Ocean Transport
As one of the world's largest container shipping companies, we move 12 million containers every year and deliver to every corner of the globe.
What is Ocean freight?
Ocean freight shipping is the method of transporting containerised cargo loaded onto vessels by ocean. Over 90% of all the world’s trade is carried by ocean transportation. If you want to ship your freight around the world, ocean transport is the most convenient option.
As a general rule, shipments weighing more than 100kg – or consisting of multiple cartons – will be sent by ocean transport. The containers are designed and built for intermodal freight transport. That means the containers can be used across various transportation modes – from ship to rail to truck – without unloading and reloading the cargo from the container.
East-West Network
Learn more about our East-West Network, an innovative network powered by leaner loops with fewer port calls per service, an extensive shuttle network, and industry-leading hubs.
With the Maersk East-West Network, our ambition is to deliver a flexible and well-connected ocean network that aims to provide unmatched and industry-leading reliability above 90 percent (as measured by SeaIntel) when the new network is fully phased in.
Benefits and disadvantages of ocean freight shipping
There are numerous benefits and disadvantages when shipping ocean freight. We want to be transparent about both, so you know whether this is the best option for you.
The benefits of ocean transportation include:
- Cost-effective transport method compared to other modes (e.g. air freight) over long distances
- Produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than other shipping modes (e.g. air freight)
The disadvantages of ocean transportation include:
- Longer transit time than air freight, which means you have to wait longer for your goods to arrive
- When shipping smaller amounts of goods, the price is not sustainable
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