International Shipping & Freight Forwarding Blog

International Freight Shipping Gets the Red Carpet Treatment

Large-scale suppliers and businesses that have large, regular commercial shipments of products ranging from laboratory ware, diagnostics reagents, auto parts and automobiles, paint products, film, film artwork, and media mock-ups, department store goods and accessories, solar panels - just to name a few - demand more intensive logistics services of their international shipping providers than is otherwise provided to individual and small-time consumers.

But it's more than just picking up a shipping container, loading it on the ocean vessel, and watching it ride off into the sunset. There is a complex backbone of networking and special handling applied to each and every one of these shipments based on special requirements warranted by the contents inside and the needs of the businesses.

Freight forwarding has been, and continues to be, the answer that helps the corporate engine run as smooth as possible.

International freight forwarders can rescue you from US import craziness

Are you looking to bring merchandise into the United States from abroad?

You should know that whether the goods are commercial for re-sale or merely personal effects and household goods, you can expect a wide range of costs, and to meet those costs, there are a wide range of services out there to help you.

Being a TSA certified known shipper will help you get the cheapest international shipping rates because it opens many doors and avenues not available to those who aren't.

In response to the events of September 11, 2001, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instated new regulations in order to ensure the safety of domestic and international air flights. The TSA was made responsible for instating these new regulations and programs as well as overseeing all transportation by truck, rail, ocean, and air.

One of the programs the TSA instated is the Known Shipper Management System (KSMS). It is one of TSA’s most important implementations in order to strengthen air cargo security by establishing procedures for air carriers, indirect air carriers, and freight forwarders to distinguish between known and unknown shipping agents that deliver their cargoes for air transport.

What does this mean for securing the cheapest international shipping available? It means when you comply with these regulations, you'll have access to more opportunities that result in lower shipping rates AND better routes.

First of all, international auto shipping is VERY common.

So, you don't need to worry about finding dependable help to get you through this particular specialized shipping need, but there are many ways to dice this apple, so let me walk you through a few scenarios to ensure you're ending up with the best rates available.

What's printed on the bottom line of your shipping fees is never really the bottom line, after all, and the shipping method you choose could have a material impact on the end-of-day costs.

Container shipping rates have more to them than you may think!

A client recently shipped a 40 foot shipper owned container to Madagascar.  She was moving overseas and wanted to keep the container.

Okay, now I know this may seem ridiculous to some, because who wants a shipping container anyway, and how could it possibly be cost effective? How much does a shipping container cost, anyway?

Good questions - I'm glad you asked.

First off, it doesn't matter whether a shipping customer simply wants to rent a shipping line’s container for the duration of the shipping of their cargo, or whether they want to purchase and keep the actual shipping container, either method is proven possible and make sense in their own respective ways.

Here are 5 reasons why buying your shipping container may be the answer for you, even if you're not a manufacturer or international distributor.

Utilizing Warehousing Services Offered by Approved Freight Forwarders will Save You Green & a Whole Lot of Heartburn.

People with long-term, regular international shipping needs should utilize warehousing services offered by approved freight forwarders.  When shipments are constant, you’ll likely need warehouse space to store your cargo all over the planet.

But warehousing can get expensive and rack up quite a few headaches if not handled properly, so here are 7 ways you'll avoid trouble AND save money by bringing in an approved freight forwarder.

Who knew we had so many hazards in our lives?

Hazardous shipments come in a lot of different forms, from the obvious, like chemical compounds and paints to the maybe not-so-obvious like perfumes we spray in our faces and the alcoholic spirits we drink.

If you're shipping an automobile or motorcycle, you MAY avoid calling it hazardous, but only if you follow the strict guidelines, such as draining enough gasoline before packing it up. Do you remember our blog article about specialty shipping services where we touched on the race car we helped ship? They had to separate everything to avoid dealing with one large hazardous sea freight shipment.

Yeah, but what about my Tesla? There's no gasoline in there, so does it qualify? Actually, electric vehicles are most DEFINITELY treated as hazardous cargo because of the self-contained lithium ion batteries.  So, although it may not seem intuitive at first, when you're shipping something overseas, you'll want to ensure you're following the proper guidelines, so you can avoid any unnecessary complications.

Even shipments having only a very small quantity of hazardous contents need to follow the proper regulations.

So, what does this mean for you? Many shipping lines have their own, self-imposed regulations outside of other governing agencies, and if your'e not careful, your shipment could be rejected by the port itself. So, rather than deal with the woes as they happen, here are some things to consider and take care of prior to pulling the trigger.

Cheap International Shipping: What's the bottom line?

Pricing freight shipping, especially when moving items internationally, can be quite frustrating for those who are unfamiliar with the process.

Identifying the bottom line isn't always a straight-line answer, because there are so many variables at play, which is quite contrary to what we experience when mailing smaller packages and letters. When you send a package via priority mail from California to Vermont, there may be questions about whether you're sending perishables or things that could be hazardous in nature, but it doesn't go much beyond that.

When you send a letter, you don't even have to answer questions. You just drop it in the box with the appropriate level of postage based on weight and size, which are standardized and easy to understand, and don't think twice about it.

When we start to scale our shipments, particularly with international freight, however, simplicity goes out the window, and is replaced with a system that sometimes feels overwhelming.

After all, you'll need to provide details that don't always feel intuitive, and although the specialist you hire will help you get your items to their destination, once we start dealing with large containers and international regulations, those details will be the difference between predictability and uncertainty in your final costs. 

So, to help you wrap your arms around the costs associated with your next international freight shipment, here are 4 things you should consider and be prepared to deal with as you begin the process:

SIMPLE is a STATE OF MIND When it Comes to Specialty Freight Services

We had a great opportunity for a complex & interesting shipping project with a client recently, which stuck with me, because it is a true testament to how challenging it can be to move items overseas and across borders. I think a lot of people take it for granted, because at the consumer level, we go to the grocery store to buy our food, the gas station to buy our fuel, and a dealership to buy our cars.

The public doesn't see what goes on to make these modern conveniences... well.. convenient. If you were to flip on the TV and settle on your favorite sport, like car racing, for example, you just get to see fast cars, their famous drivers, and hundreds of thousands of fans watching as they scream around the track.

But how did that car get there? Who shipped it, and why did they choose that particular route?

Our client happened to fit this bill. They were planning on attending a series of races in Europe, and needed freight forwarding services to help them make it happen.

Are you planning on securing specialty freight services to move your items overseas or across borders? Then these considerations are for you!