An Overview of the Shipping Industry

Sea freight shipping is a vital part of the world economy in the past and that fact still remains true to this day. There are still many countries out there that are very dependent on sea based freight forwarding to support their economy.

To this day, people still use ocean freight shipping as a primary means of transporting goods. Even with the creation of more and more land routes, travelling via land is still highly inefficient compared to sea travel. Roads need constant maintenance and it takes a lot of money to create more and more roads. Obviously, travelling across the sea is difficult when you are driving a container truck.

Another option for shipping your goods does not come from travelling on the ground or from a vessel floating in the sea. In fact it comes from something people have dreamed of for years, air freight. Aviation has gone a long way from the early works of the Wright Brothers.

More and more freight forwarders are taking to the skies with fleets of jets ready to send your package to wherever in the world. However, with the rising price of oil, this method of freight forwarding can be costly. The prices of airplanes also increase phenomenally because of improvements in technology. This is why each space in the airplane is maximized and why people pay a hefty premium to send their goods via air freight.

Because of these challenges people still prefer sending their product across oceans by ship. Sea freight travel is still the most efficient and economical way of doing business and this is why it is one of the most commonly used by businessmen everywhere. Learn more about other freight services available to you.

Sea freight shipping has been used for thousands of years. Asian countries like Japan and China have been a presence in sea travel for years. The numerous kingdoms within the Middle East are also a strong presence in sea travel and freight forwarding. The thriving commerce of the large empires of these old civilizations fueled a need for trade and the need for sea forwarding.

One of the first civilizations to provide structure for maritime travel and sea freight shipping are the Greeks. Greece or the Mediterranean in general, is a region that is highly dependent on the sea because of its general location. Greece is surrounded by the sea and as such they have developed an affinity to it.

In the olden times, maritime commerce consisted of two professions, sea farers and pirates. Although pirates ransacked other ships for supplies and slaves, they still remain respected because they exhibit all the good traits that the people value, such as bravery, daring and sea faring skill.

However, as more and more people went into business, the pirates have become a nuisance. To counteract the growing problem, more people have gone to the local leaders to address the problem. The island of Crete was one of the first to build a fleet to counteract the growing nuisance and as such rules that came with the protection that was provided.

In order to sustain the navy and the ports, fees were assessed and later on taxes were imposed for the goods that transferred from one port to another. As more and more places adapted this concept the industry grew to what it is today.