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4 Terms To Know When Shipping International Freight

Working with an experienced logistics company, such as a 3PL, helps companies more easily manage an efficient shipping operation. However, a business owner should still learn some of the essential shipping industry terms before sending goods overseas. Doing so makes it easier to avoid miscommunications when shipping goods to customers, one of the most important branches of your operation.

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Matthew Meskin

· Updated · 2 min read

Written in 2023. Rates and rules change; call for today's numbers.

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Read these terms to know when shipping international freight so that you can clearly communicate with your logistics professionals.

Expedited

Expedited shipping is when a company ships items at an unusually quick rate. Sometimes, a shipment isn’t time-sensitive. However, some goods need to reach their destination within a few days, and that’s where expedited shipping comes in handy. Even when shipping freight overseas, a company can still expedite to ensure the quickest delivery time possible.

HazMat

One of the essential terms to know when shipping international freight is HazMat due to the role it plays in safe freight delivery. HazMat translates to “hazardous material.” You’ll have to label flammable, toxic, or otherwise dangerous materials as HazMat to keep the carrier handling the materials safe. After identifying a HazMat order, the carrier can carefully handle the materials to avoid accidents.

Maritime

If you’re not used to transporting cargo via sea, you may not know what maritime refers to in this industry. Maritime means transporting items via sea, specifically by loading the cargo onto a boat. Although it’s typically not as efficient as air travel, maritime freight transportation remains a reliable solution for many companies.

Overage

The final term to learn today is overage, which refers to how much cargo reaches its destination. More specifically, overage means there’s too much cargo in a delivery. Mistakes can happen in shipping, but proper logistics management ensures you can avoid accidental overages and more simple slip-ups.

Whether you’re seeking DHL international freight or another way of moving cargo overseas, you can do it today now that you have a firmer grasp on some of the industry’s most important terms.

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