Currently, China is the world’s leading exporter of manufactured goods including consumer electronics, textiles, and construction materials, as reported by Statista. At the same time, China is one of America’s largest trading partners. For instance, in 2019 alone, China exported goods worth $452.24 billion to the US. This shows just how lucrative the trade is between China and the US. While there are different methods of shipping products from China to the US, the best method depends on several factors. Here is a look at four factors to consider when shipping from China to US.
Product Type
Because of safety concerns and the regulations involving some products, some suppliers prefer shipping by sea. For instance, strong magnets are some of the goods considered too dangerous for air shipment. This is because the strong magnetic field that exists around magnets can affect the operation of the aircraft and lead to technical failure. On the other hand, while lithium-ion batteries are a bit safer for shipment by air, the regulations behind them are difficult for most suppliers to fulfill, as per the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Size and Weight of Load
A typical plane only has about 45,000 pounds worth of space for passengers, cargo, and crew, as per the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. This means that if you’re shipping heavy machinery such as bulldozers, you should consider using the sea or use a specialized aircraft. Typically, smaller items, say, those less than one cubic meter in size, are ideal for air transport.
Shipping Charges
Depending on your budget, you can use either airfreight or sea freight. More specifically, if you’re on a limited budget, sea freight would be the ideal option because it typically tends to be less expensive than airfreight. Take note that most shipping companies will require you to have shipping insurance. This insurance policy basically caters to damages in case the shipment experiences problems such as theft or vandalism along the way.
Urgency
Generally, shipping by air is ideal for goods that need urgent delivery such as perishable goods. Even so, you can choose to ship your products by air provided you need them to reach the US urgently, and that’s where air transport comes in handy. However, in case you aren’t in a hurry to ship the goods, sea transport will work just fine.
Conclusion
When shipping goods shipping from China to US, you should consider these four factors. Overall, airfreight remains the fastest and most convenient method of shipping goods between China and the US.
