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Understanding Freight Rates
Freight rates show the cost to move cargo. Several factors determine the final price. What kind of goods are being shipped matters. Some items might need special handling or take up more space. The method of transport, whether by ship, plane, or truck, is crucial. Additionally, the cargo's size and weight, termed dimensional weight, are also important.And of course, the distance to where the cargo is going affects the price.
Shipping from US to UK
FCL means your stuff takes up a whole container. It can be 20 or 40 feet long. For large shipments, FCL is a smart choice.It'll save you both time and money. The price for FCL is a set amount. It doesn't matter whether you stuff your container to the brim or not. You pay the same flat rate.
LCL is when your items don't take up a whole container. Instead, they'll be sent together with other people's boxes or pallets. Keep in mind that with LCL shipping, your goods have to be grouped together at the starting port and then separated again at the port where they're going.
If you're not sure which shipping mode suits your shipment best, try our air vs. ocean comparison calculator. It'll give you a hand in making the right choice.
How long will it take to ship from the US to the UK?
The time it takes for your shipment to reach the UK from the US depends on several things. Where you're shipping from and to in the two countries matters. Also, the size of your shipment plays a part. And the season can have an effect too. The transit times can vary. Freight might get delayed due to market changes, bad weather, or other events.
Here's a simple table for estimated transit times for different shipping modes from the US to the UK:
Shipping Mode | Estimated Transit Time |
Air Freight | 1 - 3 days |
Ocean Freight (Full Container Load) | 10 - 14 days |
Ocean Freight (Less than Container Load) | 12 - 16 days |
These are just rough estimates. Actual time may vary due to the factors mentioned.
Need to figure out the cost of shipping? Please contact us online and we can provide you with real-time ocean, air and truck freight rates.
Just reach out to us online. We will provide you with relevant data using our manually calculated shipping rate database. And if you sign up with JMD, you can easily compare, book, and manage all your upcoming shipments in one place.
For shippers from the US to the UK, the coronavirus has really messed things up for shippers going from the US to the UK. It's caused big holdups in both making things and shipping them.
Even though production is now okay again, COVID-19 is still causing problems. There's a huge need for containers, and there are delays at ports and in warehouses.
Plus, when new waves of the virus come, limits on air travel can cut down the amount of stuff that can be shipped by air a lot. This makes space scarce and prices change a lot.
To find out the newest things in international freight, check out the JMD updates page.
When you’re shipping from the US to the UK, there are several good routes to consider.
JMD has shipping prices for all these paths around the world. It can give you the latest rates for FCL (Full Container Load), LCL (Less than Container Load), and air shipping from the US to the UK.
The top three popular shipping routes are:
Sending goods from Los Angeles, California to London.
Shipping from New York, New York to Felixstowe.
Transporting from Orlando, Florida to London.
You can get a price idea from the world's biggest collection of freight rates. Then, contact JMD to look at, reserve, and handle your future shipments easily.
When it comes to shipping, cost is often the top factor to think about.
Shipping Small Items
For small things, like a sample of a new item you're importing, regular freight shipping might not be the best choice. It'll cost you more and take longer.
Regular Postal Service
This can be a good option for light and small items. For example, the post office might ship a small jewelry piece or a thin book cheaply. But you need to be aware that the heavier the item is, the more likely it is that a courier service could be a better deal. While the post is usually cheap, it can also mean a long wait for your package to arrive.
Express Shipping from the US to the UK
Using a courier like FedEx, DHL, UPS, or TNT is usually faster and more reliable than regular mail. For packages or small shipments up to 200 kg, express freight can be the cheapest option at about $4 per kilo. However, be cautious. Some couriers might charge a very high price if you're not a regular or registered customer. So, it's wise to check and compare courier rates with the postal service. Then, you can choose the best way to send your small shipment.
For shipments of 150 to 500 kg, standard air freight is usually cheapest.
If the actual weight of the goods is less than the volumetric weight, the chargeable weight will be calculated based on the volumetric weight.For example, a box full of feathers might be charged as if it were heavier because of its size.
Air freight is also the quickest option for the price, although express air freight is a bit pricier.
Freight rates can differ a lot among freight forwarders and they change often. So, it's smart to compare prices.
For larger shipments and certain origin/destination combinations, LCL ocean freight could be cheaper than air freight. So, it's worth looking into.
When a shipment is over about 300 kg, sea freight becomes the least expensive option. Ocean freight has great economies of scale.
Some large ships can carry a large number of containers. There is a more expensive service called expedited freight. It is more expensive than regular ocean freight. Ocean freight rates vary by freight forwarder and transit time, and are affected by seasonality and regional conditions.
So, it's important to shop around. You can even get in touch with us. JMD give you quick any shipping cost.
If the cargo is large, for example, more than 1CBM or more than 300KG, sea freight is usually cheaper. Ocean freight carries large cargo, like ships with 20,000 containers. However, since summer 2020, these prices have risen. So, it's not as cheap as pre-pandemic times. Similar to air freight, ocean rates vary by forwarder and time. Thus, it's crucial to compare before choosing a forwarder.
Start comparing now.Use contact us now. It provides quick estimates for air and sea shipping costs.
Every shipping method has its own mix of basic and changing costs. For smaller shipments, the ones with a lower starting cost are better. For larger shipments, a method with a high starting cost may be cheaper. If its cost for each extra kilo is low, it can end up cheaper. It's like buying in bulk. Sometimes, you pay more at first for a big package, but when you look at the cost per item, it's actually less. The same idea applies to shipping. Air freight has a higher base cost. But, for larger shipments, its cost per kilo might be lower than sea freight. So, it could be the cheaper option.
