View source for Freight transport

{{Short description|Physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo}}
{{Redirect|Shipping|the concept of romantic relationships between fictional characters|Shipping (fandom)|other uses|Shipping (disambiguation)|}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2009}}

[[File:Shipping routes red black.png|thumb|320px|This map of [[Ship transport|shipping]] routes illustrates the relative  density of commercial shipping in the world's oceans.]]

'''Freight transport''', also referred to as '''freight forwarding''', is the physical process of [[transport]]ing [[Commodity|commodities]] and [[merchandise]] goods and [[cargo]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=McLeod|first1=Sam|last2=Curtis|first2=Carey|date=2020-03-14|title=Understanding and Planning for Freight Movement in Cities: Practices and Challenges|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02697459.2020.1732660|journal=Planning Practice & Research|language=en|volume=35|issue=2|pages=201–219|doi=10.1080/02697459.2020.1732660|s2cid=214463529|issn=0269-7459|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The term '''shipping''' originally referred to [[transport]] by sea but in [[American English]], it has been extended to refer to transport by land or air (International English: "carriage") as well. "[[Logistics]]", a term borrowed from the military environment, is also used in the same sense.

== History ==

=== Prehistoric Era ===
Initial human civilization relied heavily on [[Domestication|domesticated]] animals, such as [[Horse|horses]], [[Camel|camels]], and [[Donkey|donkeys]], to transport their goods. The invention of the [[wheel]] in [[Mesopotamia]] in 5000BC improved this efficiency by allowing for carts and carriages to be created, which animals could pull.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Navigation and Transportation in the Ancient World {{!}} EBSCO Research Starters |url=https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/navigation-and-transportation-ancient-world |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=www.ebsco.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Classical Era ===

==== Romans ====
The [[Roman Empire|Romans]] built a vast network of roads, which facilitated trade across the numerous cities in its empire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-31 |title=The Roman Empire, c125 CE {{!}} The Geography of Transport Systems |url=https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter1/emergence-of-mechanized-transportation-systems/roman-empire-c125ce/ |access-date=2025-06-14 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Silk Road  ====
{{Main|Silk Road}}
Transport along the silk road, a land-based route, was generally done through caravans, equipped with camels that would carry goods. It was uncommon for traders to traverse the entirety of the silk road - they would pass on their goods to other traders along different legs of the journey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transportation Along The Silk Road -Silk Road China Tours |url=https://www.silkroadtourcn.com/blog/160.html? |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=www.silkroadtourcn.com}}</ref>

=== Medieval Period ===
{{Empty section|date=June 2025}}

=== Modern Period ===

==== Industrial Revolution ====
Freight transport in the UK was shaped significantly by the [[Industrial Revolution|industrial revolution]]. The midlands of England saw a sophisticated [[canal]] system, which allowed freight to be transported easily through long distances. Additionally, [[Rail transport|railway systems]] were popularized, initially consisting of horse-drawn carts, but switched to [[Steam engine|steam powered trains]] later on.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The impact of the railways |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z88jmbk |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=BBC Bitesize |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==== Aviation ====
After the invention of the plane by the [[Wright brothers|Wright Brothers]], the first air freight shipment was delivered in 1910. While the industry and demand for air freight delivery remained low throughout much of the 20th century, the creation of [[FedEx]] in 1973 revolutionised the industry by introducing specialised [[Cargo aircraft|cargo]] flights, rather than aggregating passenger and cargo flights in one trip.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Air Transportation: History of Commercial Air Freight |url=https://www.centennialofflight.net/essay/Commercial_Aviation/AirFreight/Tran10.htm |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=www.centennialofflight.net}}</ref>

