Modern national shipping systems have changed the meaning of the word “shipping.” In the past, the term shipping was only used when it came to water travel; and this becomes more evident in international shipping. However, these days shipping can also be used as a broad term that encompasses any way of transporting goods from one place to another.
Currently, there are three standard and modern methods to be able to ship different items: by water, by air and by land.
Shipping by water, the traditional use of the word, involves loading a ship with tons of cargo and literally sending it to the next port. This domestic shipping method generally takes longer as ships tend to travel slower than the other two methods. This is still used today when it comes to large shipments like vehicles, construction equipment, etc.
Overland shipping involves the use of huge trucks that travel across the country carrying cargo. This method can be used for both domestic and international shipments within the country, since the US is connected to Canada and South America. Some of the most common items shipped this way are cars, furniture, and other useful items that can fit on the truck.
The fastest delivery method is domestic shipping via cargo plane. Compared to ground travel, although, strictly speaking, packages traveling by air are also transported by truck to their final destination, planes move faster over longer distances. Although it may be the fastest, the amount of cargo planes can carry is limited, compared to more versatile cargo ships.
These three methods differ in terms of duration and handling, and deciding which mode is best will ultimately depend on the sender’s budget and time considerations.
