When deciding which freight method to use there are usually three main concerns: time, cost, and the items needing shipping. Are the goods bulky? Do they constitute dangerous goods? Do they require cold chain management?
With the choice of air, sea, land and rail, you need to factor in how quickly you want your goods, how much you want to pay for freight, and the size and number of items that need to be transported.
Here’s a breakdown to help you choose the best freight method for your needs.
Air
The quickest way of shipping goods is also the most expensive. However, for reliability and speed it is the best way of getting goods from point A to point B. Look for a company with expertise in managing every aspect of air transportation to and from all international airports, and ensure they have all certificates required by customs.
Avion has 15 years’ expertise in international air freight forwarding and offers tailored options including:
- Direct and back-to-back: a single transport operation for a single batch of goods
- Consolidated: a single transport operation including multiple batches of goods with the same or close origin and destination
- Charter service for air shipments with extraordinary dimensions and delivery times
- Air transport of dangerous goods.
Avion is an:
- Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) member
- International Air Transport Association (IATA) certified agent
- Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certified for performing customs clearance duties.
Sea
Shipping by sea takes longer than air, which means cost savings if you aren’t in a rush to receive your goods. Forwarding freight by sea is ideal for large shipments, or for bulky items, with items often transported in large containers.
Look for a freight forwarding company that has partnerships with leading international shipping companies. Avion offers personalised planning of ship-loads and transport via the main commercial routes from Europe and the rest of the world.
Good freight forwarding companies will manage the service before the goods leave by booking the container, taking care of collection and delivery, and, on request, fulfilling administrative procedures on behalf of the customer. Avion will also ensure your goods are taken care of while distribution procedures are finalised by monitoring the items.
Avion offers range of international sea freight forwarding options including:
- Full container load (FCL)
- Less than Container Load (LCL)
- Special equipment for dangerous, oversized, perishable, temperature-controlled and pharmaceutical goods
- Exceptional transport service, Break Bulk and RO-RO for items such as industrial machinery, commercial vehicles, agricultural machinery
- Cross-trade/triangle shipments (Abroad-to-Abroad: shipment from one country to another without goods loading, unloading and customs clearance taking place in Italy)
- Free trade zone (FTZ): Shipping in a delimited area exempt from taxes and duties, with services for goods storage, trade, transshipment and re-export.
Land
Sending goods by road allows flexibility in destinations and is a fast and cost-effective way of moving freight. In Australia it is vital to use a freight forwarding company with capabilities of moving shipments from large cities to small remote and regional areas.
Avion understands that unexpected circumstances and urgencies sometimes means finding alternatives. Thanks to our extensive partner network, we can quickly and easily create different options to ensure on-time arrival.
When forwarding freight from Australia to overseas always use a company with partners in major distribution centres such as the UK, Europe and Russia.
Rail
The Goldilocks of freight forwarding. Faster than sea, less expensive than air, rail offers many advantages. Rail is an ideal solution especially between long distances such as the Europe-China route, and for items that aren’t as time sensitive as those requiring freighting by air. Rail has fewer CO2 emissions compared to air and sea transport, making it the best choice for businesses or consumers who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint.
Avion’s tailored rail solutions include:
- Full container load (FCL)
- Less than Container Load (LCL)
- Intermodal Service.
Why choose Avion for freight forwarding?
- Expertise across a variety of industries including chemicals, food and perishables, and healthcare
- Member of Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA)
- Advanced digital services to optimise international shipments including dedicated Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) for constant monitoring of operations
- 7G Customs Bonded Warehousing
- Customs Clearance and Compliance Consultancy
- Aircraft Chartering Coordination
- Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
- Door-to-door Distribution (B2B, B2C).
Contact us for expertise with your next freight forwarding requirement: www.avioninternational.com/en/contact-us/?sel=01
