Sea freight to Canada: everything you need to know

Canada is one of the destinations to which LA LUNA shipping® sends the most packages. As experts on the logistics of international shipping, packaging, and sea cargo, Canada is one of the destinations we work with, in addition to the United States. We recently talked about sea shipments to the United States, and now we want to answer any doubts you might have about sea freight to Canada.

In the last few years there have been many people who have opted to look for work in Canada, which has led to numerous packages being sent there. Many of our clients have asked about the possibility of filling out shipments by boat, managing the entire process through LA LUNA shipping. In many cases, the interested parties are looking to send a very large shipment or a set of packages which, because of cost or size, aren't feasible to send on a plane.

Here we intend to clear up any possible doubts you might have regarding the shipment of packages to Canada by sea.

How much does it cost to send a package by sea to Canada?

The Price of a shipment depends on different parameters: the package´s place of origin and destination, its weight and volume, type of transport, or the type of product or material you are thinking of sending. For very large packages, maritime transport is the most economic option, with another option of filling a container thanks to groupage, which can have a very economical result. Every package is unique, and you should consult with us about the package fees.

The cost of a maritime shipment to Canada is the sum of the following parts.

Costs at the package's point of origin

The costs at the origin of the package generate from its starting point until it is loaded on the boat that will transport it, either directly on the boat or at the container terminal at the port.

Freight or shipping fee

The fee for sea cargo, or freight, is the cost of transportation from the port of origin to the port of destination. If you only send one container, the fee will be a fixed function of its size, which can be 20, 40 or 45 feet. If it's a groupage shipment, the fee will be established as a function of cubic meters of volume or by gross tons. Whichever has the higher value will define the fee, and these shipments always have a minimum of one cubic meter or one ton.

Read more: “All about the shipping containers”

The costs of arrival at the destination port in Canada

When a package arrives at its destination port, in this case in Canada, it generates some arrival costs, which include the unloading of the container from the boat, the transfer to the terminal or the deconsolidation warehouse, and the imports customs procedures. There is also a final delivery cost to transport the package from the warehouse or terminal to its final destination.

You should keep in mind that, if the shipment is made by a corporation, the costs are distributed with the agreed incoterm. In an FOB type shipment, the business that sends the shipment assumes the costs of origin and the receiving business assumes the costs of freight and arrival. Since the costs are shared between the business, this type of service is much more economical. But if you are shipping via sea as an individual, this formula won´t serve you since you will be paying the costs of shipping, freight and arrival.

Sea freight to Canada: advantages and disadvantages

If you have to send a very large package, sea freight can be a good solution. But you should keep in mind that “very large” means a shipment with a high weight or volume. In these cases, transport by boat to Canada has the best ratio between quality and price.

The disadvantages to transport by boat to Canada is without a doubt the transport time. Sending a package from Spain to Canada can take less than 48 hours from the package's point of origin to its destination. But by boat the transit times are very different. A shipment from Barcelona to the port in Montreal, the largest in Canada, can take up to 20 days. If your package's destination is, for example, Calgary, you should factor in 3 extra days of car transport to get your package to its final destination

When is it worth it to ship to Canada by boat?

The use of sea freight to send goods or packages to Canada is focused especially on companies and is good for shipments with high volumes. The shipment by sea of cars or computers or other consumer goods in large quantities is totally justified, but is less so in the case of an individual shipment. In these cases, there are rarely exceptions that justify facing the costs of shipment by sea.

At LA LUNA shipping®, we recommend services like Economy Shipping or Global Shipping that ships packages on sea freight. With these, you can get a competitive and economic closed rate with a port to port transport service that includes paperwork and customs in Canada.

And if you have any doubts or wish to receive more information, at LA LUNA shipping, we will be happy to help you with your shipments to Canada. You can contact us at info@laluna.coop or calling to one of our phone numbers.