Cargo container shipping costs vary based on a slew of elements. But these are generally calculated using five factors: the goods’ weight or volume, the kind of transport used, the distance, the port of destination, the time of year the shipment occurred.
Related article: 5 Advantages of Sea Freight Services over Air Freight Services
The Goods’ Weight or Volume
Neither weight nor volume is the exclusive deciding factor on a cargo container shipping’s costs. The cost would largely depend on the type of shipping used. Sea freight rates would depend on goods’ dimensions, while air freight rates would depend on the weight of goods. More goods mean higher shipping costs.
Two major kinds of shipping containers are the 20-foot and the 40-foot.
- A 20-foot container is able to hold items that would typically fit a three-bedroom house. Such contents include a hundred beds, a hundred washing machines, four hundred flat-screen TVs, 200 mattresses, sixty refrigerators, more than forty-thousand bananas, and ten standard pallets
- The volume of a 20ft container is 33 cubic metres, with a usable space of 25-28 cubic meters.
- The space inside a 20ft container is similar to the size of one garage.
- A 40-foot container provides double the space of a 20ft container for the price of one.
- The contents of a four-bedroom house can fit a 40ft container. Such contents include a kitchen with a large refrigerator, a small fridge, kitchen appliances, four chairs, a table, an armchair, a television, twenty-eight medium boxes, a motorbike, four bicycles, a car
- The volume of a 40ft container is 67 cubic metres, with a usable space of 54-58 cubic meters.
The Type of Transport
The kind of transport used will dictate cargo container shipping costs in Canada or anywhere else in the world. Airfreight is faster yet costlier compared to sea freight. The cost of ocean shipping is five times less than air shipping.
Generally, shipping a 20ft container out of the country would cost anywhere from CAD 1,600 to more than CAD 3,200. But the transport mode would not be the only factor that would determine the cost.
- The average cost of sea freight from the UK to Canada is CAD 538.53. Such a rate is based on a port to port shipment of a load that weighs 250 kg and has a worth of CAD 25,000 as of 2018.
- The average cost of air freight from the UK to Canada is CAD 3,100. Such a rate is based on a port to port shipment of a load that weighs 250 kg and has a worth of CAD 25,000 as of 2018.
Shipping by air is faster than by sea. If you want to ship goods from one country to another in a quick way, air transport is the best option. Air shipments take one to three days to arrive. Meanwhile, sea shipments take an average of 32 days to arrive. However, ocean shipments are more environment-friendly than air transport as the former releases less carbon than air shipments.
Related article: Which Is Better: Air Shipping vs Ocean Shipping
The Distance
Besides the mode of transport, the distance the shipment will travel through will similarly factor into the cargo container shipping costs. Shipping to a destination located halfway across the world will cost more than a brief trip to a nearby continent.
Similarly, service charges, customs duties will be included in the cost and will vary from one country to another. Once the shipment has arrived in its target destination, additional taxes and customs duties need to be paid.
The Shipment Season
International shipping has its peak and low seasons. Peak season includes the months of summer anytime from August to September. The months of January and February, specifically after the Chinese New Year, are also included.
During shipping’s peak season, there is more demand and thus, costs are higher. Capacity is also limited. Shipping during this season is best avoided especially if you are on the lookout for low cargo container shipping costs in Canada.
Related article: What Are the Shipping Container Dimensions?
Conclusion
Cargo container shipping costs in Canada are mainly affected by the type of transport selected, as well as other relevant factors previously mentioned. Know your priorities and consider these when making a decision. Your choices would have an effect on either keeping your costs down or increasing them.
