Modes and equipment
LCL (less than container load)
A shared-container shipment where your goods travel with other shippers' cargo and are charged by volume or weight.
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With LCL your cartons are delivered to a consolidation warehouse (CFS) in China, loaded into a container with other customers' cargo, and unloaded at a CFS at destination before release. You pay per W/M, meaning per cubic metre or per tonne, whichever is greater, usually with a minimum of 1 CBM, plus origin and destination warehouse and document charges. LCL is ideal for small or trial orders, but it involves more handling and an extra step at destination, so good packing and clear carton marks matter. Example: a Muscat shop buys 6 CBM of garments weighing 2,000 kg from Guangzhou. The shipment is charged as 6 W/M, travels in a consolidated container to Sohar, and is released from the destination warehouse after customs clearance.
Questions
How is LCL freight calculated?
By W/M: the greater of the volume in CBM or the weight in tonnes, where 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg, usually with a minimum of 1 CBM. Origin and destination charges are added on top.
Is LCL slower than FCL?
It often takes a few days longer, because cargo waits for consolidation in China and for unloading and sorting at the destination warehouse.