Why Choose Go Express Courier for Ocean Freight?
| Challenge | How We Handle It |
|---|
| Unstable freight rates | Long-term carrier agreements with fixed pricing for returning customers |
| Congested ports | Live port intelligence and alternate routing, such as diverting to less crowded ports |
| Missing paperwork | A full document check before the vessel departs |
| Demurrage and detention charges | Early alerts and container tracking so empties go back on time |
| Cargo damage | Sealed containers, GPS shock sensors, and insurance options |
We do more than book a container. We manage your ocean shipment from the first booking to final delivery.
Ocean Services We Offer
1. FCL (Full Container Load)
Best for: Large shipments that fill most or all of a standard container.
How it works:
- The container is reserved for your cargo alone
- Loading happens at your warehouse or our origin depot
- The container is sealed and tracked as one unit
- It is unpacked at the destination
Benefits:
- Lower cost per unit on high-volume freight
- Quicker port handling, since the container moves as a single piece
- Less chance of damage or loss
- Door-to-door or port-to-port delivery
Container sizes:
| Type | Interior (L x W x H) | Max Payload | Ideal For |
|---|
| 20ft Standard | 5.9m x 2.35m x 2.39m (19'4" x 7'9" x 7'10") | 28,000 kg (61,700 lbs) | Heavy, dense goods such as machinery, pallets, and drums |
| 40ft Standard | 12.03m x 2.35m x 2.39m (39'6" x 7'9" x 7'10") | 26,000 kg (57,300 lbs) | Bulky goods such as furniture, e-commerce, and retail |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.03m x 2.35m x 2.69m (39'6" x 7'9" x 8'10") | 26,000 kg (57,300 lbs) | Tall or lightweight cargo such as mattresses or taller machinery |
| 45ft High Cube | 13.56m x 2.35m x 2.69m (44'6" x 7'9" x 8'10") | 25,000 kg (55,100 lbs) | Maximum volume, though few carriers offer it |
Sample transit times:
- Shanghai to Los Angeles: 18–22 days
- Ho Chi Minh City to Rotterdam: 30–38 days
- New York to Southampton: 12–16 days
- Mumbai to Jebel Ali: 8–12 days
2. LCL (Less than Container Load)
Best for: Shipments under 15 cubic meters (CBM) that don't need a whole container.
How it works:
- Your goods share a container with other shippers' cargo
- Everything is consolidated at the origin Container Freight Station (CFS)
- It is separated again at the destination CFS
- You pay only for the space you use
Benefits:
- Cheaper for small loads
- Well suited to samples, small orders, or testing a new market
- No minimum volume, starting from 1 CBM
Drawbacks:
- Slower, because of extra handling at both CFS locations
- Higher damage risk from repeated loading and unloading
- A higher per-CBM price than FCL once you pass 15 CBM
What determines LCL pricing:
- Chargeable weight, which is the greater of actual or dimensional weight
- Origin CFS handling fees
- Destination CFS deconsolidation fees
- Bill of Lading issuance fee
When LCL makes sense: Loads under 10 pallets or 15 CBM. Beyond that, FCL costs less and is safer.
Transit time: About the same as FCL, plus 3–7 days for consolidation and deconsolidation.
3. Reefer (Refrigerated Containers)
Best for: Cargo that needs steady temperature control the whole way.
How it works:
- Containers have built-in refrigeration units
- They connect to ship power, or to a generator on the chassis for road legs
- Data loggers monitor temperature in real time
- Alerts fire if the temperature leaves the set range
Common temperature ranges:
| Cargo | Range | Humidity Control? |
|---|
| Fresh produce (bananas, avocados, berries) | +2°C to +13°C (36°F–55°F) | Yes, via ventilation |
| Frozen meat, seafood, ice cream | -18°C to -20°C (0°F to -4°F) | No |
| Dairy (cheese, butter, yogurt) | +2°C to +8°C (36°F–46°F) | No |
| Pharmaceuticals (vaccines, insulin) | +2°C to +8°C (36°F–46°F) | Yes, with tight ±1°C tolerance |
| Flowers and plants | +1°C to +4°C (34°F–39°F) | Yes, high humidity |
| Wine and beverages | +10°C to +18°C (50°F–64°F) | No, but vibration should be avoided |
| Chocolate | +12°C to +18°C (54°F–64°F) | Yes, dry |
What we offer:
- 20ft and 40ft reefers from all major ports
- Pre-trip inspection (PTI) reports before loading
- Backup generator rental for inland legs without ship power
- GDP-compliant handling for pharmaceuticals
Transit time: Same as standard FCL, plus 1–2 days for the origin PTI.
Cost: Reefers run 30–50% above dry containers because of equipment and power charges.
4. Open Top and Flat Rack Containers
Best for: Oversized, heavy, or awkwardly shaped cargo that won't fit a standard container.
