It’s never been easier to ship your products worldwide and deliver them directly into your customers’ hands—even if they’re halfway around the globe.
Expanding your customer base is essential for a growing business. For many brands, expanding globally is inevitable, especially with the increasingly fluid borders of today’s marketplace. But if you launch your brand in North America, your factories are in Portugal, and you have customers in Japan, how do you get your products there with speed and cost-effectiveness?
International freight shipping is a critical link between your products and global customers. It unlocks new markets, attracts new buyers, and strengthens your brand’s reach.
The cost to serve global customers keeps rising, but so does the opportunity. In 2025, businesses face a freight environment defined by double-digit growth, tighter capacity on key lanes, and the first binding carbon price on ocean shipping.
Knowing the numbers behind these shifts will help you budget, price products, and market them more confidently.
The freight market continues to grow, even as consumer demand stabilizes after the pandemic surge.
Analysts peg the global freight transport market at $40 billion in 2025, projected to reach nearly $96 billion by 2033, reflecting an 11.4% annual growth rate. Brands investing in the right freight partners and systems now can tap into a growing cross-border commerce market, while brands that delay may risk tougher competition and steeper costs.
The broader logistics market, forecast to hit nearly $6 trillion by 2030, underpins this growth. A market rising to these numbers suggests brands will continue expanding globally while continuing to meet customers’ expectations for fast, low-cost delivery.
Warehousing, last‑mile delivery, and returns consume most of that spend. You also need to budget for higher 3PL fees, denser return flows, and scarce fulfillment space, especially near major ports or land borders.
But not all shipment methods are growing. According to the International Air Transport Association, air cargo revenue dipped by 4.7% in 2024. This sector is heavily impacted by trade measures like tariffs, with growth expected to slow to 0.7% by the end of 2025, down sharply from 11.3% in 2024.
Carriers facing revenue pressure are offering spot‑rate discounts and extra capacity. If you rely on air for launches or perishables, lock in favorable terms now.
International shipping already accounts for roughly 2.9% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and regulators are tightening the screws.
In April 2025, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee approved a fuel‑standard and carbon‑pricing framework scheduled for formal adoption in October 2025 and set to take effect in 2027 on vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage, which are responsible for around 85% of worldwide fleet emissions. Early drafts set a two‑tier levy starting at $100–$380 per tonne of excess CO2, incentivizing carriers to adopt cleaner fuels or pay up.
Some carriers may retrofit or switch to biofuel. Others may pay and pass on the cost to businesses. Consider locking in multi-year rates before the levy hits, and highlight the 25- to 50-fold CO2 advantage ocean shipping holds over air in your marketing to win over eco-minded buyers.
International freight shipping moves products globally via air, sea, or land. Most journeys involve a combination of these methods.
Each hand‑off involves different regulations and paperwork, so merchants rarely move freight alone. They rely on freight shipping services and logistics experts to manage the journey, keeping costs, duties, and transit times under control.
Freight forwarders are like travel agents for cargo. They manage everything from booking truckers and ocean carriers to airlines. The forwarder market is projected to be worth $286 billion by 2030.
A freight forwarder will also:
Forwarders ship thousands of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year. Because of their network, they can help secure base rates and guaranteed allocations you can’t obtain alone, especially during peak seasons or port disruptions.
NVOCCs buy capacity from ocean lines and resell it to shippers. Unlike forwarders, an NVOCC issues its own house bill of lading, assuming carrier‑level liability for your freight.
If you ship less‑than‑container loads (LCL) or need fixed sailing schedules, an NVOCC can secure better rates and offer a single point of accountability on ocean segments.
Customs brokers ensure your products clear borders smoothly. They classify goods, calculate duties and taxes, and file entries with local authorities. Forwarders and NVOCCs partner with or employ brokers directly.
Always verify a broker’s license before shipping, especially to the United States. US regulators tightened identity verification rules in 2024, making broker reliability just as crucial as competitive pricing.
The length of time international freight shipping takes depends on multiple factors, including the mode of transport (air, land, or sea), shipment weight, and size.
