Sea freight — FCL and LCL
Most of what we move goes by sea. We book the space, coordinate the origin leg, and make sure the paperwork matches the cargo.
What this covers
Sea freight is arranged either as a full container load, where the container is yours from stuffing to unstuffing, or as a consolidated shipment, where your cargo shares a container with other consignments and is separated again at destination.
The choice is rarely about preference. It follows from volume, from how the goods are packed, from whether the consignee can receive a full container, and from how much of the transit you are willing to spend waiting for a consolidation to fill. We will tell you which one is cheaper for your specific consignment rather than quoting one by default.
How the shipment runs
Comparison
| Full container load (FCL) | Consolidated (LCL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Container use | Dedicated to one consignor | Shared with other consignments |
| Best suited to | Volume that fills or nearly fills a container | Part loads and smaller regular shipments |
| Handling at origin | Stuffed at supplier or at the container yard | Delivered to a consolidation facility, stuffed with other cargo |
| Handling at destination | Delivered as a sealed unit | Unstuffed and separated before release |
| Transit predictability | Follows the vessel schedule | Adds the time needed to close the consolidation |
| Cost basis | Per container | Per cubic metre or per tonne, whichever is greater |
Documents you receive
- Bill of lading — issued as a house bill by us or as a master bill by the carrier, stated openly on the booking confirmation
- Commercial invoice and packing list matching the cargo as loaded
- Certificate of origin where the destination requires one for tariff treatment
- Fumigation, phytosanitary or inspection certificates where the commodity calls for them
- Insurance certificate where cover is arranged through us