Air Freight: Feasible but Costly
Can complete electrical assemblies be shipped by air? Yes, but there are weight and cost limitations. Air freight is suitable for small components (circuit breakers, terminals, instrument transformer samples), urgent shipments, and high-value parts. However, shipping complete cabinets (which are heavy, large, and often exceed standard dimensions) by air is extremely expensive—requiring dedicated aircraft or special cargo holds—and is usually not cost-effective.
Industry experts note that the decision depends on the ratio of value to weight: air freight makes sense for small, urgent items, whereas sea freight is more economical for complete cabinets, given that air freight charges are based on volumetric weight (accounting for both bulky/light cargo and heavy cargo).
Scenarios Suitable for Air Freight
- Small components: Circuit breakers, contactors, terminals, and instrument transformer samples;
air freight offers speed (delivery in 3–7 days). - Urgent restocking: Emergency replenishment of spare parts (e.g., when equipment is down); air freight provides a quick solution.
- High-value parts: Small, high-value items (smart modules, protection devices); air freight is safe and fast.
- Complete cabinets: Large, heavy units (weighing hundreds of kilograms to several tons); air freight costs are extremely high (due to volumetric weight calculations), so sea freight is usually chosen.
- Special requirements: Extremely tight deadlines or destination ports lacking sea freight capabilities; air freight with special cargo handling is used.
Key Points for Air Freight
First is the billing method.
Air freight charges are based on the higher of the volumetric weight (Length × Width × Height / 6000) or the actual weight;
shipping bulky, lightweight cargo (low-density goods) results in higher costs.
Second is weight and volume reduction in packaging;
lightweight packaging lowers volumetric weight, thereby controlling costs.
Third is the restriction on lithium batteries.
Air transport of equipment containing batteries (such as smart lockers) is subject to restrictions and requires a dangerous goods declaration.
Another factor is the trade-off between speed and cost: air freight is fast but expensive (costing 5–10 times more than sea freight), so decisions should be based on a balance of cargo value and delivery deadlines.
Pitfalls to Avoid
First, “exceeding the air freight budget.”
Shipping complete locker units by air is extremely costly; calculate expenses before quoting.
Second, “oversized cargo.”
Oversized shipments require specialized cargo holds, doubling the cost.
Third, “battery restrictions.”
Declaring equipment containing lithium batteries for air transport is complex and can lead to delays.
Trends and Recommendations
Air freight is moving toward “digital booking,” offering transparent online booking and price comparisons, alongside stable dedicated routes (such as China-Europe air freight).
Exporters are advised to ship small or urgent items by air and complete units by sea, while calculating costs beforehand.
Use air freight selectively to keep costs under control.
