Everything About Ocean Freight Forwarding You Need to Know

If you are an entrepreneur owner who is doing cross-border business, then you will need send your cargo to your clients or buying goods from other countries, you will need a local freight forwarder to help you process the shipping, paper documents, delivery, and more. Usually, ocean freight is one of the most common ways to ship, and make sure you know things about ocean freight forwarders so that you can select the right freight forwarder to help you arrange everything well. When you are importing or exporting to China, TJ China freight is your prior option for sea freight, air freight, rail freight, amazon fba preps, door to door delivery, and the professional team is committed to shipping your cargo speedy and safer at a lower price. Below, we will list a few questions about ocean freight forwarders. Read on!

  • What is an Ocean Freight Forwarder?
  • What is Ocean Freight Forwarding Services
  • Is Ocean Forwarding Cheaper than Air Forwarding Service?
  • Does an Ocean Forwarder Charge Less than an Air Forwarder?
  • The Globally Top Ocean Forwarders in the World

What is an Ocean Freight Forwarder?

A freight forwarder is a person or company with the know-how to safely and effectively transport your freight from point A to point B. While freight forwarders don’t generally own the trucks, ships, or airplanes necessary to move your cargo, they serve as middlemen who know every step of the complicated shipping process and can ensure that your goods get to their destination. Some forwarders specialize in air freight, while others work exclusively with ocean freight. TJ China freight serves both sea freight forwarding and air freight. You can send an inquiry here to know the rates of shipping from or to China.

An ocean freight forwarder specializes in moving freight via cargo ships. This specialization enables ocean forwarders to know precisely how to complete any shipment and build the relationships necessary to get the best ocean rates, which they can then pass on to their customers.

What is Ocean Freight Forwarding Services

Despite how crucial freight is to the world economy, it’s a pretty difficult field to navigate.That’s why even the most seasoned of shipping professionals rely on a sea freight forwarder’s services for their ocean shipments. An ocean forwarder knows what goods can be shipped, the correct procedures for shipping them, all of the paperwork required for shipping, how to get your cargo on a vessel, and what to do in case something goes wrong.

That means that with the right ocean freight forwarding services, you can be confident that your freight is in good hands and worry about the more important parts of your business.

Does ocean freight forwarding cost less than air freight?

Unsurprisingly, ocean rates are less expensive than air rates. But there are tradeoffs. If speed is a priority, you may want to look elsewhere. Ocean shipments take over one month to be delivered, whereas air shipments take a few days. Reliability is also a factor that should be considered. While air shipments run on a very tight schedule, it’s not uncommon for freight ships to take longer than expected to embark. That said, there is a reason why 90% of cargo is sent via the ocean. It is the most cost effective and environmentally friendly way to send goods internationally. It’s also the best way to send oversized and hazardous items.

Who are the Top and Best Ocean Freight Forwarders?

Ocean freight is a highly fragmented market, with the top ten ocean forwarders dominating only 43% of the market.

  • Kuehne + Nagel. A clear leader, whose ocean freight revenues are estimated to be around 65% larger than its nearest rival. But in a highly fragmented market, its share is estimated at just 9.2%.
  • DHL Global Forwarding. Although coming in second, DHL’s ocean freight revenue is smaller than their air and truck operations. In 2015, DHL Global Forwarding ocean freight revenue reached $3,850M.
  • Sinotrans.  China’s largest freight forwarder is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange but wholly owned by the government. Much of its ocean freight business takes place in the coastal cities of Eastern China.
  • DB Schenker. Headquartered in Germany, the freight giant employees nearly 100,000 employees around the world. In 2015, it’s ocean freight volumes were 1,942m TEUs.
  • DSV. The Danish company’s acquisition of another leading sea forwarder UTi approximately doubled ocean freight forwarding revenues of DSV a year ago. Their 835,487 TEUs of ocean freight in 2015 brought in $1,7580 m in revenue.

Check the full list of top freight forwarders 2022 here. Need China freight forwarder? Contact us today, and get an instant quote!