They are two standard shipping terms used in the international logistics industry to export and import ocean freight cargo. Here is what they mean:

FCL means Full Container Load and is an ISO-standard container intended for one consignee. This means the container is loaded under the risk and account of one shipper and only one consignee. As a result, FCL shipments tend to have lower rates than LCL shipments. Moreover, many companies will prefer to keep a 'mostly' full container as a single container load to simplify logistics and increase security compared to sharing a container with other goods.

LCL means Less-than-container load and is a shipment where the cargo is not big enough to fill a whole container. Therefore different cargo owned by other consignees gets loaded together, generally in a 20-foot container. Moreover, an LCL cargo in a 20-foot container is usually less than 19cbm.

Please note that there are also different container types, and FCL and LCL commonly refer to the standard types! But if you want to ship an FCL or an LCL Shipment, we are happy to help! Just request an automatic quote within seconds here: