There are various options for transporting goods in Mexico. The mode of transportation is an important aspect that must be evaluated when you plan your shipment (cost, urgency of shipment, value of the goods, and size and weight of the package). Each transportation method has advantages and disadvantages.
When planning your shipment, you must prioritize your needs, understand the process and compare costs. By choosing the right shipping method, you can significantly optimize your cargo flow.
Sea freight is generally suitable for more than 500 kg or for products with a volume of more than 2 cubic meters. However, it is also the most complex mode of transportation and takes a long time.
In China, there are several ports such as Shanghai Port, Ningbo Port, Shenzhen Port, Tianjin Port, Qingdao Port, Xiamen Port and Hong Kong Port from where your cargo can be sent to Mexico.
If your freight forwarder is located in one of these cities, your advantage will be that he will be more familiar with the loading and unloading rules of each port, making it easier to handle your cargo and saving you time.
The largest ports of import in Mexico are the ports of Ensenada, Altamira, Veracruz, La Zaroca de las Naciones, and Manzanillo (the largest port in Mexico).
Sometimes sea freight is the only option, but it is the best choice for bulk shipments. When importing from China, if your total cargo volume does not meet a full container requirement, you can choose full container (FCL) or consolidation (LCL).
In terms of size, there are three types of cube containers: 20 GP, 40 GP and 40 HC. 20 GP containers are designed to carry more weight, such as minerals, metals, machinery, sugar, paper, cement, etc., while 40 GP/HC containers are designed to carry large amounts of cargo rather than heavy cargo, such as furniture, steel pipes, waste paper, cotton, tobacco, etc.
If you do not have enough cargo to fill a 20-foot or 40-foot container (FCL), you should use a consolidation container. This allows importers to ship smaller quantities of cargo that are not large enough to make a full container load a viable option. This means combining your cargo with other shipments to the same destination. Your freight forwarder will need to do more work when combining multiple shipments in one container. LCL freight is calculated in cubic meters (CBM) and charged by volume.
A full container load is when you have a large enough number of shipments to fit them into at least one container. In this case, freight is calculated on a full container basis. Full container shipments will be loaded and sealed by your supplier at origin and then shipped to your final destination.
