This depends on what you are shipping, your needs and your preferences. All the transportation methods have some advantages and disadvantages. Price, delivery deadlines and special needs of the product are factors to bear in mind. The main transportation methods are:

- Maritime transportation:

This is slow and sometimes it is not the most convenient method when transporting perishable goods, goods that have a high value relative to weight and/or volume, or if it is an urgent delivery. Rates will vary depending on whether refrigeration is required or whether time is not a factor and you can choose slower, less direct transit times at lower cost.

- Air transportation:

This is a secure and very fast method which usually needs little packaging, yet is usually the most expensive method. Airfreight is usually reserved for high value, time sensitive products and important documents. By weight it is the most expensive mode of transport. Although many SME’s do not even consider air freight as it is more expensive, it often can be highly cost effective for transporting high value/low volume goods or technology-based products, including software.

- Road transportation:

Trucking may be the best option when moving from market to market within a large landmass where road links are good, such as within North America and Europe. Road transportation allows direct transportation from the supplier's to the buyer's warehouses, heightens security and assures the greatest degree of flexibility. Road Transportation is usually understood as fast and safe. However, transport from Ireland to mainland Europe by truck will usually be containerised and grouped and include a ferry crossing.

- Rail transportation:

Slow and flexible, and requires certain number of containers before shipping, but this method is also safe and secure, allowing an exporter to ship large quantities of relatively inexpensive rates. However, rail services for exporting from Ireland are obviously very limited.

- Postal transportation:

Your postal service is a good, thrifty option for documents and small packages weighing 70 pounds or less. Some products go by air with delivery between three and five days, sometimes at a savings of 50 percent or more over non-government competitors. Package tracking is now more widely available, but not for all countries. However please note that most postal services will not pay customs duties and bill you or your customer. The recipient must pay in order to take possession of the goods.

Your freight forwarder and customs broker is a good source of advice on everything shipping. There is a fee structure for their services, which you can generally fold into your selling price; but it can be well worth the cost.