==== Autonomous Transportation ====
Presently, [[Vehicular automation|autonomous vehicles]] have been trialled by many companies as a method of transportation, intending to reduce labour costs.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=potenzaglobalsolutions.com |last2=Transportation |first2=T. C. I. |date=2023-11-15 |title=The Future of Autonomous Vehicles in Freight Transportation |url=https://tcitransportation.com/blog/the-future-of-autonomous-vehicles-in-freight-transportation/ |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=TCI Transportation |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, robots designed to automate the '[[Last mile (transportation)|last-mile delivery]]' stage have also been considered by businesses.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Alverhed |first1=Elin |last2=Hellgren |first2=Simon |last3=Isaksson |first3=Hanna |last4=Olsson |first4=Lisa |last5=Palmqvist |first5=Hanna |last6=Flodén |first6=Jonas |date=2024-01-08 |title=Autonomous last-mile delivery robots: a literature review |journal=European Transport Research Review |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=4 |doi=10.1186/s12544-023-00629-7 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2024ETRR...16....4A |issn=1866-8887}}</ref>

==Modes of shipment==
[[File:Freight goods according to mode of transportation 2010.png|thumb|309x309px|Global freight volumes according to mode of transport in trillions of [[tonne-kilometre]]s in 2010]]

In 2015, 108 trillion [[tonne-kilometer]]s were transported worldwide (anticipated to grow by 3.4% per year until 2050 (128 Trillion in 2020)): 70% by sea, 18% by road, 9% by rail, 2% by [[inland waterway]]s and less than 0.25% by air.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/global-freight-demand-to-triple-by-2050 |title= Global Freight Demand to Triple by 2050 |work= The Maritime Executive |date= May 27, 2019}}</ref>

===Grounds===
{{Main|Road transport|Rail transport|Rail freight transport}}

Land or "ground" shipping can be made by [[train]] or by [[truck]] (British English: [[lorry]]). Ground transport is typically more affordable than air, but more expensive than sea, especially in [[developing countries]], where inland [[infrastructure]] may not be efficient. In air and sea shipments, ground transport is required to take the cargo from its place of origin to the [[airport]] or [[seaport]] and then to its destination because it is not always possible to establish a production facility near ports due to the limited coastlines of countries.

===Ship===
{{Main|Ship transport|Cargo ship}}

[[File:Jawaharlal Nehru Trust Port.jpg|thumb|Harbour cranes unload cargo from a container ship at the [[Jawaharlal Nehru Port]], [[Navi Mumbai]], [[India]].]]

Much freight transport is done by [[cargo ship]]s. An individual nation's fleet and the people that crew it are referred to as its [[merchant navy]] or merchant marine. According to a 2018 report from the [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)]], merchant shipping (or seaborne trade) carries 80-90% of [[international trade]] and 60-70% by value.<ref>{{cite web |last1=United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) |title=50 Years of Review of Maritime Transport, 1968-2018: Reflecting on the past, exploring the future |url=https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/dtl2018d1_en.pdf |access-date=15 March 2022 |ref=UNCTAD |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315095316/https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/dtl2018d1_en.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|4}} On rivers and [[canal]]s, [[barge]]s are often used to carry [[bulk cargo]].

===Air===
{{Main|Cargo airlines}}

Cargo is transported by [[air]] in specialized cargo aircraft and in the luggage compartments of passenger aircraft. Air freight is typically the fastest mode for long-distance freight transport, but it is also the most expensive.

===Space===
{{Main|Space logistics}}

===Multimodal===
{{Main|Multimodal transport}}

Cargo is exchanged between different modes of transportation via [[transport hub]]s, also known as [[transport hub|transport interchanges]] or [[Outline of transport#Nodes|Nodes]] (e.g. train stations, airports, etc.). Cargo is shipped under a single contract but performed using at least two different modes of transport (e.g. ground and air). Cargo may not be containerized.

===Intermodal===
{{Main|Intermodal freight transport}}

Multimodal transport featuring containerized cargo (or [[intermodal container]]) that is easily transferred between ship, rail, plane and truck.