Shipping products by air is generally the fastest method, requiring as few as two days, with expedited overnight shipping available. Shipping by sea can take weeks, sometimes more than a month, depending on route complexity and final destination.
Five key phases to international freight shipping will determine how long it takes a shipment to arrive at its final destination. They are:
Here is the latest timeline data from Flexport and various government agencies for common freight routes:
Only a decade ago, shippers relied heavily on emails and phone calls to secure containers and quotes.
Now they rely on transportation management systems (TMSs) and real-time transportation visibility platforms (RTTVPs) to streamline processes that protect margins and ensure smooth international shipping operations.
A TMS allows supply chain specialists to execute the transportation process. It’s used by shippers, warehouse managers, carriers, freight brokers, and more, and acts as a communication tool that provides load-tendering between carriers.
These platforms often integrate with other SaaS products like warehouse management systems (WMSs) or an RTTVP to provide more advanced features like predictive analytics and volume forecasting. TMS platforms offer several key benefits:
If you’re looking for a TMS, here are a few platforms to explore:
Cart-abandonment studies consistently identify one culprit—hidden fees.
A 2024 Avalara survey found that 75% of shoppers reconsider a purchase when customs charges appear after checkout, and almost half will refuse delivery if faced with these hidden costs.
On the business side, 82% of surveyed participants say cross-border compliance complexity limits their global expansion plans. Shopify’s answer is Managed Markets, a cross-border suite that automates duty calculation, paperwork, and post-purchase tracking for more than 150 global destinations.
Managed Markets helps with:
There are several ways to ship products around the world. Some are faster, easier, and cheaper, but your choice depends on the type of cargo and when it needs to reach its destination.
Air shipment is the fastest of all available options. It’s ideal for perishable products, high-value goods like apparel or jewelry, or other items requiring rapid delivery.
Air shipping is usually more expensive, so factor this into your transportation decisions. If it’s critical to spend more upfront so goods arrive quickly, air shipping is the way to go. It also provides enhanced security.
The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) organization notes 80% of the world’s goods are shipped by sea. It’s cost-effective, a great way to transport large volumes of product in bulk across borders, and offers better flexibility for shipment size and weight.
Compared to air freight, ocean shipping is low-emission, generating fewer greenhouse gases.
Land freight is another cost-effective shipping method.
Some international freight by land is called less than truckload (LTL) freight, meaning smaller loads between 100 and 15,000 pounds. The global LTL market was valued at $229.6 billion in 2024 and is on course to reach $342 billion by 2030.
LTL shipments can include multiple shipments in one truck, depending on the combined dimensions and weight. While some shippers consolidate smaller loads into less-than-container loads (LCL), those with enough volume can book a full container load (FCL), dedicating an entire container to their goods.
A key factor of international freight shipping is that not all companies or agencies manage the entire shipping journey—unless it’s a multimodal freight service.
With multimodal freight shipping, a single provider can handle the entire shipment journey across multiple modes of transportation. For example, your cargo might move from a warehouse to a port, then by sea, and finally by truck to its destination warehouse, all under one service contract. It covers all parts of the journey. It’s ideal for long-distance shipments that require thoughtful planning and execution.
Shippers are using these hybrid models to balance cost and transit speed. For example, US rail intermodal volume rose 8.0% year over year in the first few months of 2025, the strongest start to any year on record. With intermodal shipping, the freight is moved using multiple modes of transport, but the shipper holds separate contracts with each carrier handling a leg of the journey.
Freight shipping costs depend on several factors. You can use a freight rate calculator or contact a freight forwarder for a quote, but these are the key elements:
The weight and dimensions of your shipment significantly influence shipping costs. The heavier and larger the cargo, the more it costs to ship.
Shipping costs vary based on the transportation method you choose. Sea shipping is more cost-effective but takes longer, while air shipping is faster but more expensive.
How much a freight shipment is going to cost depends largely on where it’s going. Is it just across your border? Or do you need to send it halfway around the world? The distance between the origin and the destination warehouse will impact the overall shipping expense.
The kind of cargo shipped affects shipping costs. Hazardous cargo requiring special handling or packaging typically increases costs. Fragile cargo and materials requiring special handling will also drive up the price.
