| Before the development of air cargo, sea freight | | | | benefit. Not only do sea-borne shipping vessels use |
| was the primary means of international goods transit. | | | | remarkably less fuel than aircraft, but also a good |
| The birth and growth of air cargo was a major | | | | deal less than trucks and lorries. Many providers of |
| development for world trade and opened the door | | | | short sea shipping aim to use the rail network for |
| to considerably higher levels of import and export for | | | | land based transit, once again lowering emissions. The |
| many nations. In the light of recent concerns about | | | | resulting reduction in carbon footprint helps clients to |
| the environmental sustainability of air transport | | | | adhere to sustainability commitments and push |
| however, the justifiability of our current reliance on | | | | towards carbon neutral operation. |
| this mode of cargo movement is in question. The | | | | Speed |
| same concerns also apply to the proliferation of road | | | | Despite the seemingly meandering pace of short sea |
| based haulage and it's sustainability. It may well | | | | shipping vessels in comparison to aircraft and trucks, |
| therefore be time to reconsider the merits of sea | | | | due to the streamlined port procedures, low traffic |
| freight in certain circumstances: notably for the | | | | and absence of road-works etc, it can regularly turn |
| transit of goods within Europe: | | | | out to be the fastest means of shipping goods from |
| Cost | | | | A to B. Although air freight is obviously considerably |
| Given the lower fuel consumption associated with sea | | | | faster in terms of the bulk of the journey, the time |
| freight in comparison to it's air and land based | | | | that containers and pallets spend being processed |
| counterparts: the overall cost is generally lower. Allied | | | | and then loaded on to trucks soon mounts up and |
| with the higher capacity of short sea shipping | | | | renders this considerably more costly method no |
| vessels, the result is a lower cost to the customer | | | | quicker overall than the more affordable and |
| when opting for sea freight. As short sea shipping is | | | | eco-friendly sea freight option. |
| a 'door to door' service, all quoted costs are inclusive | | | | Providing a speedy, low-cost, environmentally aware |
| of transfers, making it not only more economical but | | | | service: sea freight is not only historically important |
| also much simpler to action. | | | | but as relevant today as it ever was. Its versatility |
| Environmental Repercussions | | | | and tremendous application for transit between the |
| In addition to the cost reducing benefits of sea | | | | UK and mainland Europe, makes it something that all |
| shipping's low fuel consumption, this lower level of | | | | companies associated with import and export should |
| fossil fuel combustion has a noticeable environmental | | | | bear in mind ahead of the alternatives. |