include origin port, shipping, customs clearance, taxes, and last-mile delivery. Transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Lower cost than pure express shipping, but slightly higher than the total cost of regular shipping.
IV. Capacity and Rollover Risk
Regular Shipping: Sufficient capacity but lowest priority. High risk of rollovers and delays during peak seasons, with unpredictable loading times.
Express Shipping: Dedicated capacity and fixed schedules from shipping companies. Extremely low risk of rollovers, strongest guarantee during peak seasons.
E-commerce Dedicated Line: Long-term capacity contracts with large freight forwarders, stable capacity, unified container arrangement and loading. E-commerce goods receive priority loading, lower risk than directly booking regular shipping.
V. Customs Clearance and Last-Mile Delivery
Regular Shipping: Only responsible for port-to-port transportation. Customs clearance, trucking, and delivery must be arranged separately. Multiple steps and complex coordination, suitable for traditional foreign trade companies with local customs clearance teams. Express Shipping: Mostly port-to-port or port-to-door, some include simplified customs clearance, and the final delivery method can be selected, offering high flexibility.
E-commerce Dedicated Line: One-stop door-to-warehouse service, automatically connecting with FBA appointments, customs pre-clearance, and final delivery to the warehouse. The entire process is handled with a single tracking number, suitable for e-commerce sellers without overseas operational capabilities.
VI. Applicable Scenarios Selection
Standard Shipping Applicable to:
Traditional B2B large shipments, bulk raw materials, furniture, building materials, and other oversized and overweight goods;
Low-value goods, durable, and without time-sensitive requirements, prioritizing the lowest price;
Very long stocking cycles, allowing for shipments more than 2 months in advance.
Express Shipping Applicable to:
High turnover, medium-value goods, such as 3C products, home furnishings, and apparel;
FBA replenishment for US routes, peak season stocking, requiring timely delivery but unwilling to bear air freight costs;
Having certain customs clearance and last-mile delivery resources, seeking a balance between timeliness and cost.
E-commerce Dedicated Line Applicable to:
Amazon FBA, independent websites, Walmart, and other e-commerce platform sellers;
Small batch, multi-batch replenishment, without an overseas customs clearance team, seeking a hassle-free one-stop service;
Hoping for transparent costs, full tracking, and unified handling of exceptions.
(Note: The above information regarding timeliness or costs is for reference only. Please refer to the actual situation at the time of shipment for specific details. Thank you!)
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