Distinction between heavy goods and light - volume goods in air transportation

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transportation has become an indispensable part of the logistics chain of multinational enterprises due to its speed and efficiency. Especially for goods that are time - sensitive and of high value, air transportation is the preferred logistics method. However, the cost of air transportation is relatively higher than other transportation methods. How to accurately quote prices to customers and how to reasonably control transportation costs have become issues that many freight forwarding companies and exporters need to carefully consider. This article will deeply explore the criteria for distinguishing heavy goods and light - volume goods in air transportation, as well as how to reduce transportation costs through effective palletizing strategies and other methods.Air TransportationDistinction between Heavy Goods and Light - Volume Goods

Impact of Heavy Goods and Light - Volume Goods on Freight

The actual weight refers to the physical weight of the goods themselves, which is directly obtained by weighing.

The dimensional weight takes into account the limited volume of the aircraft cargo hold. For goods that take up a large amount of space but are light in weight, airlines calculate their transportation costs based on volume. The general formula for calculating dimensional weight is: Dimensional weight (kg) = Cargo volume (m3) ÷ Specific coefficient. The international standard coefficient is usually 0.006 m3/kg.

Based on this, when the dimensional weight of the goods is greater than its actual weight, the goods are regarded as light - volume goods; otherwise, they are heavy goods.

The freight of air transportation is calculated based on the chargeable weight of the goods, and the chargeable weight is the larger value between the actual weight and the dimensional weight. Therefore, for light - volume goods with a large volume and light actual weight, the air freight will be relatively high due to the large dimensional weight; for heavy goods with a small volume but heavy weight, the freight is calculated according to the actual weight.

Palletizing Strategies and Their Impact on Freight

Palletizing strategy refers to the optimization operation when loading goods onto air transportation pallets (or containers), including reasonable stacking and fixing of goods to maximize the use of the cargo hold space while ensuring the safe transportation of goods.

How Enterprises Reduce Air Transportation Costs

Effective use of space:

Follow the principle of heavy at the bottom, light at the top, and large items not pressing small items to provide stable support and reduce space waste.Reasonable combination of goods:
Reasonably combine goods with large volume but light weight with goods with heavy weight and small volume to make full use of the effective load - carrying capacity of the aircraft.Control of pallet load balance:
Ensure the stability of the aircraft after loading and avoid flight safety problems caused by uneven distribution of goods.Ensure the stability of the aircraft after loading and avoid flight safety problems caused by uneven cargo distribution.
4、Follow industry regulations:Operate in accordance with the safety and operational standards of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to ensure that the goods are firmly fixed.

In the air transportation industry, goods are classified into heavy goods (Dead Weight Cargo) and light - volume goods (Volume Cargo or Light Weight Cargo) according to the ratio of their weight and volume. The main basis for distinguishing these two types of goods is the comparison between the dimensional weight of the goods and the actual weight.

1、Optimize packaging:Reduce unnecessary packaging space to avoid additional costs caused by excessive volumetric weight.
2、Choose direct flights:Direct flights can reduce transfer costs and potential risks, and shorten the transportation time.
3、Charter flight service:For large quantities of goods, consider charter flight services. Although the initial investment is high, the total cost is controllable.
4、Book shipping space in advance:Book shipping space for goods in advance to obtain better berths and prices.
5、Pay attention to market dynamics:Seize the opportunity of off - peak seasons or special promotions of airlines to book shipping space and obtain preferential prices.

Through the implementation of the above strategies,foreign tradeenterprises can not only effectively distinguish between heavy goods and light - volume goods, but also significantly reduce the total cost of air transportation, improve logistics efficiency and safety through reasonable palletizing operations and cost - control strategies.