The difference in one line

FCL (Full Container Load) means the container is yours — sealed at origin, opened at destination. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your cargo shares a container with other shippers' goods, consolidated at origin and deconsolidated on arrival.

How to choose

• Volume — small volumes favour LCL, but as cubic metres climb, a full container usually wins on cost per unit. Ask for both quotes side by side; the break-even point moves with the trade lane and the season.
• Cargo sensitivity — fragile, high-value or contamination-sensitive goods travel better in a sealed container, without the extra handling that consolidation involves.
• Timing — LCL adds consolidation at origin and deconsolidation at destination. When a deadline is tight, those extra days matter more than the freight difference.
• Regularity — steady monthly volume is a case for a container programme rather than repeated LCL bookings.

The costs quotations hide

Ocean freight is only part of the landed cost. Terminal handling, documentation, consolidation and deconsolidation fees, inland haulage, clearance and — most of all — time at the port make up the rest.

Two charges are worth knowing precisely because they are avoidable:

• Demurrage — charged when the container stays inside the terminal beyond its free time.
• Detention — charged when you keep the container outside the terminal too long before returning it empty.

Both are the price of a file that was not ready. Documents cleared before arrival are worth more than a small discount on the freight rate.

How we quote it

Ranisy prices FCL and LCL against each other on your actual volume and timeline, states the free time you get, and plans clearance so the container moves before demurrage starts. Send us your packing list and we will show you both options with the landed cost, not just the freight.