Logistics
How to choose a shipping method
Road, rail, sea and air: how they differ and when each makes sense.
Проверено
There is no single right route — only the one that fits a particular batch. The choice comes down to three quantities: how fast you need the goods, how much they weigh and occupy, and how much the cargo itself is worth.
How they compare
- 1Road — the fastest overland option, flexible on departure dates, dearer. Good for small urgent batches.
- 2Rail — a compromise on price and time, convenient for regular mid-volume shipments.
- 3Sea — the cheapest per unit of volume and the slowest. Worth it from a container-load or close to it.
- 4Air — the fastest and dearest, justified for light, high-value goods or when missing a deadline costs more than the freight.
Worth knowingFreight is charged on the greater of two figures — actual weight or volumetric weight. Light but bulky goods are billed by volume, and “it only weighs two hundred kilos” means nothing here.
Consolidation is a question of its own. If goods come from several suppliers, gathering them in one warehouse and sending a single consignment is almost always cheaper than three shipments — and it is also the only moment when the whole batch can be inspected before it leaves.
CarefulTransit time and total delivery time are different numbers. To the carriage you must add assembling the batch, paperwork, customs procedures and delivery from the terminal. Plan your sales against the second figure.