For example, a shipper works together with both ground and air transportation to ship an item overseas. Intermodal freight transport is used to plan the route and carry out the shipping service from the manufacturer to the door of the recipient.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmlplc.com/freight-forwarding|title=Freight Forwarding - CML|last=Ltd.|first=Core Management Logistics|website=www.cmlplc.com|access-date=2016-11-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mach1global.com/what-are-freight-shipping-services/ |title=Freight Shipping Services|last=Ltd.|first=Mach 1 Global Logistics|website=mach1global.com/|date=16 January 2018|access-date=2018-01-22}}</ref>

== Terms of shipment ==
{{Admiralty law}}
{{Main|Incoterm}}

The [[Incoterms]] (or International Commercial Terms) published by the [[International Chamber of Commerce]] (ICC) are accepted by governments, legal authorities, and practitioners worldwide for the interpretation of the most commonly used terms in international trade. Common terms include:

* [[Incoterms#FOB – Free on Board (named port of shipment)|Free on Board]] (FOB)
* [[Incoterms#Cost and Freight|Cost and Freight]] (CFR, C&F, CNF)
* [[Incoterms#CIF – Cost, Insurance & Freight (named port of destination)|Cost, Insurance and Freight]] (CIF)

{{Anchor|Best way}}The term "best way" generally implies that the shipper will choose the carrier that offers the lowest rate (to the shipper) for the shipment. In some cases, however, other factors, such as better insurance or faster transit time, will cause the shipper to choose an option other than the lowest bidder.

==Door-to-door shipping==
'''Door-to-door''' ('''DTD''' or '''D2D''') '''shipping''' refers to the domestic or international shipment of cargo from the point of origin (POI) to the destination while generally remaining on the same piece of equipment and avoiding multiple transactions, trans-loading, and cross-docking without interim storage.

International DTD is a service provided by many [[Multinational corporation|international]] shipping companies and may feature [[intermodal freight transport]] using [[intermodal container|containerized cargo]]. The quoted price of this service includes all shipping, handling, import and customs duties, making it a hassle-free option for customers to import goods from one [[jurisdiction]] to another. This is compared to standard shipping, the price of which typically includes only the expenses incurred by the shipping company in transferring the object from one place to another. [[Customs]] fees, [[import taxes]] and other tariffs may contribute substantially to this base price before the item ever arrives.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=October 31, 2019|title=Delta Cargo, Roadie partner to offer door-to-door parcel delivery service in US|work=Stat Trade Times|url=https://www.stattimes.com/news/delta-cargo-roadie-partner-to-offer-doortodoor-parcel-delivery-service-in-us-air-cargo/|access-date=2019-10-31}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Transport}}

{{col div|colwidth=23em}}
* [[Affreightment]]
* [[Automatic identification system]]
* [[Mid-stream operation]]
* [[Outline of transport]]
* [[Ship transport]]
* [[Rail transport]]
* [[Transshipment]]
* [[Greek shipping]]
* [[Chinese shipping]]
* [[Environmental issues with shipping]]
* [[List of cargo types]]
* [[Right of way (shipping)]]
* [[Shipping markets]]
* [[Full container load]] (FCL)
* [[Less than container load]] (LCL)
{{col div end}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Citations ==
* {{cite web  | title=Review of Maritime Transport 2014  | url=http://shipbrokers.co/pdf/UNMartimeReport2014_en.pdf | publisher=United Nations Conference on Trade and Development | year=2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115105122/http://shipbrokers.co/pdf/UNMartimeReport2014_en.pdf | archive-date=2015-01-15 | url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web | title=Special Chapter: Asia | url=http://www.unctad.org/Templates/webflyer.asp?docid=14218&intItemID=5746&lang=1&mode=downloads | work=Review Maritime Transport 2010 Flyer | publisher=United Nations Conference on Trade and Development | year=2010 | access-date=9 December 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Freight transport}}
{{Wiktionary|freight}}

* Schreiber, Zvi [https://venturebeat.com/2015/12/26/2016-the-year-the-freight-industry-goes-online/ 2016: The Year Freight Goes Online]. December 2015
* Bloomberg.com [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-23/first-cryptocurrency-freight-deal-takes-russian-wheat-to-turkey First Cryptocurrency Freight Deal Takes Russian Wheat to Turkey]. January 2018

{{Container shipping companies}}
{{Freight cars}}
{{Intermodal containers}}
{{ModernMerchantShipTypes}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Freight transport| ]]
[[Category:Economic globalization]]
[[Category:Merchant navy]]