Sea Freight

Maritime freight transport is a method of international delivery for large shipments that provides the lowest freight cost per unit of goods. Ekol Logistics organizes sea container transportation through leading ports in Europe and Asia with full cargo support, including customs procedures and insurance.

Main Types of Sea Freight

There are two primary types of sea container transportation:

• FCL (Full Container Load) – Transporting cargo in a dedicated container for a single client. This is advantageous for large shipments and ensures direct delivery without delays.
• LCL (Less than Container Load) – Transportation in a consolidated container where space is shared among multiple shippers. This is optimal for smaller batches.

Depending on the type of cargo, various types of sea vessels may be used: container ships, refrigerated ships (reefers), Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) vessels, tankers, and bulk carriers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sea Freight

Key benefits of transporting cargo by sea:

• Lowest rates compared to other modes of transport;
• Ability to transport goods with virtually no weight or volume restrictions;
• Eco-friendliness;
• Ease of integration into multimodal transportation, combining sea with land-based transport.

Transporting goods by sea also has certain drawbacks—primarily a longer delivery period (from 10 to 40 days or more depending on the route) and risks of delays caused by weather conditions, port congestion, or customs issues.

Expert Insight from Ekol Logistics: “The main risk in maritime logistics is the unpredictability of port processing times. Therefore, we recommend building safety buffers into the schedule and utilizing multimodal schemes for ‘last mile’ delivery to offset potential port delays.”

The Process of Organizing Maritime Transport

As an experienced freight forwarder, Ekol Logistics manages international maritime shipping and handles the entire process. For maximum efficiency, the procedure is divided into several sequential stages:

1. Route calculation and carrier selection.
2. Booking space on the vessel.
3. Delivery of cargo to ports and consolidation (if required).
4. Customs clearance procedures.
5. Loading and the actual transit.
6. Unloading at the port of destination.
7. Organization of delivery to the client’s warehouse (often within multimodal schemes).

Costs and Tariffs for Sea Freight

Rates for international maritime freight depend on the container type, load volume, route, ports, weight, nature of the goods, and seasonality. Additional costs include terminal handling charges (THC), documentation, and insurance. Ekol Logistics clients receive a detailed and transparent cost breakdown during the negotiation stage.

Cargo Security During Sea Transit

Ekol Logistics guarantees high standards of cargo protection. Security is achieved through a combination of durable containers, professional lashing/securing, and mandatory marine risk insurance.

Documentation and Customs Procedures

We handle all tasks related to the issuance of Bills of Lading (B/L) and customs support. Furthermore, the use of Free Port zones allows our clients to optimize tax expenses during transit.

Maritime transport with Ekol Logistics is an effective tool for businesses to enter the global market, backed by the support of professional logisticians.

FAQ

What is maritime freight transport and how does it work?

It is a global system for delivering goods using a specialized fleet of vessels.

What are the benefits of sea freight for business?

The primary advantage is the lower cost of delivering a unit of cargo over long distances.

What are the main types of vessels used for sea freight?

The most common are container ships, tankers, reefers, and Ro-Ro vessels.