Open top:
- Removable canvas or steel roof
- Loaded by crane from above
- Suits cargo taller than a standard container, such as machinery, timber, and large pipes
Flat rack:
- No sides or roof, just a platform with collapsible ends
- Can be loaded from above, the sides, or the ends
- Suits very wide, tall, or long items such as turbines, vehicles, and rebar
Typical cargo:
- Industrial machinery and presses
- Construction equipment such as excavators and bulldozers (without tracks)
- Large pipes, beams, and structural steel
- Boats and small vessels up to 40ft
- Heavy vehicles such as forklifts and tractors
Securing: Chains, nylon straps, steel lashings, and wooden blocking and bracing, all inspected and certified by cargo surveyors.
Transit time: Standard FCL plus 2–5 days to source the special equipment.
Cost: 20–40% above standard container rates, plus dunnage and lashing fees.
5. Breakbulk Shipping
Best for: Project cargo, industrial equipment, or raw materials too large for any container, flat rack included.
How it works:
- Items are loaded one by one into the vessel's holds instead of containers
- They are fastened directly to the ship's structure
- Often handled by heavy-lift vessels with onboard cranes
Typical breakbulk cargo:
- Transformers and generators over 100 tons
- Wind turbine blades, towers, and nacelles
- Locomotives and rail cars
- Large industrial boilers and pressure vessels
- Steel coils, plates, and rods too heavy for containers
Equipment:
- Conventional vessels with cranes of up to 500 tons
- Heavy-lift vessels with cranes of 1,000+ tons
- Barges for rivers and shallow-draft ports
Transit time: 15–60 days, depending on vessel schedules and port berthing windows.
Cost: High, but unavoidable for cargo that can't be containerized. Priced per piece rather than per container.
6. Project Cargo (Combined Ocean and Logistics)
Best for: Complex, high-value, multi-piece industrial projects that need engineering, route surveys, and coordinated logistics.
Examples:
- Equipping an entire overseas factory with machinery, piping, and electrical gear
- Building a solar farm with thousands of panels, racks, and inverters
- Moving mining equipment to remote sites, including crushers, conveyors, and haul trucks
- Oil and gas modules such as wellheads, separators, and compressors
Our project cargo services:
- Route surveys covering roads, ports, and site access
- Heavy-lift engineering, including crane selection, sling angles, and center-of-gravity calculations
- Port coordination with reserved berth windows and special equipment
- Customs compliance for temporary project imports, including ATA Carnets and temporary import bonds
- Final delivery and placement at your site
Lead time: 3–12 months from first consultation to delivery, depending on complexity.
Cost: Six to seven figures on large projects, with phased budgets and milestone billing.
Ocean Routes by Trade Lane
Asia to North America (Transpacific Eastbound)
| Origin Ports | Destination Ports | Transit (FCL) | Main Carriers |
|---|
| Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Hong Kong | Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland | 18–25 days | MSC, Maersk, COSCO, ONE |
| Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao | Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver (BC) | 20–28 days | Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen, Yang Ming |
| Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen | New York, Savannah, Houston (via Panama) | 35–45 days | CMA CGM, ZIM, Wan Hai |
Peak season: August to October, ahead of the holidays, when rates climb 50–100%.
Current picture (2026): West Coast volumes are recovering, while the East Coast stays congested because of Panama Canal draft limits.
North America to Asia (Transpacific Westbound)
| Origin Ports | Destination Ports | Transit | Main Carriers |
|---|
| Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle | Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen | 20–30 days | MSC, COSCO, Matson |
| Houston, Savannah | Busan, Tokyo, Yokohama | 30–40 days | HMM, ONE, Evergreen |
Common cargo: Recyclables like waste paper and scrap metal, farm products such as soybeans and corn, chemicals, and timber.
Asia to Europe
| Origin Ports | Destination Ports | Transit | Main Carriers |
|---|
| Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen | Rotterdam, Hamburg, Felixstowe, Antwerp | 30–38 days | Maersk, MSC, OOCL, Hapag-Lloyd |
| Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas | Rotterdam, Hamburg | 25–32 days | ONE, Yang Ming, PIL |
Route options: Through the Suez Canal as standard, or around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid Red Sea risks, which adds 10–15 days.
Europe to Asia
| Origin Ports | Destination Ports | Transit | Main Carriers |
|---|
| Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp | Shanghai, Ningbo, Singapore | 28–40 days | MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM |
Common cargo: Auto parts, luxury goods, wine, and industrial machinery.
Europe to North America (Transatlantic)
| Origin Ports | Destination Ports | Transit | Main Carriers |
|---|
| Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre | New York, Newark, Norfolk | 10–14 days | MSC, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd |
| Southampton, Liverpool | New York, Baltimore | 12–16 days | CMA CGM, ONE |
| Genoa, Valencia, Barcelona | New York, Savannah | 14–20 days | ZIM, COSCO |
Common cargo: Wine, spirits, cheese, cosmetics, machinery, and pharmaceuticals.
