What goods can be transported by sea freight?

Sea freight has become an important pillar of global trade due to its large-scale transportation capacity and cost-effectiveness. Firstly, in terms of cargo types, sea freight can carry almost all types of goods, including but not limited to bulk cargo, containerized cargo, liquid cargo, and various special cargo.
Bulk cargo is an important component of maritime transportation, including coal, iron ore, grains, etc. These goods are usually transported in bulk and require specialized loading and unloading equipment for operation. Dry bulk cargo ships are the main types of ships used for transporting such goods, with wide hatch designs that facilitate quick loading and unloading of goods. For example, mineral resources such as coal and iron ore have high demand globally and relatively concentrated production areas, making them very suitable for long-distance transportation by sea. Grains and other agricultural products are also suitable for sea transportation due to their large quantity and light weight.
Container cargo is another major category of sea freight. The popularization of containerized transportation has greatly improved logistics efficiency and reduced transportation costs. Container ships are currently the most common type of vessel in maritime freight transport, capable of loading containers of various standard sizes. These containers can be reused, greatly improving the safety and loading and unloading efficiency of goods. Container transportation is not only suitable for small goods, but also capable of loading large manufacturing equipment such as excavators, cranes, and other heavy equipment. These devices are usually bulky and heavy, and areas that are difficult to access by railway transportation require sea transportation to supplement these essential items. In addition, large-scale restocking in cross-border e-commerce usually chooses sea freight to save funds.
Liquid goods such as petroleum and its products are also important transportation objects for sea freight. Oil tankers are vessels specifically designed for transporting such goods, taking into account the flammable and explosive characteristics of petroleum, and featuring special cabin structures and safety measures. As the core of the global energy market, oil has a huge transportation demand, and sea freight has become the preferred mode of oil transportation due to its low cost and large-scale transportation capacity.
In addition to the conventional goods mentioned above, sea freight can also carry various special goods. Refrigerated ships are specifically designed for transporting goods that require low temperatures, such as frozen foods, medicines, etc. These types of ships are equipped with specialized refrigeration equipment to ensure that the quality of goods is not affected during transportation. Roll on/roll off ships are suitable for transporting large goods such as cars and trailers, and their characteristic is that they can directly drive the vehicles in and out, greatly simplifying the loading and unloading process. Air cushion boats are mainly used for short distance transportation, especially in shallow water areas or special water bodies such as rivers and lakes. They use compressed air to form an air cushion, making the boat float and pass obstacles or travel in shallow water. In addition, there are specialized cargo ships used for transporting special goods such as timber and livestock.
From the perspective of transportation costs, the unit transportation cost of sea freight is relatively low, especially for heavy and bulky goods. This is because sea transportation utilizes vast ocean resources and does not need to be restricted by ground transportation like road or railway transportation. In addition, sea freight services are usually provided by professional shipping companies, which are not only responsible for actual sea transportation, but may also provide comprehensive logistics solutions including cargo loading and unloading, warehousing, customs clearance, freight forwarding, insurance, and door-to-door services. The integration of these services further reduces the cost of sea freight and enhances its competitiveness.
When choosing sea freight, shippers also need to consider multiple factors such as trade relations, destination ports, transportation distance, and the value of the goods. Different shipping routes have different transportation rules and shipping companies, and shippers need to choose the appropriate shipping company and route according to their own needs. At the same time, packaging and stacking of goods are also important factors in ensuring the safety of goods during sea transportation. By using reasonable packaging and stacking methods, the risk of damage to goods during transportation can be effectively reduced.