Sea or air freight: how to choose?

Sea optimises cost per volume but takes several weeks; air is fast (a few days) but is paid by weight and costs significantly more. Between the two, it's all a trade-off between lead time and budget.

Ask yourself four questions: is the shipment urgent? What is its value-to-weight ratio (air is more justified for high-value goods)? What volume are you shipping? And what preservation or regulatory constraints apply? A heavy, bulky, non-urgent product naturally leans towards sea.

Don't compare only the freight price: include insurance, handling, storage and the cash tied up by a long sea transit. Relating total cost to goods value (the transport ratio) gives a reliable basis for decision — a calculator is available in our template library.