Shipping goods from one location to another can be costly and when one of those locations is outside the UK and that cost can quickly grow. Getting the right international logistics company on board is important but as well as the right International Logistics Company, you also want some insider tips to help reduce costs.

Plan as early as possible

Having a plan is important but planning as early as possible is something many companies forget.  The later you leave it, the more it costs and the increased chance that you miss deadlines. Dealing with international logistics means planning as early as possible and considering factors such as holidays in the countries you deal with that could affect booking availability and shipping schedules as well.

Only use air freight for emergencies

You may or may not have used air freight before but you might need to consider it as a logistics option.  Air freight is very expensive and is something that ideally should only be used for emergencies.  Most of the time if you work with the right people and plan ahead, you won’t need to consider this option.

Consolidation

The cheapest way to ship is with full container loads (FCL) but if this isn’t possible for your business, then look at consolidation options.  There may be other customers with the logistics company that are shipping to the same region as you and the businesses can consolidate their goods to save both parties money.  If there’s no urgent need for the shipping dates, it can even be worth waiting to ship until these opportunities come up.

Ensure efficient packaging

Goods always need to be protected but efficient packaging can save money and time.  Some companies offer this as a service or offer tips to help you achieve it yourself.  Increasing the efficiency of your packaging not only maximises space but can save you money, especially if you need to use air freight.

Trust your supplier’s best shipping practices

When you work with an international logistics company, part of what you are paying them for is their knowledge and expertise – so make use of it!  They will be able to give you advice if you are shipping to new areas and even ways to improve if you are shipping to repeat areas.  Trust in their best shipping practices to save you money and time.

Consider inland transit options

At the minute there are limits to the options available for ocean transit but when you are back on dry land, more options open up and it is worth considering some of these with your logistics company.

For example, if you offload goods at a port, you can send them via rail, sometimes known as mini land bridge or MLB service.  Or you can opt for full truckload (FTL) service which is faster than rail.  If you don’t have the volume for FTL, you can ship less than a truckload (LTL) consolidate with other goods from other companies.  Dedicated trucks can be used with LTL, but the cost will be higher.

Get the right insurance

We all hate insurance – right up until we need to use it.  And when you are shipping goods, the situation is even more important.  You can work hard to save money and then something unexpected happens.  If you don’t have the right insurance in place, then the efforts are wasted, and the business could be out of pocket in a big way.  Ensure you have the right insurance in place at all times and hope you never need to use it.

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