Shipping goods from one country to another can come at a significant cost. If your business regularly deals with companies in China and needs to move goods from there to the UK, it can be extremely expensive if you don’t have a shipping plan.
There are several ways you can help reduce the cost and get the best deal when it comes to transporting both bulk cargo and smaller items. This also applies if you are a business that is shipping cargo to the China mainland or somewhere like Hong Kong.
Working with an experienced freight forwarding company like Equator can certainly make a big difference as can giving yourself time to plan and explore different shipping solutions.
- Advanced Planning Reduces Cost
Of course, there may be instances where you have an emergency shipment that needs to come from China with a day or so. The trouble here is that choosing express freight with a short delivery time means you are going to add to the overall cost pretty quickly.
Planning your shipments as long beforehand as possible gives you greater leeway. For example, you can look at a wider range of shipping companies who can deliver a better deal. Being flexible on times and having more choice is probably the biggest single factor that will knock down the price of shipping.
It also gives you the chance to avoid problems like international holidays that can further add to the cost and bring delays because prices are at a premium.
- Which Shipping Method is Best?
If you have more time, you can normally consider the whole range of shipping methods and find more cost cuttings there. Shipping from China means that you have two main options and that’s sending your freight by air or by sea.
If you have large bulk freight to be transported and you are not under great time constraints, sea freight is by far the most economical option.
The reason why many businesses go for air freight is that it is quick and very convenient. Freight arrives in a matter of hours rather than weeks, but the cost is usually a lot higher. It is also not the best option if you have bulk transportation needs but is usually the only viable option if you have an emergency.
- Build a Relationship with a Good Freight Forwarder
The good news is that an experienced and reputable freight forwarder, like Equator Worldwide, will be able to manage and decide your shipping methods depending on your needs and help to reduce the overall costs. A good freight forwarder can also throw in useful extras such as managing the supply chain, customs brokering and wider logistics.
- Insuring Your Cargo
Another area that can add to costs when shipping to and from China is insurance. While every care is taken to make sure that your goods arrive in pristine conditions, accidents can happen. It’s always wise to have comprehensive insurance to cover you for any loss or damage in transit.
Again, a good freight forwarding company will be able to work with you to find the best insurance product for your needs, making sure that you are adequately covered while still keeping the costs down. Talk to the experienced team at Equator today to find the best fit for your needs.