Transportation of cell phones over the ocean is a challenging issue even in the 21st century because the influence of weather conditions or other external factors is hard to be predicted. What is more, in comparison with other products, smartphones are noticeably expensive, which means that damaged devices would become a separate object of expenditures. Airplanes are considered to be the safest way of transportation in the modern world. However, pressure differentials because of the elevation change may be dangerous for electronic devices. In this case, it is possible to assume that sea freight is beneficial for transportation. However, there are such difficulties in this methodology as the necessity of collaboration with other corporations like railway companies. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the benefits and disadvantages of the sea and air freight in order to provide the best option for the transportation of cell phones from China to the USA.
Electronic devices require specific storage conditions regardless of the way of their shipment. It is possible to assume that it is easier to establish the necessary setting in the airplane as the cabin is pressurized. It is not a challenging task to control the level of humidity, the climate, the temperature. On the opposite, sea transportation is supposed to be more dangerous for smartphones as the weather conditions cannot be fully controlled. What is more, sometimes, the process of shipment contains several stages. For example, it may be necessary to change the cargo ship in the ocean or to use other ways of transportation on the land (Kayikci, 2020). It can be observed that the costs would be lower in this case, but the risks would be significantly higher. The reason for this disproportion is the necessity to change the means of transport several times that makes this operation more dangerous and unpredictable.
It is also crucial to take into consideration the process of establishing trusting communication between the client and the transporting department. First of all, it is vital to take care of the reputation of the corporation (Narunart & Panjakajornsak, 2019). For example, the organization has a loyal audience and a group of regular customers. The leaders of this company decide to change the contractor responsible for the shipment. The new partner requires less financial involvement and guarantees faster results. However, it does not follow the ecological recommendations of the specific region. In this situation, the client company risks losing loyal customers and having monetary costs.
The ecological issue needs specific attention as it an urgent topic in modern society. It is claimed that airplanes pollute the environment more than boats. It is crucial to maintain that nowadays, there is no solution to the problem of recycling of carbon emissions (Zhou & Zhang, 2017). They rest in the atmosphere and become a part of the air that people breathe. Ecological safety plays an essential role in the decision-making of the customers concerning the purchase of the products.
In conclusion, it is necessary to highlight that the choice of transportation mode depends on several external factors such as location, weather conditions, political situation, and others. According to the analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of air and sea freight, it is possible to assume that the shipment through the ocean is better from the ecological perspective. At the same time, air transportation is safer and more predictable. For the shipment of the cell phones from China to the USA, it is better to choose carriage by airplane as it is faster and more secure. In this case, it would be necessary to pay specific attention to environmental issues and defend the idea of the ecological safety of the aircraft.
References
Kayikci, Y. (2020). Analysis of cost allocation methods in international sea-rail multimodal freight transportation. Journal of Yasar University, 15(57), 129–142.
Narunart, T., & Panjakajornsak, V. (2019). An empirical analysis of factors affecting customer loyalty to sea freight forwarders in Thailand. Asia-Pacific Social Science Review, 19(3), 128–143.
Zhou, G., & Zhang, Y. (2017). Integration and consolidation in air freight shipment planning: An economic and environmental perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production, 166(1), 1381–1394. Web.