Air Freight vs. Sea Freight: Which is Best for Shipping from India to the Abroad?

If you ship goods from India abroad frequently, you must have pondered over this classic question: Which is the best mode of shipping for sending products abroad? Air freight or sea freight?

This question doesn't have a definite answer, as there are multiple facets to you. However, everyone agrees that it's important to figure out which is the best mode for shipping from India to abroad, as finding the answer helps in balancing costs, saving time, and becoming more efficient.

What makes it challenging to answer this question is the fact that both air freight and sea freight have their own pros and cons. Then how do we solve this dilemma? If you too are troubled by this question, then worry no more.

In this blog, we offer a comprehensive good to help you understand which method is the best for your shipping requirements. So let's dive in and explore the world of logistics.

Let us analyze the features of both air and sea freight based on various important parameters for courier service providers.

Key Considerations For Shipping Faral Overseas

1. Speed

Everyone wants their parcel to reach the destination at the earliest. Hence, logistics companies across the world are burning the midnight oil to deliver shipments in less time.

When it comes to speed, the supremacy of air freight is unmatched. Air freight is the fastest mode of transport. Period. The difference air freight offers in terms of speed is jaw-dropping. For example, a package from Mumbai to New York takes one to three days if shipped by air, while the same package will reach New York from Mumbai in 20 to 30 days when sent by sea freight .

So if your shipments need urgent delivery then opt for air freight. Time-sensitive goods like pharmaceuticals, electronics, or perishable items should be shipped through air freight.

2. Costs

Moving ahead with the first point about 'speed', here is an interesting statistic provided by Boeing: In 2023, air freight accounted for 35% of India’s export value despite handling only 1% of total cargo volume.

These numbers underline the 'cost' factor when it comes to air freight. Although air freight offers speed, it makes shipping expensive. So if you want to send goods at cheap rates abroad, then opt for sea freight.

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3. Capacity and Flexibility

Aeroplanes are fast but have limited capacity and aren't flexible. Sea freight, on the other hand, is simply designed to handle volume. Sea freight is the best when you are sending goods in bulk or in large quantities.

Similarly, if you are sending industrial machinery or heavy equipment, it's almost impossible to ignore the flexibility and the space offered by sea freight. For example, Indian seaports handled over 1.4 billion metric tons of cargo in 2023.

This advantage makes sea freight extremely popular, and that probably explains why sea freight handles 90% of India's export volume. Sea freight is effective when you are shipping textiles, machinery, and agricultural products abroad.

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4. Environmental Impact

Environmental awareness is at its peak in current times. Customers now demand not only quality products but also products that have minimal environmental impact. This means businesses have to be extremely cautious about the environmental impact they create.

The transportation of goods plays a significant role in sustainability considerations. If you too are considering this factor, then opt for sea freight, as it is a greener option. Both sea and air freight affect the environment. But sea freight is more sustainable between the two.

So if you are looking to cater to environmentally conscious markets, then sea freight is your best buddy.

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5. Reliability

If predictability is the metric, then air freight wins the race. Port delays, weather issues, and congestion can play a role in delaying the shipments in sea freight. On the other hand, air freight is more reliable and is often on time.

So if you cannot risk delays and on-time delivery is paramount, then use air freight services. You can opt for sea freight if there is buffer time available and slight delays can be accommodated.

The above metrics make it clear the advantages and disadvantages of air freight and sea freight.

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When to choose air freight?

• To send time-sensitive goods: Medicines, urgent documents
• High-value items: Gems, luxury goods, electronics
• Smaller shipments: Small cargo below 500 kg

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When to choose sea freight?

• Bulk or heavy cargo: Industrial goods, textiles
• Cost-sensitive goods: furniture, raw materials
• Eco-conscious goods: Products that need lower carbon footprints

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Use Atlantic to avail air and sea freight services:

If you have stayed here, then you must have understood that both sea and air freight services bring their benefits to the table. Hence, they should be used as per your shipping requirement.

So, connect with Atlantic International Express and experience the best air freight and sea freight services. We offer affordable global shipping solutions to meet your evolving requirements. We use the latest technologies and techniques and have a global network spanning 180+ countries. All these factors make us a reliable courier service partner for your business.

So wait no more and connect with us now.

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