Sea freight, also known as ocean freight, is the transportation of commercial cargo by sea between domestic or international ports. Cargo can move in a dedicated container as Full Container Load (FCL), share container space through Less than Container Load (LCL), or require specialist equipment for oversized and project shipments.

Sea freight is widely used by businesses moving larger volumes of goods across international supply chains where cost, capacity and inventory planning are key considerations.

An ocean freight forwarder coordinates the movement of goods by sea between origin and destination. This can include selecting carriers and routes, arranging bookings, coordinating documentation and customs requirements, managing origin and destination handling, and arranging onward transport.

Woodland combines ocean freight forwarding with wider customs, warehousing and distribution capabilities, allowing multiple stages of an international shipment to be managed through one connected network.

Sea freight and ocean freight generally describe the same mode of transport: moving commercial cargo by ship.

Both terms cover services such as FCL, LCL, buyer consolidation and specialist ocean cargo. The terminology used can vary between markets and businesses, but there is no fundamental difference between the two modes.

FCL gives one shipper use of a container for their cargo, while LCL combines compatible shipments from multiple businesses into the same container.

The right option depends on factors including shipment volume, frequency, cargo requirements, cost and required transit time. Woodland can assess both options against your requirements rather than assuming one approach will always be more economical.

Buyer consolidation combines cargo from multiple suppliers at origin before it is shipped to destination.

Instead of each supplier arranging a separate international shipment, goods can be brought together according to an agreed consolidation plan. This can improve container utilisation, reduce shipment fragmentation and give the buyer greater control over the inbound supply chain.

Sea freight transit times vary significantly according to origin, destination, carrier, routing and whether the ocean freight service is direct or includes transhipment.

Sailing schedules can also change due to port congestion, adverse weather, operational disruption and changes across carrier networks. Woodland's teams assess available services when planning each shipment and provide current schedule information, while communicating changes where they occur.

Estimated departure and arrival dates are affected by factors throughout the carrier network, including port congestion, adverse weather, operational disruption and changes to vessel routings.

Cargo readiness at origin is another important factor. If a supplier's Cargo Ready Date changes, the planned sailing may no longer be achievable. Accurate and early communication between suppliers, customers and freight teams therefore plays an important role in shipment planning.

Woodland has experience handling regulated cargo, including lithium battery-powered and lithium battery-containing products.

Acceptance depends on the commodity, carrier and shipment requirements. Dangerous goods may require carrier pre-approval, specific rate filings and supporting documentation such as a current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Our teams work with customers and carriers to establish the applicable requirements before shipment.

Yes. Alongside containerised FCL and LCL sea freight, Woodland can support project and out-of-gauge cargo where shipments require specialist equipment, routing or handling.

Requirements are assessed around the individual cargo so the appropriate carrier, equipment and operational plan can be established.

Woodland's sea freight network connects major ports across Asia, Europe, North America and other international trade lanes, working with multiple ocean carriers to provide flexible routing options.

Key gateways include Southampton, Felixstowe and London Gateway in the UK; Rotterdam and Hamburg in Europe; and New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles/Long Beach and Savannah in the USA.

The most appropriate port depends on the origin, destination, carrier service, cargo requirements and current operating conditions.

Woodland combines international ocean freight with customs, warehousing and onward distribution capabilities, allowing multiple stages of the journey to be coordinated through one logistics partner.

For UK LCL imports in particular, Woodland's own warehouse facilities provide greater control over deconsolidation, customs processes, inventory management and onward distribution throughout the UK and Ireland.

Woodland's sea freight services include Full Container Load (FCL), Less than Container Load (LCL), buyer consolidation and project and out-of-gauge cargo.

These ocean freight services are supported by international carrier relationships and wider customs, warehousing and distribution capabilities, allowing the solution to be built around the requirements of the wider supply chain.