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How Less Than Container Load Shipping (LCL) Shipping Works

March 3, 2024 at 9:12am • by CSC

Take a look at our handy guide to less than container load shipping.

What is Less Than Container Load Shipping?

Less Than Container Load shipping is when you ship goods via sea freight and they’re loaded into a shared container with other people’s goods for transit.

LCL (Less Than Container Load) shipping can be an easily cheaper alternative to FCL (Full Container Load) shipping. The essential difference is that instead of filling an entire container with your goods, you’re sharing a container with other importers. This mode of transport means that you don’t have to buy enough stock to fill an entire container load – and instead of paying for a whole container, you only pay for the space inside of the one you use. This is particularly helpful for smaller businesses, or first-time importers who are just testing the waters.

When To Ship LCL

If you’re shipping a small number of goods, or products that don’t take up much space (low volume), chances are you’ll want less than container load shipping. A lot of startups won’t be buying enough stock to fill an entire container – especially if you’re shipping low-volume items such as phone cases.

That said, once you reach a certain volume (even if it isn’t enough to completely fill a container), it becomes more cost effective to ship via FCL. This is because FCL is charged as a flat rate that, while more expensive than LCL, is most cost effective per cbm of space within the container.