It may not be as certain as death or taxes but at some point you’ll need to transport something at considerable distance. Of course for most of the businesses shipping is a daily issue. Naturally in order to transport your cargo you’ll consider contact with a transportation company for example freight forwarder or NVOCC. Those types of shipping company are very similar besides some minor technical differences and in the end they will deliver your freight to your door or any destination you desire.
The main topic of this issue is the means the freight will travel: air, water or land and more importantly, which way is most efficient. The types of transportation available today are motor freight, railroad; air freight and ocean freight. Let’s review them in details
Motor freight vehicles are suitable for transportation of wide variety of goods with a moderate speed at a moderate cost. Motor freight is not that good for bulky, low-value goods. Trucks are the mode of freight forwarding with highest accessibility in fact they can deliver door-to-door but their capacity us low. So from 1 to 5 scales: variety of goods – 5; speed – 3; cost – 3; accessibility – 5; capacity – 2.
Railroad freight is less accessible since you’ll most probably need a truck to deliver to your door. The speed of transportation is slower but the much higher capacity and the reduced costs make this method favorable in some cases.
If the speed is what you need than choose air. Actually the speed is the only Pro for this type of freight forwarding and you’ll have to accept the highest price, low capacity, low accessibility and limited types of goods that can be carried. Well sometimes speed is the King. Ratings: variety of goods – 2; speed – 5; cost – 1; accessibility – 1; capacity – 1.
Well both are mostly blue but this is the only similarity when in comes to freight forwarding. Water provides you with the cheapest transportation if you have the time to wait. Large vessels allow enormous capacity and diversity of goods that can be carried aboard. The evaluation of ocean freight is: variety of goods – 4; speed – 1; cost – 5; accessibility – 3; capacity – 5.
Conclusion:
By truck: variety of goods – 5; speed – 3; cost – 3; accessibility – 5; capacity – 2.
Rail freight: cargo can carry – 4; speed – 2; price – 4; accessibility – 3; capacity – 3.
Air freight: cargo can carry – 2; speed – 5; price – 1; accessibility – 1; capacity – 1.
Water transport: types of products – 4; speed – 1; cost – 5; accessibility – 3; capacity – 5.
I hope you now have the knowledge to choose the right method for you.
Intermodal transportation is a combination of different types of cargo shipping provided by freight forwarders.