Category: Modes & routing
Ocean Freight
Also known as: Sea Freight
Definition
The transport of goods by sea, the dominant mode for high-volume international trade.
Ocean freight moves cargo by sea in containers (FCL or LCL), as breakbulk, or in bulk. It is the backbone of global trade, offering by far the lowest cost per tonne over long distances at the expense of longer transit times.
Pricing combines base freight with surcharges such as BAF, CAF, and local terminal charges, and is highly sensitive to capacity, demand, and fuel. Forwarders manage routing, equipment, and free time to optimize cost and reliability.
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