International air freight and ocean freight are experiencing a “growth and decline” trend, with short-term cargo preferring air transport.
In this article, Weefreight provides a detailed analysis, which we hope will be helpful.
Significant differences in timeliness: International air freight offers a significant timeliness advantage. Short-sea routes typically complete the entire process in 2-5 days, while long-sea routes only take 5-10 days. Ocean freight, on the other hand, is much slower, typically taking 10-15 days for short-sea routes and 25-45 days for long-sea routes. Furthermore, it is susceptible to factors such as port congestion, resulting in a higher probability of delays. For short-term cargo, air freight can quickly deliver goods to their destination, meeting urgent market demands.
Different cost calculation methods: Air freight charges are typically calculated based on both weight and volume. The cost of shipping 1kg of goods to major European and American countries generally ranges from 30 to 80 yuan, 5 to 10 times that of sea freight. However, for short-term shipments, especially high-value, lightweight goods, while air freight rates are higher, the cost is relatively low compared to the value of the goods and potential losses due to delays, making companies more inclined to choose air freight to ensure timely delivery.
Cargo characteristics influence the choice: High-value goods in short-term shipments, such as electronics and luxury goods, are small and lightweight, yet highly valuable. These goods require extremely high safety during transportation. Air freight, with its advanced transportation equipment and strict safety management standards, can provide more professional packaging and transportation conditions, reducing the risk of damage during transportation. Furthermore, these products have short life cycles and rapidly changing markets, requiring fast transportation to seize market opportunities. Air freight precisely meets this need.
Driven by changing market demand: With the development of the global economy and shifting consumer demands, the market demands ever-faster delivery of short-term goods. For example, the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce requires sellers to promptly replenish inventory to meet consumer demand and avoid stockouts that can cause a drop in store traffic. In this context, air freight has become a crucial option for cross-border e-commerce companies to ensure that goods reach consumers quickly.
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