They are two common shipping terms used in the international logistics industry for exporting and importing ocean freight cargo. Here is what they mean:
FCL:
FCL means Full Container Load and is an ISO-standard container that is intended for one consignee. This means that the container is loaded under the risk and account of one shipper and only one consignee. 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:
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 different 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 types of container and FCL and LCL normally refers to the standard types! But if you want to ship a FCL or a LCL Shipment, we are happy to help you! Just request an automatic quote within seconds here: