Understanding the Difference Between Shipping and Freight

The word ‘shipping’ was initially meant to describe the act of transporting goods by a ship. However, it has lately been used for all means of transportation. Cargo shipping now means getting things from one place to another by plane, train, ship, or even a truck. Some people even confuse shipping with freight, which, contrary to popular belief, are not interchangeable terms. Here’s a brief explanation of the difference between shipping and freight.

What is Freight?

Freight is the name given to goods that are in transit. This term is specific for commercial transport of goods, regardless if they are being transported by air, ship, train, or road. Generally, freight refers to the bulk of goods that are to be transported.

Types of Freight

Before freight is dispatched for cargo shipping, it is classified into a number of categories. Made on the basis of the type of items being transported, the urgency linked with every product, and the method of cargo shipping to be used, freight categories include, express, mail, household items, perishables, military supplies, and others. 

Freight can also be classified as Less than Truck Load (LTL) and Full Truck Load (FTL). It can be handled by the company that owns the goods, like Amazon, or a third-party, like LHP Transportation.

What is Shipping?

Shipping is the act of getting freight from its origin to the destination. Generally, shipping means the transport of freight in bulk, but if a postman or delivery van goes to the door of a consumer to deliver one item, that is also a type of shipping. As said at the start, cargo shipping does not have to involve a ship — it can be any method of transportation. 

Types of Shipping

Just like freight, there are a number of different types of shipping, too. It includes business-to-business, business-to-customer, and customer-to-customer shipping. Cargo shipping can also be classified on the basis of the time it takes to ship, such as same-day shipping, overnight shipping, or standard shipping that takes a few days.

To sum it up, freight is the cargo that is moved from one place to another, and shipping is the act of moving that cargo from its origin to its destination. If you have any shipping or freight-related issues, LHP Transportation is where you need to go. Explore our website to learn more, and reach out to our team to get started today!