Sea freight is booked either as LCL (less than container load) or FCL (full container load).
LCL
You pay for the cubic meters you use. Good for roughly 1–15 m³. Transit is longer because cargo is consolidated and deconsolidated, and there are more handling fees per cubic meter.
FCL
You book a whole 20’, 40’ or 40’HQ container. Usually cheaper per unit from around 15 m³ upward, with less handling and faster clearance.
Rule of thumb
Compare both quotes from about 10–15 m³. Consolidating several suppliers into one FCL often beats several LCL shipments.