Customs fees and taxes are a crucial part of the cost of your shipment, varying significantly by destination country. Research destination-specific requirements thoroughly, so these fees can be accurately included in your shipment’s total cost.
International shipping involves multiple steps, and many documents are needed to complete the transaction. While it’s exciting to get your goods into the hands of new buyers, it’s important to complete all paperwork correctly and include certain documents to ensure your cargo arrives smoothly.
Here are seven required documents for international freight shipping:
Consolidate smaller shipments into fewer high-volume shipments to lower your baseline freight costs. Businesses that move from ad-hoc LTL or partial container bookings to pallet or carton consolidation save on annual shipping costs.
A 2025 study of 1,000 US transportation decision-makers found 58% of truckloads moved partially empty in 2024, leaving 34 linear feet of deck space unused on average. Leveraging AI routing tools can eliminate empty miles, reducing fuel use and driver expenses.
The OECD’s CIF/FOB database notes transport and insurance margins now average 4.9% of merchandise value, up from 4.3% pre-pandemic. Importers switching from CIF (seller arranges freight) to FOB (buyer controls freight) capture that margin for themselves and avoid hidden markups on carrier and insurance selection.
If you’re paying for predictive ETAs and detention dashboards, maintaining freight under your own bill of lading lets those tools uncover additional savings.
Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), compliant shipments from Canada or Mexico enter the US at 0% duty.
For example, a t-shirt cut and sewn in Mexico from US-made yarn qualifies as a compliant good. Passenger vehicles assembled in Mexico with more than 75% North American content and more than 70% North American steel or aluminum also satisfy USMCA’s rules.
Non‑qualifying goods currently fall under the US reciprocal tariff regime, which includes a 10% baseline on all imports, with country‑specific rates currently set as high as 50% (e.g., Brazil) and a possible baseline hike to 15%–20% later in 2025.
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) helps Canadian businesses access the global market. Once the agreement is fully in force, 99% of tariff lines across 11 Indo-Pacific countries (plus Canada and Mexico) will be duty‑free, reducing landed costs for all participating countries, which currently includes Japan, Vietnam, Australia, and more.
There’s no getting around it: international freight shipping is complicated. It’s crucial to start in the best possible position to avoid unnecessary delays or issues. Here are five top tips for international freight shipping.
Begin by determining how to transport your product to its destination. Consider these questions to help choose the best shipping method:
Evaluate all available options and select the one that makes the most sense.
Opening a box of damaged goods can ruin the customer experience. Carefully package cargo to prevent in-transit damage or accidents. Clearly label cargo, especially if it’s fragile.
A key partner in international freight shipping is a freight forwarder, a company or agent that helps businesses ship goods internationally for a fee.
Your freight-forwarding partner is there to help you understand the complexities of local rules and regulations, including tax implications, so it’s crucial to choose a partner that will support you.
Customs regulations vary by country. Just like with personal or business travel, you must understand what can or can’t be brought into a country and how much is permitted.
On a large scale, such as freight shipping, customs procedures are complex. Ensure you perform thorough research on customs requirements for each step of the shipment journey to avoid unexpected issues.
Accidents happen—such as storms, theft, mishandling, and more. Protect your cargo with all-risk cargo insurance to safeguard against unexpected events during transit.
Freight shipping costs depend on several factors, including: weight and dimensions of the shipment, method of transportation, distance between origin and destination, type of cargo, and fees such as customs duties and taxes. To calculate shipping cost, you can use a freight rate calculator or contact a shipping service for a freight quote.
When products are shipped globally by air, sea, or land, it’s known as international freight shipping. Typically, international freight shipping involves a combination of these methods and requires adherence to complex local regulations. Before shipping internationally, companies must navigate customs policies, complete required documentation, and manage logistics like selecting local shipping partners.
The best international shipping method depends on the cargo being shipped. Typically, air is the fastest mode of transporting goods over long distances, but it is far costlier.
The business (or exporter) shipping the goods typically pays for freight shipping.
Ocean freight is the cheapest international shipping method. More than 80% of international shipping occurs via ocean shipping.
