Air or sea transport: Which time to import?

At the time of import goods to Paraguay click correctly choose among the air transport options available sea transport. On this will depend the success of your project’s failure.

Currently there is a wide range of air, land and sea transport that allows cargo to be carried from anywhere on the planet to Paraguay or the country in which the importer is located.

However, each means of transport has its own characteristics that can be profitable or not to be used depending on the distance, type of merchandise and total weight of the cargo.

On continents such as Europe or North America, there is a wide range of railroads and excellent highways, the possibility of international trade in the most widely used means for air and sea transport.

The time to prepare the logistics to import products to Paraguay the question arises what type of transport should I choose between these?

The final decision cannot be taken lightly, as important aspects such as distance, cost and security must be considered. Furthermore, there are types of goods that cannot be transported together, for safety reasons.

We are going to explain the particularities and advantages of each one so that you can make the most adequate decision for your particular project.

Why choose air transport to import to Paraguay?

The mayor advantage of air transport is without any speed. At certain times a cargo can be carried from one continent to another, which is important when we hail high-value goods that have a very short delivery time.

Another advantage of air transport is its great geographic coverage, thanks to the existence of a huge worldwide network of airports of all sizes and thousands of airlines covering short, medium and wide routes within and across each country .

It also highlights the advantage that today there are planes of different size and winery capacity, adapted to different types of goods.

The speed of the aircraft cannot be surpassed today by any means of land or sea transport.

This is ideal for transporting organic or perishable products, as well as pharmaceutical products (vacuums for example) that are very sensitive to temperature changes and must be delivered before possible to their destination.

Air transport is also recommended if you need to transport, quickly and safely, small products with great economic value, such as jewels, precious stones, handicrafts or works of art.

Why should I not use air transport?

It is important to understand that air transport is not always convenient for importing products to Paraguay. We see some reasons to affirm this.

The cargo capacity of the planes, as well as the volume of the goods that can be placed in their cellars is limited.

Therefore, a large-scale import project could require several flights, increasing considerably the cost per ton mobilized.

Maritime transport: the most economical way to move a large cargo

Sin duda alguna in maritime transport highlights the premise that the greater cantidad, the lower cost.

The capacity of the boats to move thousands of tons of cargo at one time allows to reduce the very cost of any importation operation in Paraguay.

Another advantage of maritime transport is its great versatility, because a single boat can carry a wide variety of cargo.
However, if necessary, there are also ships specially designed for the transport of gaseous, liquid, bulk or container products.

There are also boats specialized in refrigerated cargo and dangerous products that cannot be taken by plane.

For example, it is an ideal medium for the import of large quantities of cosmetic products and medicines that are not sensitive to temperature, which can be carried in a large quantity in a reefer container (refrigerated).

The boat is the best means of transport at the time of importing electronic products, white goods and furniture to the house.

How convenient is it to use sea transport?

Although it is only one of the most used means of transport between countries since there has been trade, maritime transport has not been able to overcome some of its own disadvantages.

Among them we have that it is a slow transport medium in comparison with land or air.

Furthermore, maritime transport is vulnerable to delays due to congestion in the ports, especially in those that function as international nodes for the reception, storage and transshipment of large areas of goods.

Another disadvantage is that they are less friendly with the environment. Large cargo ships consume thousands of tons of fossil fuels on a single ground and may have losses of acceptance and other substances that contaminate the seas.

Finally, the sea transport depends a lot on the connections with land or air transport so that the cargo finishes getting to the importer’s hands.

Criteria for choosing air or sea transport

Once you have seen the advantages and disadvantages of both types of transport, it is important to consider the main criteria that can decide between one and the other when importing products into Paraguay.

• Location: The distance between the origin and destination of the merchandise is the first factor to consider when choosing between a means of transport and another.
• Existing infrastructure: The existence of a number of ports and airports that allow a more direct route possible between the country of origin and Paraguay is another factor that must be considered in order to avoid overruns.
• Operating cost: Before contracting the logistics to import products to Paraguay you should consider the cost of doing it by plane or by boat and if any type of service is required. land transport in origin or destination. This cost can be decisive for the profitability of your operation.

If your operation has a low profit margin, you must avoid the use of air transport and opt for sea or land transport.

• Type of merchandise: Another determining factor when choosing between air and sea transport. In the case of perishable cargo the transit time must be evaluated to avoid problems due to damage to merchandise or reduction of its useful life before being delivered to the destination.

In the case of heavy loads, its volume must be considered in relation to the weight (stay factor). Cargoes with a high coefficient of stave (more volume than weight) are recommended to be carried on the plane, whereas with a low coefficient (more weight than volume) it is recommended to use the boat.

• Value of the merchandise: The air transport is more expensive than the sea, but the cargo is of high value and it is better to use an airplane because the cost will not be determinant in the function of the urgency of Carry the merchandise quickly to destination. Furthermore, the plane offers much more security than any other current means of transport.
• Delivery urgency: Depending on the urgency that the customer has to receive the merchandise, it is possible to choose between a plane (for short periods) or the boat if there is not a very adjusted time limit.

Elige your best transport with Alfa Trading

In conclusion, if your import project to Paraguay involves high value goods that require delivery in the shortest possible time, air transport is your best option.

On the contrary, if you need to import goods in a large volume of much weight, shipping is the most recommendable for you.

As you project, you can count on Alfa Trading S.A experts to provide you with the international logistics service you need for your import to Paraguay.

We are a Paraguayan company with over 28 years of experience in international logistics and we can help you prepare a transport plan for your goods by air, sea, land or intermodal.

We put at your disposal a wide knowledge about international fleets, customs procedures and it related to the handling of all types of cargo imported to Paraguay or for export to any place in the world.

In addition, we offer you global coverage, as we have cargo agents in all ports and airports of the world, ready to assist you in the success of your operation.