Is Your Package Too Big for FedEx and Too Small for a Container?

The most common form of shipping overseas is inside containers. However, have you ever had the conundrum in which your cargo does not fill a container and is too big (or expensive) to ship with the postal office or a major courier service? Wish that you could only fill a part of the container and pay less for the shipping cost since you did not fill the container? Believe it or not, there is service to address this problem!

Today there are international shipping companies that specialize in combining freight into containers and charging the customer a fraction of the cost of a full container, this service is called less-than-container load (LCL) or consolidated shipments. How does this service save you money? Simple, these specialized shipping companies will charge you based on how much of the container your cargo occupies. Instead of paying for an entire container, you will only pay for the 5% or 10% of the container that you occupy. The shipping company will have set prices based on the total amount of space you occupy in the container.

When deciding whether or not you should utilize LCL international shipping service, you should always consider whether or not this is the best option for you. Sometimes if you are able to fill 50% of the container it is still cheaper to ship your own container versus shipping with a consolidation service. So how exactly do companies offering LCL services determine how much you should pay? There are several factors that will affect the price of partial container service.

The main factors that determine the price of consolidation shipping are dimensions and weight. The international shipping company will take the length, width, height and weight of your cargo and determine the total volume and weight. In the shipping industry the term weight or measure (w/m) is used to confirm the price. What does weight or measure (w/m) mean? It simply means that you will be charged based on which of the two is greater; the total measure (cubic meter) or total weight of your cargo (pounds or kilograms). It is important to make sure you provide accurate dimensions and weight of your cargo so there are no surprises later on when you get the bill! Shipping companies will measure and weigh your cargo once it is received to check if the cargo is bigger and/or heavier than what was originally booked.

Once your cargo ships, the shipping company will have an office at the destination that will assist with clearing your cargo through customs and unloading your cargo from the container. While LCL consolidation money will generally save you money, you must also take into account any charges that may occur at the destination. The biggest drawback to this service is your cargo is subject to customs holds and inspections if another customer ships something suspicious or does not have the right paperwork.

All types of cargo are shipped with consolidation service. Commercial goods, machinery, replacement parts, and even certain hazardous cargo, can all be shipped using LCL / consolidation shipping service. In addition to commercial goods, some shipping companies specialize in consolidating international car shipments to certain destinations. Regardless of what type of cargo you are shipping, consider utilizing less-than-container load (LCL) / consolidation shipping services and save money shipping overseas.

Don Grove is the author of this article on international shipping service.