Factors That Determine Ocean Shipping Costs

If you are thinking of importing or exporting something, chances are you’re going to have to use ocean freight to transport the goods. As someone interested in shipping goods, understanding how ocean shipping costs are determined can help you get an idea of how much it will cost to ship your products. Here is a look at six factors that influence ocean freight costs.

Destination

One important factor that’s used to determine shipping costs is the destination – where are the goods coming from and where are they going? The less traveled a destination is, the more it’ll cost for you to transport goods there since very few carriers travel there. That also means there’s lesser capacity available. On the other hand, the more popular a destination is, the likelier it will be for you to encounter capacity issues as there is the demand for available space is high.

Bunker Fluctuations

Fuel costs influence all types of freight shipping, and bunker fuel isn’t exempt. It’s closely linked to oil costs and tends to fall and rise with that of oil. Due to this, most carriers apply what’s known as a fuel surcharge to their ocean shipping rates.

Seasons

There are two peak seasons in the shipping calendar. One season is during the Chinese New Year (between January and February), and the other is the holiday retail season (which lasts from around mid-August to around mid-October). During peak seasons, demand for cargo space is generally high while supply is almost non-existent. This causes prices to skyrocket due to scarce container capacity.

Furthermore, the rates for shipments that require controlled temperature environments are influenced by how the weather is during different times of the year. When bad weather sets in, most smaller ships are forced to dock to avoid being caught up in storms in the high seas. When that happens during peak season, it creates spikes in shipping costs.

Service Charges – and Fees!

If you plan on using ocean freight to transport goods, keep in mind that your goods will be charged a terminal fee at the departure and arrival ports. Please note that you might be charged extra fees by port authorities and shipping lines for things like security and handling of hazardous materials.

Currency

The American Dollar is the currency used for international transactions. However, in today’s global market, you are advised to factor forex rate fluctuations into your rate calculations as fluctuations in the money markets do have an influence on ocean shipping rates and shouldn’t be ignored.

Container Capacity

Most ocean freight is calculated based on measure or weight, whichever is greater. That means that it would be more advantageous to fill up a container carrying your goods than to have it transported half full. Unless you’re shipping LCL (Less-than-Container Load), you’ll be required to pay the full cost of the container – filled or not.

Weddings are sure colourful. Wedding venues mostly dictate how the wedding will be and type of decor. But in order for a wedding to be successful a lot if time is invested in planning and organising. Planning should start early in advance like 12-14 months before. You should also make a decision on the venue since some can be booked for a long time. Finding a venue becomes a hard task since there are a lot of venues to pick from. You literally get spoilt for choice and choices are unlimited. Licensed wedding venues are great since most of them offer complimentary packages for weddings making them a less hassle. Here are ways you can use in order to find a licensed wedding venue:

● Consult A Wedding Planner
Wedding planners due to the nature of their profession are bound to have a list of wedding venues at their fingertips. If you are looking to get a list of the available wedding venues near you that are licensed then consider asking or consulting a wedding planner. They will also give you their prices and the pros and cons of every wedding venue. A wedding planner will also help you to narrow down your options as you explain to them the concept and desires you have about a wedding venue. Wedding planners are the number one go to guys on anything related to weddings since they depend on they deal with weddings for a living.
● Inquire For Referrals
In the initial stages of planning, look into asking for your friends and family for wedding venue suggestions. Specifically give specifications of what you want in a venue so as to have a list of venues that are similar. Anyone who has an idea on a great wedding venue will share. Create a list from your referrals and select one from the list. Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions so as not to get overwhelmed with the burden.
● Advertisements
Licensed wedding venues are due to advertise their services on various media so as to attract more traffic, be on the lookout for venues that advertise their services. Make sure to contact them before making any plans since some are booked early in advance, others can be booked for as long as two years.
● Check On The Internet
Due to advancements in technology and rapid globalisation through the internet, many companies have formed websites to display their information and services on the internet in order to reach a wider audience. The internet through a search engine will give you a list of venues depending on your preference. The internet enables you to browse through various venues assessing their worth at the comfort of your home or on your smartphone. Here you can filter out options to only see venues that are licensed reducing the headache that comes with searching for venues manually.
● Local Government Registrar
Local governments do the licensing and inspection of the wedding venues. You can request to be given a list of all the registered and licensed wedding venues from the local government offices. This gives you assurance that all the venues on the list have proper documentation and their services have been vetted and approved

If you will marry your significant other in the next few months, you might still need to pick the perfect venue for the vent and book it in advance. After discussing things with your partner, you may have decided to get married outdoors where you can enjoy the weather and the beautiful sunshine. If you plan to get married outdoors, you need to choose one of the perfect outdoor licensed wedding venues in the area. There are a few ways for you to decide on the one that is perfect for your wedding day.