North America to Europe
| Origin Ports | Destination Ports | Transit | Main Carriers |
|---|
| New York, Norfolk, Savannah | Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp | 10–14 days | Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd |
Common cargo: Machinery, vehicle parts, plastics, chemicals, and forest products.
Intra-Asia and Middle East
| Route | Transit | Key Ports |
|---|
| China to Southeast Asia | 5–8 days | Singapore, Port Klang, Laem Chabang, Ho Chi Minh |
| China to India (west coast) | 12–18 days | Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Chennai |
| China to UAE | 15–22 days | Dubai, Abu Dhabi |
| Southeast Asia to India | 6–12 days | Singapore to Chennai, Mundra |
Well suited to: Electronics, textiles, chemicals, raw materials, and finished goods.
Latin America
| Route | Transit | Key Ports |
|---|
| US East Coast to Brazil | 12–18 days | Santos, Paranaguá, Rio de Janeiro |
| US Gulf to Mexico (east coast) | 3–7 days | Altamira, Veracruz |
| China to Mexico (west coast) | 20–28 days | Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas |
| China to Brazil | 35–45 days | Santos, Navegantes, Itajaí |
Growth area: Mexico is now the biggest US trading partner, and direct Asia-to-Mexico services are expanding.
How an Ocean Shipment Works, Step by Step
Phase 1: Booking (2–7 days before cargo is ready)
| Step | What Happens |
|---|
| 1 | You request a quote with commodity, weight, volume, and origin and destination ports |
| 2 | You accept the rate and send shipping instructions (SI) |
| 3 | We reserve vessel space and confirm the sailing date |
| 4 | You receive a booking confirmation with the empty container pick-up location |
Phase 2: Export (3–10 days)
| Step | What Happens |
|---|
| 5 | An empty container is delivered to your warehouse, or you bring the cargo to the CY/CFS |
| 6 | The container is loaded and sealed, witnessed by your staff or our surveyor |
| 7 | It returns to the port terminal before the cut-off date |
| 8 | The export customs declaration is filed (EEI in the US, an export manifest elsewhere) |
| 9 | The vessel sails on schedule |
| 10 | The Bill of Lading (BOL) is issued, either original or by telex release |
Phase 3: Ocean Transit (12–45 days)
- The vessel is tracked via AIS (Automatic Identification System)
- Position updates arrive weekly by email or dashboard
- You get early alerts about delays, rerouting, or weather
- The ETA is refreshed every 72 hours
Phase 4: Import and Delivery (3–10 days after arrival)
| Step | What Happens |
|---|
| 11 | An arrival notice goes to the consignee within 24 hours of docking |
| 12 | The import customs entry is filed (ISF for the US, ENS for the EU, and so on) |
| 13 | Duties, taxes, and terminal handling charges (THC) are paid |
| 14 | The container is released to your customs broker |
| 15 | Drayage (trucking) is arranged to your warehouse |
| 16 | The container is unloaded and the empty returned to the designated depot, avoiding demurrage |
Total lead time: Transit time plus 10–20 days for export and import handling, depending on port efficiency.
Documents Needed for Ocean Freight
| Document | Purpose | Supplied By |
|---|
| Commercial Invoice | Declares value and description to customs | Shipper |
| Packing List | Lists weight, dimensions, and package count | Shipper |
| Bill of Lading (BOL) | Contract of carriage and proof of title | Go Express Courier (carrier) |
| Export Declaration (EEI) | US export statistics | Go Express Courier or the shipper's broker |
| Import Security Filing (ISF) | Advance import data for the US | Importer or Go Express Courier |
| Certificate of Origin | Tariff preference, such as under USMCA | Chamber of Commerce or shipper |
| Packing Declaration | Wood packaging compliance (ISPM-15) | Shipper |
| Dangerous Goods Declaration | Required for hazardous cargo | Shipper, with a certified DG signatory |
| Letter of Credit (L/C) | Payment guarantee, where applicable | Importer's bank |
Could a document be missing? We review everything 72 hours before departure to catch problems. Don't assume it's all correct. Let us verify.
