Fcl vs. Lcl shipping: which is the ideal choice?

FCL containers do not require you to fill the entire space; however, you’ll have to pay the total price when moving your cargo. On the contrary, LCL involves payment for the area your goods cover.

Although most people believe LCL is more budget-friendly, the shipping method may exceed your budget when transporting bulk products. Why? Your cost for ocean freight arrangement depends on the Cubic per Meter (CBM) you occupy.

Service provider will calculate the CBM of your cargo by multiplying the width, length, and height of your entire package. As a result, if you’re shipping a product that requires excess space or is far too fragile for stacking, you’ll have to pay for the area other shippers can’t utilize.

Besides this, LCL and FCL shipping involves handling and chassis fees. Here per unit costs of LCL goods exceed FCL because of logistics and management charges. You might also have less clarity about the handling documentation charges due to multiple goods and consignees.

LCL shipments require longer transit times than FCL. The primary reason is that service provider will not move the container until it receives and loads shipments from all the shippers sharing your container.

In addition, multiple container bookings go to differing trans-shipment ports, disrupting your shipment’s arrival times. Your cargo might take extra days to reach the port due to the time spent processing, loading, unloading, and deconsolidating the goods.

So, shippers must check a container’s stuffing date, itinerary, trans-shipment dates, and expected arrival schedules before booking. On the other hand, FCL allows you to save time by delivering the entire cargo to the receiver.

The customs clearance and exams for LCL shipment are similar to FCL. But the primary difference is that any suspicious product in your shared container will undergo a lengthy examination.

In addition, additional examinations, whether an X-ray or a CET, will create costs for all the consignees of a container. Contrarily, FCL involves random customs inspections that are less likely to lead to time-consuming examinations.

But if your shipment gets flagged, you’ll have to shoulder the costs of the customs examination alone. So, it’s best to gauge the risks and costs of customs examinations beforehand.

LCL and FCL shipping have different inner dimensions and maximum weights, which makes them ideal for varying purposes. It’s best to choose LCL as your ocean freight arrangement when your shipment volume falls between 1 to 13 m³(70 or 459 ft³).

Conversely, if your shipment exceeds 13 m³ (459 ft³) or you’re shipping oversized cargo, select FCL. You can save costs and time by paying the price of a full container instead of renting unused space.

Regarding safety, FCL is a better option since it undergoes less handling when moving from one area to another. On the contrary, LCL involves multiple ports, loading and unloading docks, and cargo separation points.

So, LCL poses a higher risk of goods theft, damage, and loss than FCL. Remember that cargo safety is a crucial factor when delivering products.

FCL booking can be tricky, particularly during peak and holiday seasons. However since LCL does not require waiting for a full container, it offers better convenience and speed.

In addition, container availability in exceptional cases can lead to inflation in FCL ocean freight costs.

Unlike Full Container Load shipping, LCL is flexible and adaptable. The shipping method allows you to create a unique itinerary, dividing cargo over multiple ports.

On the contrary, if you want to add numerous containers loading and unloading in FCL, you must include additional costs for sorting, deconsolidation, transportation, and storage.