When it comes to freight shipping, there are a number of factors that can affect the cost of delivery. Fuel prices, geographical location, transport movement, capacity and complexity of delivery, and seasonal trends all play a role in determining the cost of freight shipping. Working with an experienced third-party logistics provider (3PL) can help create opportunities for flexibility and speed, as well as identify areas that could be most efficient and increase speed by optimizing routes. Additionally, the density of your cargo is an important factor to consider when calculating shipping costs.
Fuel prices are a major factor in determining freight rates. When fuel prices drop, shipping costs should drop accordingly. If fuel prices are volatile at the time of shipment, carriers can set their rates higher to protect themselves from sudden increases in fuel prices. This means that when the price of fuel goes up, shipping rates become more expensive.
Carriers can adjust their rates periodically to account for changes in fuel costs, affecting overall transportation expenses. Geographical location is also an important factor in freight rates. As a general rule, the greater the distance between the original pick-up point and the final destination, the higher the shipping cost. However, experienced 3PLs can help design strategies to minimize costs due to distance by adding logistics centers to areas where you deliver most frequently, reducing the number of deliveries to peripheral areas, and holding deliveries until trucks are at full capacity. Transport movement is another factor that affects freight rates. Many shipping services use dimensional weight to calculate the price, which takes into account both the weight and volume of the cargo.
Additionally, freight rates depend on capacity and complexity of delivery. Seasonal trends have a huge impact on freight costs as well; with higher demands come higher costs. The density of your cargo is one of the most important factors that influence freight shipping costs. Density is the weight of the space your shipment occupies and will help determine the type of shipment and overall price. Knowing the density of your cargo will greatly affect your shipping operation; package shipping usually refers to products of smaller sizes or quantities while freight shipping is for items that weigh more than 150 pounds or sometimes a full load shipment. Finally, maritime transport represents around 90 percent of global transport and is preferred because of efficiency, cost competitiveness, and heavy load capacity.
There is also a degree of flexibility in how freight rates are calculated; in some cases, the rates cover shipping, stowage and unloading at the port of arrival but not loading and stowage at the port of origin. In conclusion, there are many factors that affect freight shipping costs including fuel prices, geographical location, transport movement, capacity and complexity of delivery, seasonal trends, and density of cargo. Working with an experienced 3PL can help create opportunities for flexibility and speed while helping you maintain your budget when there are fluctuations in the market.
