Is your shipment too small to fill up a whole container? LCL shipping allows you to share a container which is consolidated with other cargo. This allows you to ensure your small shipment can be on the move when you need it.
Less-than-Container Load enables the use of palletized boxes and crates or small package boxes to ensure on-time shipment of your cargo. It helps you accommodate fluctuating demand and find shipping availability even during busy periods.
LCL shipping gives you flexibility and the ability to react to ever-changing demands, especially if you need to move small shipments often. With LCL you can ship your small boxes and pallets per your needs instead of waiting to fill a full container with your cargo.
By choosing LCL, you only pay for the space your cargo is occupying in the container. You share the space with others as well as the costs. It is cheaper than air freight and it allows you to ship less goods more frequently while spending less money on inventorying and warehousing space.
There are two main shipping modes when choosing how to ship your cargo via ocean – Less-than-Container-Load (LCL) and Full Container Load (FCL) shipping. Here, we have a simple comparison explaining the meaning of FCL and LCL.
If you want to ship small boxes or pallets that fit into 20 feet or 40 feet containers, and do not have enough cargo to fill up a whole container, LCL shipping is the right solution for you. It works perfectly for stackable cargo, but we can also ship your boxes and pallets if they are non-stackable.
LCL shipment is ideal for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who may not have sufficient cargo to fill a full container. It also works for large and medium enterprises (LMEs) who are facing varying demands or want to test out new markets. Typically, industries like fashion, lifestyle, automotive, technology and FMCG can benefit greatly from LCL shipping.
Our LCL shipping services are designed for you, and we take care of your cargo from start to finish.
With Maerx, you can easily book your LCL shipment online. Simply log in to the Maerx LCL platform and fill out relevant information about your cargo in a few steps. You’ll get an instant price and a booking confirmation within 4 hours. After this, you can either drop your boxes (or pallets) at our warehouse or we can pick it up directly from your warehouse.
Your cargo will then be grouped with others, loaded, and sealed at a Container Freight Station, and it will leave for your destination on a ship after having gone through customs clearance. If you wish, our customs experts can also take care of the Customs Clearance.
Upon arrival, the container is unloaded, and your boxes (or pallets) are delivered either directly to you or to our warehouse for you to pick up.
The cost of LCL shipping depends on a few different factors, the main ones being the volume of space that your cargo will occupy within the container and its weight and the shipping route. Volume is calculated in cubic meters (CBM) and weight in kilograms. At Maerx, maximum for a single package is 3,000 kg and 29 CBM and the maximum limit per booking is 20,000 kg and 60 CBM.
When you book LCL via our digital platform, you have complete transparency on speed, options and costs. You’ll also get an instant price and a booking confirmation within 4 hours.
We understand that even the smallest cargo can have the biggest impact on your business, so we keep it moving. LCL is ideal for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who may not have sufficient volume to fill a full container or large and medium enterprises (LMEs) who have varying demands or want to test out new markets.
When you choose LCL, we coordinate, consolidate, and transport your smaller quantities of cargo with other LCL shipments and ensure that you pay as per your utilization. Maerx LCL reduces complexities, delivers visibility, and provides the advantage of asset ownership to ensure that you always get a reliable solution tailored to your needs. This enables you to make and fulfil a delivery promise. By using our digital tools, you also get full transparency all the way till your customers’ doorsteps.
-Tailor-made LCL solutions and flexibility to switch transport modes -Ship per your needs instead of waiting to fill a FCL -Keep inventory at a minimum by shipping more frequently using LCL.
-Access to global network (More than 100+ countries, 500+ direct main port-pairs & more than 12.000+ point-pairs in global market for your choice) -Predictable lead times/shipments for your shipment -Loading priority for Maersk LCL consolidations and space commitment for each booking -Get final prices upfront and receive booking confirmation within 4 hours of request
-Get easy access via desktop or mobile app and get an instant price based on your cargo volume -Clear breakdown of incoterm-based prices -Get multiple product offerings from just one single source -Door-to-door delivery service
-Track and monitor your shipments -End-to-end visibility into delivery timelines 24 x 7 -Virtual calculator for better transparency of rates
