Getting the Most From Ocean Freight Services

1. Getting the Most From Ocean Freight Services If your company needs to ship goods overseas, you’ll need to find out more about ocean freight services. A freight business has the job of making sure your cargo gets to the right place, safely and in a timely manner. This gives you the comfort of knowing that the goods people order from your company will reach them intact; this is an important part of customer service and helps you to retain customers. Before you take your cargo to an ocean freight company, you should know how much your materials way and have an idea of how they should be packaged. You should also contact a few ocean freight companies to get quotes so you can compare prices and narrow down your choices based on what is best for your budget. There are also different types of ships that are used for ocean freight services. You should be aware of the ship types before you start the shipping process. Box ships or container ships are used to carry goods in containers that are usually 20’ to40’. The containers are stored below the deck of the ship during transit. There are also roll-on/roll-off ships for ocean freight services, and these are utilized for commercial and personal vehicles. If you have an oil or gas company, you’ll use a tanker to transport the goods on the ocean from one location to another. Bulk carriers are the ships that carry unpackaged products like fertilizer, grains and coal, and general cargo ships can carry all forms of loose-packaged cargo. You’ll also need to know how your goods will get from your company to your customer, which means you’ll need to ask your ocean freight services business about transit options. If you choose to have your materials put on a liner vessel, you’ll have to pay a standard fee, and your materials will be on a fixed route with a pre-established schedule. This is helpful when customers need to know when they should expect the goods and is best when you’re shipping materials to businesses or consumers that you work with often. If you have various materials going out at different times to a number of locations, you’ll need a charter vessel, which goes to the locations you specify in the timeframe that you need. With a charter vessel, you also get to select where the goods are loaded and unloaded. It's also a good idea to get ocean freight cargo insurance. This gives you the security of knowing that your materials are covered in case there is a problem with transportation or the shipping schedule is altered in any way. When you have insurance, you’ll be paid if there is a problem with your order that was not your fault. You’ll also be able to offer your customers a money- back guarantee if they don’t receive their products on time, or if the products are damaged when they receive them. Article Source: http://www.thenewsseed.com/getting-the-most-from-ocean-freight-services/