What is LCL (Less than Container Load) freight shipping?

Use the online LCL freight calculator above to obtain international shipping costs for sending goods from the USA overseas in just minutes.

You may ask, “What is LCL freight? Why is it a convenient and affordable international shipping method?”

In international cargo transportation, LCL is an abbreviation for "Less than Container Load," used in sea freight from the USA. In other words, LCL means exporting consolidated cargo. It refers to international shipments that do not require a full 40-foot container for shipping goods overseas from the U.S. but rather share space in the container with other shippers.

Several exporters’ cargo is consolidated into one ocean 40-foot freight container in the USA at a Container Freight Station (CFS - a freight terminal under U.S. Customs supervision). Then, the container is shipped overseas by a global sea freight carrier. Upon arrival, the cargo is deconsolidated at the destination's CFS and released to different consignees.

LCL is a wise choice for affordable international shipping, as it allows shippers to avoid the higher international shipping costs associated with booking an entire container.

If you do not have enough goods to fill an entire 40' container, shipping goods from the U.S. overseas under the LCL is the prudent and affordable shipping solution. It is the best way to avoid paying international shipping costs for a full container while using reliable global transportation services provided by an experienced international shipping company.

When Should You Consider Using LCL Freight?

Choosing LCL is an affordable option for sending commercial loads and moving household goods and personal effects from the USA without hiring international moving companies.

Customers who intend to ship goods from the USA abroad ask, “What are the advantages and disadvantages of LCL freight?” We are not going to discuss all modes of international cargo transportation. Let's talk about sea freight.

Your first question should be, “Is my cargo too small or too big for LCL?”

A. LCL should be appropriate for cargo exceeding 0.2-0.3 cubic meters in volume (approximately 7–10 cubic feet). If you ship packages or small boxes from the United States abroad, you should consider a parcel service like USPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.

But how big is a Cubic Meter?

We suggest watching this video on YouTube to visualize the volume of one cubic meter. Yes, the cube in the picture below equals the volume of just one cubic meter.

The picture below shows how many small and large shipping boxes fit into one cubic meter.

Running ahead, here is the answer to the frequently asked question, “How much do you charge for a kilo or lbs?”

The answer is: In LCL, freight rates for regular cargo self-delivered to a sea freight carrier’s terminal (professionally called container freight stations or CFS), the weight of the cargo is not a pricing factor. The international shipping cost for such shipments is calculated based on the overall cargo volume.

LCL freight rates are calculated per cubic meter or foot, not by kilograms or pounds.

In other words, with LCL delivered to a CFS, you can usually disregard the weight of your load. However, although international shipping rates in LCL are affordable, there is always a minimum charge. Typically, the minimum payment equals the international shipping cost of a volume load of one cubic meter (or about 35 cubic feet).

B. Conversely, if your shipment is large and can fill an entire 20 or 40-foot container, you should consider FCL (full container load). However, when considering FCL, always remember that with FCL, shippers are always held responsible for loading and securing loads in containers.

Also, remember that FCL is heavily restricted at each stage of the transportation by steamship lines, from the beginning to the end. With FCL, the shipper is responsible for container pickup at a container yard, the proper container load, and timely container return to the yard in the United States. Pickup, delivery, unloading of the container at the destination, and timely return of the empty container. Ignoring any restriction may result in significant penalties from steamship lines.

Unless you are a professional in all aspects of container transportation, cargo volumes of about 20-25 cubic meters should still be suitable for LCL.

Let’s see how LCL benefits shippers.

LCL is an affordable international cargo transportation solution. If your load fits LCL, the shipping cost is significantly reduced compared to other global cargo transportation modes.

If you ship goods from the United States in boxes, crates, or pallets in a sea freight container and share the container with other exporters, you pay only for the container's space, not the entire container. It is definitely much less expensive than sending a whole container.
Since cargo vessels are not limited by weight but by the volume capacity of ships, then, as already mentioned above, for general commodities, international freight rates are calculated by the overall volume of cargo, not by the weight. In other words, with LCL freight, most of the time, you may ignore the weight of the cargo. In LCL freight, international shipping rates are typically based on the overall volume in cubic meters or cubic feet.
With LCL, you may save on U.S. domestic cargo transportation. You can self-deliver your cargo to a sea freight carrier's terminal (CFS). All your stuff may easily fit into a rented truck. In this case, you eliminate all the expenses related to cargo delivery to the CFS. The cargo transportation costs within the United States are pretty high. Suppose you order a pickup for your international cargo transportation. In that case, the cost of your cargo delivery to a CFS may even exceed the price of the ocean freight in your total international shipping cost.

LCL is a more convenient and flexible way to ship cargo from the U.S. than other international cargo transportation modes.