In normal situations, regular post takes 1 to 2 weeks. Air express freight takes about 3 days. Air freight takes around 8 to 10 days. Ocean freight takes 30 to 40 days. However, various factors, especially in the current market, can impact these estimates. It's advisable to consult your logistics provider. Given the current circumstances, anticipate potential delays.
Sending stuff from the US to the UK via surface mail is really slow. Airmail and express mail are faster and more affordable, cutting down the transit time a lot. If there are issues with the paperwork, customs will delay releasing the parcels.
If you choose to use international express delivery, you should ask the supplier to ship to the address specified by the freight forwarder in advance, because it takes time to prepare the order.In cases where speed is of the utmost importance, there are pricier premium courier services available that can potentially deliver the package overnight.
Typically, when it comes to standard air freight from the US to the UK, it usually requires about 8 to 10 days. It's not because the planes themselves are slow. The reason is that the procedures and operations involved in standard air freight are more elaborate and involved compared to those of express freight.
Sea freight from the US to the UK for a door-to-door shipment takes at least 30 to 40 days. It's the slowest shipping method. This is due to the fact that ships travel at a significantly lower speed than planes.
In addition,Ocean freight usually travels at a lower speed, which saves the shipping company fuel costs.By doing this, they can cut down on costs. This slower pace naturally adds to the overall shipping time.
Also, sea transportation is greatly affected by weather factors, port congestion, and terminal congestion, which affects the delivery time. Port congestion means too many ships are waiting to dock. Customs delays can occur if there are problems with paperwork or inspections. Bad weather includes storms and high winds. These factors can cause major delays in delivering goods.
When you're shipping from the US to the UK, cost and speed surely matter. But there are also other essential details and distinctions among different shipping modes that you need to pay attention to.
For shipping small sample packages, the regular postal service can be a cost-effective option. It allows you to send these small parcels without breaking the bank.
New importers might find it beneficial to use this mode to directly send items from the factory to the customer. This is similar to drop shipping. You can get this process up and running quite fast.
It also avoids the cost of a warehouse and its setup.
However, as your business grows and sales volumes increase, you'll need to think again about your shipping approach. From a cost standpoint, the regular post that was suitable for small quantities might not be the best choice anymore when you have more items to ship. You'll likely need to explore other shipping methods that can handle larger volumes more efficiently and cost-effectively.
FedEx and UPS, the two prominent US domestic couriers, are frequently chosen for deliveries between the US and the UK. Additionally, other significant international couriers such as DHL and TNT also offer services in the UK.
Similar to sending personal mail, the procedure is straightforward. You can easily find the rates on the internet, eliminating the need for a formal quotation. And, like other shipping options, most courier companies offer air express shipping services.
Importers who intend to purchase large amounts of stock and utilize sea or air freight should nevertheless arrange a trial shipment via courier before finalizing a major contract with a supplier. This allows them to test the market for product sales and aids in estimating profitability. The cost of this trial shipment serves as an upper limit for the continuous freight costs they can expect to incur.
As the size of a shipment grows, the shipping process becomes more complicated. Securing space in a plane's cargo hold is tougher than with typical courier services. Shipments are first taken to a facility to be combined with others.
Bear in mind that there are limits on what can be shipped. Dangerous goods for transport are defined and restricted by: international and national rules and carrier rules
For more details on shipping hazardous materials, reach out to JMD.
Ocean freight commonly involves full containers. If you can't fill a 20' or 40' container (FCL), ship a Less-than-Container Load (LCL). It's a good option.
In LCL, multiple shipments are grouped and loaded into one container.This requires more effort from the freight forwarder. Before the main journey, they must combine different shipments into the container. Then, they must separate them at the destination.
Tracking a shipment in an LCL container is harder than in an FCL container. LCL requires more files than FCL, so the operation will be more complicated
For larger LCL shipments, it might be better to switch to a 20-foot FCL container. The point at which this becomes more beneficial is usually around 15 cubic meters. FCL has three significant advantages over LCL:
Firstly, FCL shipments are delivered faster than LCL. For shipments between the US and the UK, LCL usually takes an extra one or two weeks.
Secondly, there's less likelihood of damage, misplacement, and loss with FCL.
Finally, FCL is cheaper. For an average shipment, the cost per cubic meter is key. For LCL, the main transit cost is often twice that of FCL.
For air or ocean freight, choose a freight forwarder with a good reputation. They should offer a competitive price when you seek freight quotes. This will boost your confidence in the shipping service's quality and reliability.
Finding a suitable freight forwarder can not only save you transportation costs, but also solve many problems for you. In fact, when looking for a freight forwarder, there is usually an important step. Before finalizing an agreement with your supplier, know how to choose the right incoterms. This knowledge is crucial. It sets the responsibilities and costs of the shipment. These can significantly impact your logistics and business operations.
Take a little more time to ensure all the documentation is full and correct. This small investment of time can save you a lot of trouble later. Also, keep a reference for freight charges handy. Don't just accept every additional charge and fee without understanding what they are for. This way, you can better manage your shipping costs and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Advance Booking for Sea Freight
Sea shipping is cost-effective yet time-consuming. Reserve early to save money and reduce delay-related stress.
Opt for Off-Peak Shipping
During busy periods, carriers hike prices and transit slows. Ship during off-peak times if possible.
Ensure Proper Documentation
Accurate paperwork speeds customs clearance. Have all documents in proper order.
Understand HS Codes
Customs fees impact costs. Research HS Codes for better budgeting.
Compare Provider Quotes
Quotes differ. Examine offers from various providers before deciding.
Know Quote Inclusions
Verify if it's port to port or door to door and what services are covered to avoid surprise fees.
