One of the first decisions in sea freight is whether to book a full container or share space with other shippers. The right choice depends on your volume, budget, and timeline.
FCL (Full Container Load)
You book an entire container — typically a 20ft or 40ft unit — even if you don't fill it completely. Your goods are the only cargo inside.
Advantages: Faster transit (no waiting to consolidate with other shipments), lower risk of damage or mishandling, and often a better cost-per-unit if you have enough volume to justify it.
Best for: Shipments large enough to reasonably fill 60-70%+ of a container, or cargo that's sensitive to handling and benefits from staying sealed from origin to destination.
LCL (Less than Container Load)
Your goods share container space with shipments from other businesses. The carrier consolidates multiple smaller shipments into one container.
Advantages: You only pay for the space you use, making it accessible for smaller volumes that wouldn't justify a full container.
Trade-offs: Longer transit times (waiting for consolidation and deconsolidation), and slightly higher risk of handling delays since your cargo is loaded and unloaded alongside other shipments.
How to Decide
As a rough guide: if your shipment is under about 15 cubic meters, LCL is usually more cost-effective. Above that, FCL often becomes competitive or cheaper per unit, even if the container isn't full.
How We Help
We look at your volume, timeline, and budget, and recommend whichever option actually makes sense for your specific shipment — not a one-size-fits-all default.