When you deliver your loose boxes to an ocean freight carrier terminal (CFS), you can ask the CFS to properly palletize and shrink-wrap all or part of your shipping items into one or more skids. Palletizing your boxes at the CFS will make your goods safe for global transportation. Handling small boxes during cargo delivery is much more convenient than dealing with heavy pallets. You may request international shipping companies to order CFS to palletize small boxes and ask to ship more significant items loose. By separating large items from pallets, you can decrease your international shipping cost by minimizing chargeable volume related to palletizing.
If your load fits into a 40-foot container handling with forklifts, you can ship boxes, crates, and pallets of any size and form. If you ship goods from the U.S. with LCL freight, then pay attention to the internal dimensions of a standard 40-foot dry container, which are:

Length - 39'5" = 12 meters
Width - 7'5" = 2.35 meters
Height - 7'10" = 2.39 meters
If you are involved in global cargo transportation, you must consider restrictions on wood-packing materials, commonly known as ISPM15 rules. Cargo in cardboard boxes complies with the ISPM15 regulations. Then, you can pack and ship your goods in cardboard boxes purchased at Walmart, U-Haul, Office Depot, etc. You may shop around for heavy-duty cardboard boxes to protect your goods. In international cargo transportation from the USA, we recommend heavy-duty cardboard boxes, but they are not absolutely necessary. You will palletize your boxes on ISPM15-certified or plastic pallets for safe shipping overseas.
Suppose you deliver your loose cardboard boxes to an international shipping company's CFS. In that case, the CFS should properly palletize and shrink-wrap the boxes for the fee of $35-50 per pallet, including the cost of certified pallets. Use this opportunity. Do not palletize boxes by yourself. Just deliver the easy-transporting boxes to the CFS and leave the palletizing to professionals. In addition to the fact that loose boxes are much easier to handle, the most important thing is that you're taking off all responsibility for ISPM15 compliance and transferring the commitment to the CFS company. Your shipment should not face any problems related to ISPM15 during the shipping from the U.S. to the destination. Suppose you ship goods to Oceania, particularly to Australia or New Zealand. In that case, you must read about these cargo fumigation requirements for cargo delivered from the USA to Australia and New Zealand.

ISPM15 pallets

However, there are restrictions on LCL freight. Some conditions apply to any freight, regardless of the mode of global cargo transportation, and some are related mainly to using the LCL service.

These are the most common restrictions in LCL that shippers should be aware of:

Avoid shipping food products, wine, or drugs from the USA abroad. Exporting food products from the United States, including wine, liquors, or pharmaceuticals, edible animal byproducts, supplements, etc., is subject to special regulations in the U.S. and destination countries. Violations of such rules may result in cargo detention, confiscation, or destruction. Besides that, it may lead to fines and even criminal charges. The consigners and consignees are responsible for providing proper documentation, permits, etc. The consigner and consignee cover all incurred costs.

To simplify it, when packing your goods for international transportation from the U.S., avoid adding any items considered dangerous or prohibited when you send a parcel to your local USPS office. Just stay away from the following items:

Perishable food products and alcohol
Live animals, plants, and seeds
Any medicines and drugs
Dangerous and Hazardous Goods are restricted and subject to approval and special procedures.
Aerosols and liquids
Cash, Money orders, credit, and debit cards
Passports and other confidential documents
Valuable jewelry, art, and antiques
Weapons of all kinds
Sipping Dangerous and Hazardous goods is restricted and subject to approval and special procedures.

If you pack in used boxes, erase all labels and marks, especially those relating to dangerous goods or hazardous materials.

With LCL, you cannot ship motor vehicles requiring DMV registration.

We’re continuously reviewing inquiries to send different kinds of motor vehicles overseas from the USA by LCL. Unfortunately, any motorized vehicle requiring DMV (U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles) registration, such as automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, ATVs, jet skis, etc., cannot ship from the USA with LCL freight. This is because the United States Customs does not recognize ocean freight carriers’ terminals (CFS) as exam sites for motor vehicle inspection.

If you want to ship a motorized vehicle from the States overseas by sea, you should consider exporting it in a 20 or 40-foot container (FCL) or RO-RO, but not LCL.

However, with LCL freight, you can pack and ship any vehicle that does not require DMV registration, such as mini choppers, snowmobiles, golf carts, self-propelled wheelchairs, specialized construction, special mobile equipment, forklifts, etc. Always check with the DMV before you ship any vehicle from the USA overseas, regardless of the mode of international cargo transportation.

Fortunately, any legal motor parts can be shipped from the USA using LCL freight. The typical exception is exporting used tires from the USA.

If you ship from the U.S., motor parts containing fluids (such as engines, gas tanks, etc.) must be completely drained. Large and heavy pieces must be crated or securely attached to pallets.

Remember, if your international shipment contains a battery (even a dry battery), the entire load may be considered dangerous goods. Additional documents about dangerous goods must be provided, and hazardous surcharges will apply. Transportation of dangerous goods must be approved when booking. The shipper should know additional requirements and charges before a shipment is scheduled for international transportation from the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About LCL Freight

1. What is LCL freight?

LCL (Less than Container Load) allows multiple shippers to share space in a single container. It’s a cost-effective solution for businesses and individuals who don't have enough goods to fill an entire container, making it a smart choice for affordable international shipping.

2. How does LCL reduce international shipping costs?

With LCL, you only pay for your cargo's space, not the entire container. This makes the international shipping cost much lower than booking a full container, especially for smaller shipments.

3. Is LCL offered by all international shipping companies?

Most international transportation companies that ship goods by sea offer LCL services. It’s one of the most popular methods for delivering overseas small to medium-sized loads, whether commercial cargo or household goods.

4. When is LCL the most affordable international shipping option?

LCL is the most affordable international transportation option when your total cargo volume is less than 15 cubic meters. Instead of paying for unused space in a full container, you split the container with others and pay only for your share.

5. What factors affect the international shipping cost for LCL shipments?

Several factors influence your international shipping cost with LCL freight, including the overall chargeable volume of your shipment, the destination port, and the specific services requested (such as pickup or delivery options).

6. Are there size limits for LCL shipments with international shipping companies?

Most international shipping companies accept LCL shipments up to a certain volume or weight before recommending a full container (FCL). Booking a full container may be more economical if your cargo is 15–18 cubic meters.