What Affects Your Ocean Freight Rate
| Factor | Effect on Price |
|---|
| Route | Transpacific costs more than Transatlantic, which costs more than Intra-Asia |
| Season | Peak season (Aug–Oct) adds 50–100% |
| Equipment | Reefers add 30–50%, flat racks add 20–40% |
| Port pair | Congested ports bring surcharges (for example LA/Long Beach and Rotterdam) |
| Carrier | Premium lines like Maersk and MSC cost more than budget lines like ZIM and Wan Hai |
| Fuel | The bunker adjustment factor (BAF) shifts monthly |
| Currency | USD/EUR exchange rates affect euro-denominated legs |
Common surcharges:
- Peak Season Surcharge (PSS)
- Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS)
- Terminal Handling Charge (THC)
- Documentation Fee
- Sealing Fee
- Chassis Fee (US ports only)
- Low Sulfur Surcharge (LSS), tied to IMO 2020 rules
Every surcharge appears in your quote up front, so nothing surprising shows up after booking.
Sample Costs and Transit Times
These are rough port-to-port figures that exclude inland trucking and customs handling.
| Route | 20ft FCL | 40ft FCL | LCL (per CBM) | Transit |
|---|
| Shanghai to Los Angeles | $1,800–2,500 | $2,500–3,800 | $80–120 | 18–22 days |
| Ningbo to Rotterdam | $2,200–3,200 | $3,500–5,000 | $90–140 | 30–38 days |
| New York to Southampton | $1,500–2,200 | $2,200–3,300 | $60–100 | 12–16 days |
| Hong Kong to Singapore | $500–800 | $800–1,200 | $40–60 | 5–7 days |
| Mumbai to Jebel Ali | $700–1,100 | $1,100–1,800 | $50–80 | 8–12 days |
| Santos to Houston | $2,000–3,000 | $3,000–4,500 | $100–160 | 14–20 days |
Ocean Transport at Go Express Courier
A Dependable Way to Move Cargo Around the World
More than 90% of world trade moves by sea, and ocean freight is the heart of what we do at Go Express Courier. Whether you're sending one pallet or hundreds of containers, we provide reliable, affordable, fully trackable ocean freight to and from every major port.
Backed by direct carrier contracts, live vessel tracking, and a worldwide partner network, we make the complexity of sea freight a smooth part of your supply chain.
Why Choose Go Express Courier for Ocean Freight?
| Challenge | Our Answer |
|---|
| Unstable freight rates | Long-term carrier contracts with fixed pricing |
| Congested ports | Live intelligence and alternate routing |
| Missing paperwork | A document audit before the vessel leaves |
| Demurrage and detention fees | Early alerts so empties return on time |
| Cargo damage | GPS shock sensors and full insurance options |
Our Ocean Services
FCL (Full Container Load) – Ideal for large shipments that fill a standard container. Choose from 20ft, 40ft, 40ft High Cube, and 45ft. You get lower unit costs, faster port handling, less damage risk, and door-to-door or port-to-port delivery. Example: Shanghai to Los Angeles takes 18–22 days.
LCL (Less than Container Load) – Ideal for shipments under 15 CBM. Your cargo shares a container and you pay only for the space used, with no minimum volume. It's economical for small loads, samples, and test orders, but slower because of extra handling at container freight stations.
Reefer Containers – Ideal for temperature-sensitive goods such as fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy, pharmaceuticals, flowers, and wine. Temperatures run from -20°C to +25°C, with live monitoring and data loggers. Expect a premium of 30–50% over dry containers.
Open Top and Flat Rack – Ideal for oversized, heavy, or oddly shaped cargo like machinery, construction equipment, pipes, boats, and vehicles. Open tops are loaded from above by crane, while flat racks have no sides or roof for maximum flexibility. Expect 20–40% above standard rates.
Breakbulk and Project Cargo – Ideal for cargo too big for any container, such as transformers, turbine blades, boilers, and locomotives. Items are loaded individually into the ship's hold and fastened to the vessel. Complex projects can take 3–12 months.
Trade Lanes We Cover
| Trade Lane | Transit | Typical Cargo |
|---|
| Asia to North America | 18–28 days | Electronics, furniture, machinery |
| Asia to Europe | 30–38 days | Textiles, auto parts, consumer goods |
| Europe to North America | 10–16 days | Wine, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods |
| Intra-Asia | 5–12 days | Raw materials, chemicals, electronics |
| North America to Latin America | 12–20 days | Grains, machinery, plastics |
How It Works
- Booking – We secure vessel space and confirm sailing dates
- Export – The container is loaded, sealed, and returned to port
- Ocean Transit – Live AIS tracking with weekly updates
- Import and Delivery – Customs clearance, drayage, and return of the empty container
Total lead time: Transit time plus 10–20 days for export and import handling.
Paperwork We Handle
- Bill of Lading (BOL)
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Export declaration (EEI)
- Import security filing (ISF)
- Certificate of origin
- Dangerous goods declaration, when needed
We check every document 72 hours before departure, so errors get caught before they turn into costly delays.
Ready to Ship by Sea?
From a single LCL shipment to a dedicated vessel for project cargo, Go Express Courier offers reliability, transparency, and fair pricing.
Go Express Courier – Your cargo, our ocean.
