InsightsContact LVTOcean or air freight? How to choose the right mode
Ocean is cheap and slow, air is fast and expensive – but the choice is about more than that. How chargeable weight works, and the rules of thumb.
When goods are going to Asia, the Americas or the Middle East, the choice is often between ocean and air. The price difference is large – but so is the difference in time, risk and tied-up capital.
Time
Ocean freight between Europe and Asia typically takes several weeks port to port, plus time for collection, customs and delivery. Air freight typically takes a few days door to door. On some routes, rail is an alternative that sits in between on both time and price.
How the price is calculated
Air freight is priced on chargeable weight, where volume is converted using a factor. The most common is 1:6,000 – equivalent to 167 kg per m³. The price is based on the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight.
Example: A crate of 1.2 × 0.8 × 1.0 m (0.96 m³) weighing 100 kg. The volumetric weight is 0.96 × 167 = approx. 160 kg. You pay for 160 kg.
Ocean freight moves either as a full container (FCL) or as less-than-container load (LCL). LCL is typically priced on W/M – the higher of weight in tonnes and volume in m³, where 1 m³ counts as 1,000 kg.
Rules of thumb
- Choose ocean when the goods are heavy or bulky and delivery can be planned.
- Choose air when the goods are urgent, have high value per kg or are a spare part keeping a production line idle.
- Consider a split: part by air to get started, the rest by sea.
Do not forget the hidden costs
Long transit times tie up capital in inventory. And an urgent air shipment can be cheaper than a stopped production line. Calculate the total cost – not just the freight.
CO₂
Air freight emits significantly more CO₂ per tonne-kilometre than ocean freight. If you report on transport emissions, the mode of transport is the single most important factor.
Send us dimensions, weight and the required delivery time, and we will price both options.
