The modes we arrange
Each mode trades cost against speed, capacity and reach. The skill is combining them well.
- Ocean (FCL & LCL). The backbone of global trade — lowest cost per tonne for full containers (FCL) or shared space for smaller loads (LCL). Best for non-urgent, high-volume cargo.
- Air freight. Fastest and most reliable for time-critical, high-value or perishable goods. Priced on chargeable weight — the greater of actual or volumetric weight.
- Road (FTL & LTL). The connective tissue for first-mile collection, cross-border haulage and final-mile delivery — full trailer loads or shared part-loads.
- Rail. A lower-cost, lower-carbon middle ground between ocean and air on key intercontinental corridors.
- Multimodal. The smartest blend of the above under one through-movement and one point of contact.
Contracts of carriage & key documents
Every leg is governed by a contract of carriage, evidenced by a transport document. Getting these right protects your cargo and your claim rights:
- Bill of Lading (B/L) — ocean. Receipt for the goods, evidence of the carriage contract, and — when negotiable — a document of title that controls who can collect the cargo.
- Air Waybill (AWB) — air. A non-negotiable receipt and contract; it does not transfer title.
- CMR consignment note — international road haulage.
- Sea Waybill — a non-negotiable alternative to the B/L for trusted trade relationships, speeding up release.
Why it matters: the transport document determines who holds the right to the goods in transit and how a loss-or-damage claim is made. We make sure the right document is issued for your trade terms — see Property Law.
Cost, speed & carbon — choosing the trade-off
There is no universally 'best' route, only the best route for this shipment. We start from your priority:
- Lowest cost — typically ocean or rail, with consolidation where it helps.
- Fastest transit — air, with expedited customs pre-clearance.
- Balanced — multimodal, e.g. sea-air or rail-road combinations.
- Lowest carbon — favouring rail and ocean, and reporting estimated emissions.
How Boabab engineers your route
You give us the requirement once. We classify the cargo, model the viable routings, then tender each leg across our vetted network so qualified partners compete on price and service. You receive a clear proposal — and one coordinator owns the move from collection to final delivery, with proactive milestone tracking.