10 Sea Freight Shipping Options You Must Explore for Your Business

Sea freight transport is one of the leading solutions for commercial logistics. It also offers diversified services for various types of cargo. Business owners can choose from express or LCL shipping for small batches of goods, and FCL, OOG, or RoRo for large quantities. Many shipping companies in Cebu, Manila, Davao, and other major ports also offer specialized options for perishable and high-value shipments. They even go as far as to deliver goods at the pier or your doorstep.

Exploring the flexible sea freight shipping options can save you from unwanted expenses. It also leads to more streamlined logistics operations. Discover the methods of sea cargo transport that can boost your commercial competitiveness.

Why Choose Sea Freight Transport for Commercial Cargo?

Cost-efficient – Businesses with large-volume shipments can save on transportation costs through services like FCL, breakbulk, or OOG shipping. These methods are significantly cheaper than air freight due to the large capacity of sea vessels.
Large cargo capacity – Big cargo ships can carry large quantities of cargo, including oversized, heavy, and irregularly shaped items.
Specialized goods handling – Shipping companies have the necessary manpower, knowledge, and resources to securely handle project cargo, perishable items, and other sensitive commodities.
Access to multiple ports of call – Business owners can leverage sea freight companies’ broad network of ports to scale their operations. It also enables wider market access.
Flexible logistics services – Make use of existing resources to achieve the best fit for your cargo. Logistics companies typically have specific solutions for small, large, irregular, and even urgent goods.
Reliable transit schedule – Shipment lead times are usually predictable, giving businesses peace of mind. Customer support is also present to relay potential delays or early arrival of cargo at the destination.

10 Business Solutions for Sea Freight Shipping in the Philippines

1. Less-than-Container Load Shipping (LCL)

LCL is a sea freight solution wherein a logistics provider consolidates shipments coming from multiple shippers in a single container. It is ideal for businesses with infrequent, small volumes of shipments. Rather than compensating for or filling a whole container, LCL allows them to pay for just the space occupied. This service is usually available for shipping containers of 10 feet, 20 feet, and 40 feet in length.

2. Full Container Load Shipping (FCL)

In contrast to LCL, FCL shipping is a logistics service where the entire container is filled by a single shipper. They are expected to pay for the whole container price, whether it is completely occupied or not. It provides businesses an exclusive space for cargo.

FCL also offers enhanced protection from cargo damage, contamination, and deconsolidation challenges. Full container load shipping is ideal for businesses with large volumes or frequent shipments. It is applicable across standard 10 feet, 20 feet, and 40 feet containers.

3. Reefer Containers

Perishable goods need to be kept at a certain temperature to maintain its freshness. This is why most shipping companies offer refrigerated or reefer containers. They are insulated and kept cool by a built-in refrigeration unit, which circulates the ideal temperature within the container. Businesses that manufacture food, beverages, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and agricultural products will benefit the most from reefer freight shipping.

4. Roll-on/Roll-off Shipping (RoRo)

If your business operates within the agriculture, construction, logistics, and transportation industries, you will be dealing with wheeled cargo. RoRo sea freight shipping offers better flexibility for vehicles and heavy machinery. Special ships called RoRo vessels are built with ramps, on which vehicles are driven on and off. RoRo services often accommodate cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, and heavy equipment with or without convoy.

5. Break Bulk Shipping

The term ‘break bulk’ refers to non-containerized general cargo. It is also used to describe any kind of oversized, extremely heavy cargo that cannot fit in a standard dry container. Breakbulk cargo are typically loaded onto vessels as individual units. They require specialized sea freight handling based on its nature, shape, and size. This is ideal for businesses that ship heavy machinery, vehicles, large metal structures, and equipment.

6. Out-of-Gauge Cargo (OOG)

This type of sea freight shipping deals with cargo that exceed container limits. It is often loaded onto specialized containers instead of the standard kind, such as tanks, open-top, flat rack, open sides, or high cubes. OOG cargo shipments can vary across businesses. It encompasses tall or long vehicles, large structures like wind turbines or industrial pipelines. It is ideal for the construction, energy, and petrochemical industries.

7. Project Cargo

Project cargo covers sea freight logistics of extremely large, high-value industrial equipment. Like OOG cargo, project cargo is recommended for businesses in the construction, energy, and engineering sectors. Due to the complex nature of these cargo, shipping companies in the Philippines must undergo thorough planning and coordination to transport cargo as efficiently and safely as possible.

8. Express Cargo / Padala

Documents, boxes, and small individual parcels can be prioritized through express cargo. It is a time-sensitive method of freight shipping. Express services transport urgent cargo through optimized routes, ensuring quick delivery in as fast as 24 hours. Once parcels and boxes arrive at the port of discharge, the receiver can do pick ups at the port or a designated branch of the shipping company.

9. Trucking Services

Transporting cargo from door to pier, and vice versa is another challenge that comes after sea freight logistics. Fortunately, most shipping companies either have their own or partner with a trucking company to fulfill last-mile logistics.

Tractor units, for example, can haul containers of various types and sizes to and from the port. Standard dry vans are designed for seamless loading of boxed and palletized cargo from the vessel. This service is recommended for deliveries located far from the port, as well as businesses that do not have in-house logistics.

10. Sea Freight Delivery Modes

Shipping companies in the Philippines also deliver cargo from pier to pier, door to door, pier to door, and vice versa. This service is a cost-efficient way for businesses to move goods between various points.

Pier-to-Pier – The haulage of freight between an origin and destination port. Mainly uses sea transport and involves loading and discharge. The shipper and receiver are responsible for the first and last leg of the logistics process.
Door-to-Door – Cargo is picked up at the shipper’s warehouse or office, is transported to the port for loading, and arrives at the destination. It is then unloaded or transferred to a wheeled unit (e.g. truck, van) to be delivered at the receiver’s door. Involves intermodal or multimodal transport.
Pier-to-Door – Cargo is dropped off at the origin port and delivered to the receiver’s door.
Door-to-Pier – Cargo is transported from the warehouse to the origin port and unloaded upon arrival at the destination.

Enhance the way you manage sea freight logistics by considering versatile solutions like container shipping or freight delivery. By leveraging the resources of a reliable shipping company, you can attain an organized, sustainable, and productive shipment process.

ALSO READ: 6 Sea Freight Advantages for Businesses in the Philippines

Are you looking for a proficient and reliable business partner? Trans-Asia Shipping Lines, Inc.’s unparalleled experience in nationwide shipping resulted in advanced, modern sea freight services. Our adaptable solutions include 10 ft, 20ft, and 40 ft container shipping (FCL and LCL), breakbulk, OOG cargo shipping, as well as express sea cargo through Trans-Padala. To top it all off, we also provide pier-to-door, door-to-pier, and door-to-door delivery through our subsidiary, Big Hub Transport and Logistics Corp.