Less-Than-Container-Load (LCL) Ocean Service

LCL is an abbreviation for "Less than Container Load". This shipping term is commonly used to describe an international ocean freight service that is designed for shipping boxed, crated, or palletized cargo from or to the US that can't fit an entire 20 or 40 foot sea freight container.

There are many advantages for LCL international shipping including, but not limited to the below:

• It sharply decreases shipping cost on smaller freight shipments
• When you share a 40 foot sea freight container with one or more exporter/importer you pay for only the space used in the container, not the whole container
• As a rule the transit time will be the same as if you would ship a full ocean freight container
• Typically LCL ocean freight rates are calculated by volume(per cubic meter/cubic foot) but not by weight. Since cargo vessels capacity is not really limited by weight of cargo, but by the hold of the ship, in general weight of LCL freight is not a pricing factor
• You can ship cargo of any size and form as long as it fits into a 40' sea freight container with internal dimensions that follow:
  • Length:  39'5" = 12 meters
  • Width:   7'5" = 2.35 meters
  • Height: 7'10" = 2.39 meters

20' Standard Multimodal Sea Freight Container	Interior Dimensions(L x W x H): 5.919 m x 2.340 m x 2.380 m (19'-5" x 7'-8" x 7'-9 1/2") Door Opening (W x H): 2.286 m x 2.278 m (7'-6" x 7'-5 1/2") Tare Weight: 1,900 kg (4,198 lbs) Cubic Capacity: 33.0 cbm (1,165 cubic ft) Payload* : 22,100 kg (48,721 lbs)
40' Standard Multimodal Sea Freight Container	Interior Dimensions (L x W x H): 12.051 m x 2.340 m x 2.380 m (39'-6 1/2" x 7'-9 1/2") Door Opening (W x H): 2.286 m x 2.278 m (7'-6" x 7'-5 1/2") Tare Weight: 2,084 kg (6,799 lbs) Cubic Capacity: 67.3 cbm (2,377 cubic feet) Payload* : 27,397 kg (60,401 lbs)
40' High Cube Multimodal Sea Freight Container	Interior Dimensions (L x W x H): 12.056 m x 2.347 m x 2.684 m (39'-6 1/2" x 7'-8 1/4" x 8'-9 1/2" Door Opening (W x H): 2.340 m x 2.585 m (7'-8" x 8'-5 3/4") Tare Weight: 2,900 kg (6,393 lbs) Cubic Capacity: 76.0 cbm (2,684 cubic ft) Payload* : 29,600 kg (65,256 lbs)

*Payload weight exceeds over the road legal limits in US and Canada. Recommended maximum ocean freight containers payload for the US and Canada is 35,000 lbs per 20' and 42,000 lbs per 40'.

Ocean freight cargo companies traditionally base their freight rates on a number of factors. The following list of items could have some significance on the type of rate and quote that you may receive for your next LCL shipment.

Freight rates most commonly charged by the steamship lines are "line terms". Which include the cost of carrying the goods of LCL from one port to another but also the cost of loading the goods on to the ship in the port of shipment and unloading them at the foreign port. This may also include any harbor charges that the ship may incur. However, the freight rate does not include certain terminal charges that may be levied by the harbor authorities against your LCL cargo.

Factors that influence the rate charged for any particular type of LCL cargo:

• The weight of the goods being shipped
• The dimensions of the goods being shipped
• The shape of the goods
• Ease of damage
• Ease of pilferage
• Need for refrigeration or other special considerations

By taking advantage of ocean shipping economies and running weekly consolidations. We quickly find available space on containers or combine your freight with other loads heading in the same direction to save you time and money. And your LCL shipments won't just be placed in transit on schedule - they'll be coordinated by our global ocean experts from origin to delivery.

We'll help you keep your LCL shipments moving:

• Licensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier(NVOCC)
• Weekly departures between most major ports
• Dedicated customs and compliance assistance on every load, including partials
• Paperwork management, including bills of lading and invoicing
• Cargo insurance options for additional peace of mind

If you have any questions on the above or on your shipment, please don't hesitate to call and speak with one of our specialists at 1-800-437-4705 and we'd be happy to answer any question you may have.