The first thing you can do is go online and perform a search of the different licensed wedding venues that exist in your area. You might find plenty of options ranging from beautiful gardens, local state parks, and even grassy areas where there the scenery is so surreal, and everyone is in awe over the breathtaking views. Once you have found several different venues that are available to book for a wedding, you can dig deeper to get more information on these venues.

Make a list of what the different venues have to offer. You want to keep track of how much space is available, how much it is going to cost you to rent the venue, and what it would look like if you were to have your wedding at one of these specific venues. After gathering this important information, you may then want to schedule tours of these different places because then you can check them out with your partner before officially booking the perfect venue for your next event.

When you have plans to get married and you want to do so outdoors, you should get information on all the different outdoor licensed wedding venues that are available. Even after you have a list of places you could rent, you must gather more information about those places, compare them to one another, and book the perfect one.

If you’re planning a UK wedding, one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is selecting a venue. You’ll want to explore numerous locations and find the ideal spot for your wedding. Follow these steps if you’re aiming to find the perfect wedding venue in the UK.

Think About What You Want Your Wedding To Be Like

Not everyone has the same dreams about their wedding. Before selecting a venue, you should think carefully about what you’d like your wedding day to be like. How many guests will be in attendance? Are you planning an indoor or outdoor wedding? You should find a venue that can match your vision.

If you want a traditional wedding, an unconventional venue may not be a great fit for you. If you’re planning a contemporary wedding, you’ll want to find a modern venue to complement that. Seek out a venue that’s exactly right for the wedding that you’re planning.

Look At Photos Of Past Weddings

After your wedding is over and done with, you’ll be able to look back at photos of the occasion. You should find a venue that looks great in person and absolutely stunning in photographs. Try to look at a range of photos so that you can see what the venue looks like in different light conditions.

Photos will give you a window into what this venue might look like on your wedding day. If you’re able to find plenty of gorgeous photos of a wedding venue, that venue might be a good choice for your big event.

Find Fantastic Options In Your Budget

Your budget is going to have a big impact on your options for wedding venues. That’s why you should consider what you are able to spend before you start seriously looking at venues.

While your ideal venue might be too expensive for you, you should be able to find other options that are more affordable. Determine what you’re able to spend, and use that information to help you narrow down your choices for venues. You should be able to stay on budget while still planning a beautiful wedding.

It isn’t always going to be easy to find the perfect wedding venue in the UK. With that said, if you know what you should be looking for, you’ll be able to discover a venue that is exactly right for your wedding. You’ll be able to plan the wedding of your dreams.

When you come across venue licensing a few weeks before your wedding day, you may think that it is a complicated matter as it involves some legal aspects. But, the concept is easy to understand.

Understanding wedding venue license

For a legal marriage to take place, there are a few legal aspects that you need to consider. One of them is the building you have chosen as the wedding venue. This venue should have a proper license to conduct weddings. If it doesn’t have a marriage license, your marriage ceremony will not be a legal one. The UK government has a list of guidelines outlining the requirements for venue licensing.

Wedding venue licensing

As already-mentioned, there are several requirements that the venue has to meet to become eligible for obtaining a marriage license. Some of the criteria are given below:

Safety

The building should be safe enough and in good shape for people to conduct weddings. There shouldn’t be any repair work going on when members of the public are using the place for a marriage ceremony. The safety precautions also include fire regulations.

Availability

The premises should be available regular to the public to conduct marriage ceremonies. The venue cannot be used for any other purposes. That is why people can’t get married in their homes because it is not for the general public.

No religious ceremonies

The building must not be used at any time for religious purposes. All the civil ceremonies should arrange for the religious connotations elsewhere and not inside the building. It should only serve as a place for the legal marriage to take place. That is another reason why vicarages, chapels, and church buildings don’t get a wedding venue license as they can’t meet this criterion. Also, the room where the ceremony usually takes place should be inside the licensed building. You cannot use the open backyard of the licensed venue as the wedding location. Even if the couple wants to have an outdoor wedding, the place should have a fixed, permanent structure under which the bride and the groom will take their vows. Open-air weddings, won’t do.

Is temporary license allowed?

No, they are not! As mentioned above, the venue should be available all the time for public use. It is legally not possible to acquire a one-off license. You have to go through a detailed procedure to obtain the license, and it will clearly mention that you should have the venue available for regular wedding ceremonies to take place, unless there is a need to repair the building.

Moreover, only immovable buildings with a permanent roof are considered suitable for licensing. So, if you are planning to marry in a boat, rethink your idea again. Unless the boat is permanently moored, you cannot acquire a wedding venue license. Any non-fixed structures and temporary marquees will be straightaway disqualified for licensing.

Some councils also have a rule that asks the wedding venue to provide fresh drinking water and proper parking facilities to the registrar.

That’s pretty much everything that covers the wedding venue licensing basics. There are many more details, the summary of which you more or less finished reading.