The Honest Trade-Off
Sea freight is cheaper per kilogram than road. Road freight is faster door-to-door. That summary holds 99% of the time. The interesting question is when the price gap is big enough to wait, and when it isn't.
Approximate Transit Times (2026)
| Mode | Origin | Destination | Typical transit | |---|---|---|---| | Road (FTL) | Istanbul | Dublin | 8–10 days | | Road (FTL) | Bursa | Belfast | 8–10 days | | Sea (FCL) | Izmir port | Dublin port | 14–18 days | | Sea (LCL) | Istanbul (Ambarli) | Cork / Dublin | 18–24 days | | Speedy Van | Istanbul | Dublin | ~72 hours | | Air | Istanbul (IST) | Dublin (DUB) | 1–2 days door-to-door |
When Sea Freight Wins
- Large volumes (full container). Per-cube and per-kilo rates drop sharply.
- Heavy goods. A 22-tonne sea consignment costs a fraction of the same weight by road.
- Non-urgent restocking where 2–3 weeks of inventory pipeline is acceptable.
- Bulk industrial / building materials that don't need temperature control.
When Road Wins
- Small to mid-volume loads (groupage or single pallets) where you don't fill a container.
- Time-sensitive cargo where 10 days beats 20.
- Pharma, food, perishables with strict temperature chains best served door-to-door.
- Anything that needs to land at a specific address, not a port.
Hidden Costs People Forget
When comparing quotes, look beyond port-to-port:
- Inland haulage from origin factory to port and from destination port to door
- Terminal handling charges (THC) at both ends
- Demurrage and detention if customs slip
- Storage costs if the consignment dwells at a port awaiting paperwork
These extras can wipe out the sea freight saving on smaller loads.
A Quick Decision Rule
- Less than ~3 pallets and time-sensitive → road
- 3 pallets to half-container, time-sensitive → road or Speedy Van
- Full container or more, no rush → sea
- Sample, urgent paperwork, or very fragile up to 1 tonne → Speedy Van
Want a Direct Comparison for Your Cargo?
Send us origin, destination, cargo type, weight and required ETA. We'll come back with both a sea and a road quote so you can decide on real numbers rather than rules of thumb. Use our contact form to get started.