GUIDE · SEA
What LCL is and how it differs from FCL
LCL (Less than Container Load) is ocean shipping as consolidated cargo: your consignment takes up part of a container alongside goods belonging to other importers, and you pay for your actual volume or weight rather than for the whole container. FCL (Full Container Load) is when a container travels with a single shipper's cargo, and the rate is charged per container regardless of how densely you filled it. The practical dividing line is simple: consolidated cargo pays off while your consignment fills only part of a container, and your own container pays off once you fill it completely or almost completely. Transit time from China to Ukraine is the same in both cases, around 70 days.
What the abbreviations actually mean
LCL literally means "less than container load". Your cargo does not fill a container, so it is combined with other people's: a few boxes from you, a pallet from another importer, a crate from a third. All of it is built into one container at a freight terminal and separated again at the destination port.
FCL means "full container load". The container is sealed with your cargo and is not opened until customs clearance. The word "full" refers not to how full it is but to the fact that the container is yours: if you loaded 40 m³ into a forty-foot container rated at 67 m³, it is still FCL, and you pay for the container.
The main difference: what exactly you pay for
This is the difference from which all the others follow.
LCL is charged on the greater of two values — actual weight or volume. The standard ratio in ocean freight: 1 m³ is treated as 1000 kg. In other words, light bulky goods are paid for by the cubic metre, heavy dense goods by the tonne. For the details of this mechanic see the article "What volumetric weight is".
FCL is charged per container. The rate does not depend on the density of the contents. That is exactly why a container beats consolidated cargo at larger volumes: the more densely you fill it, the cheaper each cubic metre becomes.
Where the break-even point lies: an example with figures
Take indicative rates: consolidated cargo at $150 per m³, a 20' container at $2700 per unit. The practical loading capacity of a twenty-foot container is 25–28 m³.
| Consignment volume | LCL | FCL 20' | Which is cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m³ | $1500 | $2700 | LCL, $150 per m³ against $270 |
| 18 m³ | $2700 | $2700 | the same — the break-even point |
| 25 m³ | $3750 | $2700 | FCL, $108 per m³ against $150 |
The break-even point in this example is 18 m³. In a real calculation it shifts downwards, because consolidated cargo carries terminal handling and document issuance charges on top of the freight, and these are charged per shipment. That is why at 15 m³ a container often turns out to be more advantageous than the bare rate suggests. The rates in the table are indicative and illustrate the mechanic.
What differs besides price
| Parameter | LCL | FCL |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum consignment | none, from a single box | a full container |
| How many suppliers in one shipment | any number | usually one |
| Handling points | consolidation and deconsolidation at the terminal | none, the container is sealed |
| Risk of damage | higher, the cargo is moved by hand | lower |
| Flexibility on departure date | depends on the container filling up | depends only on you |
| Additional charges | terminal handling, documents | port charges, demurrage, detention |
One more practical difference: in LCL your cargo waits until the container is full. Packing requirements are therefore higher — boxes are stacked with other people's cargo and moved by forklift. Fragile and heavy items are given additional packing at our warehouse in China, before departure: repacking in Ukraine is too late, by then the cargo is already sealed.
How to choose between LCL and FCL
Calculate the volume in cubic metres
Under 15 m³ — almost always LCL.
Calculate the density
Divide the weight of the consignment by its volume. If the result is above 1000 kg/m³, you will be charged by weight on ocean freight, and consolidated cargo will cost more than expected.
Look at the number of suppliers
Three factories in different cities is an argument for LCL and consolidation at our warehouse in China, even if the combined volume is enough for a container.
Allow for cash turnover
A container means a single larger purchase and money frozen for longer.
We handle both: consolidated sea freight with consolidation at our own warehouses in Guangzhou, Beijing, Yiwu and Hong Kong, and dedicated containers in 20', 40' and 40'HC loaded directly at the factory. If you are not sure which works better for you, send us the dimensions and weights of the packages and we will price both options in a single reply.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
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Not sure which option suits you?
Send the dimensions and weights of your packages — we will price LCL and FCL in one reply.