When you are shipping from China or any other country there are a number of costs when it comes to containers used, two of the top ones being the port fees and the freight charges. Port fees cover the cost clearing customs at the port when the goods are removed from the ship. What a freight service might charge for their services can vary and it depends on certain factors. Here is a look at what the important factors are with regards to international shipping and its cost.
Before you hire a shipping service
When you are doing international trade there are some important things to think about before you choose a shipping service. Three of the main considerations before you even work out the costs are;
- How fast do you need the shipping from China or elsewhere to arrive?
- What are you shipping, what are their size?
- How far is the distance from one location to its final destination?
Based on these questions you can start to determine the method of shipping that best suits your needs. When you know that, you can then work out some of costs involved. For example, the more affordable option is going to be shipping via a liner vessel. It costs less in part because they have schedules and routes that are fixed. If you go for a charter vessel that will cost a bit more depending on what the market conditions are at the time of shipping.
Find the best shipping service
To get the best service at the most competitive prices you need to find the right shipping service. Here are three things to check or do before you even consider their container shipping cost.
- Look for a company that can handle a range of different sized goods and container sizes and make sure it is an authorized and licensed company.
- Look into their history of customer service, you can look online to see what other clients are saying.
- Collect a few container shipping cost quotes and compare not just based on price but also things like experience, and reviews.
- Look for reliable services, with top reputations in the industry who have proven their efficiency and trustworthiness.
Watch for changes due to currency values
Keep in mind with the container shipping cost that changes in currency values might in some companies affect the cost of the container. Larger shipping services are less likely to have changes but it can happen so it is worth looking into. Also keep in mind that if your goods are moving from several different countries there are even more charges as you handle different fees at each stage. The inexperienced can end up paying more for their overall shipping than they have to.
Summary
You costs with shipping internationally can be kept reasonable when you use a shipping company with experience and understanding of all the regulations they must follow. Spend a little time finding the right one for your needs.
