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www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com
Best ways to go if you are in it for the long haul
It pays to choose the right transport option when you are importing or exporting goods
T
rains, planes and automobiles… and container ships – all options to consider when importing goods or exporting products
around the world. But which is the right choice for your business? Choosing the best mode of transport is essential to being cost-effective and efficient, as well as providing either you or your customers with a timely delivery. The choice of transport will be largely dependent on the weight or volume of the products you need to import or export, their value and the speed of delivery required. For example, air freight is suitable for exporting high-worth items, such as watches or perishable food, to international destinations in just a few days, whereas sea transportation is the best-cost option for importing bulky products, for example from China, where time is not a major consideration.
Road hauliers/couriers Road transport is a flexible option, particularly in the EU as the road network is well developed and crossing national borders is generally fuss-free and easy. This means that you can get goods delivered in a matter of a few days, and tracking the progress of the consignment is standard nowadays. For small goods and packages, then
a courier service is suitable and easy to arrange for door-to-door delivery… but will come at a premium cost.
Rail transport Thanks to very good rail connections across Europe, this is a fast and cost- effective way to transport goods. However, once the shipment gets to the rail depot it will need further transportation to the final destination and incur additional costs.
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN SHIPPING PRODUCTS
■ What do you want to distribute? Size and weight will affect the cost.
■ How quickly does the product need to reach its destination? This will affect which type of delivery service you use and the cost.
■ How will transport costs impact on your overheads?
■ Do your goods need to be kept refrigerated during transport?
■ Where do the goods need to go?
For example, Europe has a large rail and inland waterway network, but you may encounter problems if the destination is especially remote.
■ How valuable are the goods? Get quotes from insurance brokers before deciding on the appropriate insurance level.
■ Do your customers have any special requirements?
Source:
www.gov.uk
Sea transport If time is not critical, then sea transport is the most cost-effective way to transport bulk shipments internationally. It is estimated that sea freight is four to six times cheaper than airfreight but will take, for example, up to six weeks to reach the UK from China. Sea freight rates are calculated by either weight or volume, whichever is the greatest, so as well as knowing the kg weight of your shipment you also need to provide the cubic metre volume to get a cost for shipping. Sea transportation can ship large
volumes at relatively low costs and the shipping containers are efficient for further transportation by road or rail. The onward transportation will incur additional costs and there will be port duties and country taxes to pay on top.
Air transport Air transport is more suitable for shipping high-value, low-weight and small-sized goods internationally because of the relatively high transportation costs. This is particularly important where speed of delivery is paramount and a high level of security is required for the goods. With air transport, the size of the
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