OUR SERVICES
Los Angeles LCL Shipping
Our Los Angeles Less-than-Container-Load (LCL) shipping service is an affordable option for your smaller cargo that can’t fill an entire container. One of the key benefits of LCL shipping is that it offers you greater flexibility in terms of cargo volume and cost compared to airfreight. We offer weekly sailings to over 70 global ports worldwide, including popular destinations in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
LCL import and export shipping has been a staple of our business since we first started offering ocean freight services. We work with first-time shippers, startups, and established industries, backed by over 15 years of freight forwarding experience.
LCL Service Capabilities
We take pride in offering high-quality customer service. Our online tools provide you with access to your shipments 24/7 so you’re never in the dark.
- Port-to-Port Shipments
- End-to-End Shipments
- Weekly Sailings
- Personal Effect Shipments / Household Goods for Relocations
- Hazmat Shipments
- AES and Custom Clearance Capabilities
- Last Mile Delivery
- 24/7 Container Tracking
- Warehousing
about lcl
What is LCL Shipping?
Less-than-Container Load (LCL) allows you to share space in a container with other shippers if your shipment is too small to fill an entire container. LCL shipping allows you to access ocean freight services at an affordable cost compared to airfreight.
Your cargo must be packed in palletized boxes or crates to ship via LCL. This will allow us to easy stuff and load the container at the consolidation warehouse.
Why Choose LCL Shipping
You should ship via LCL if transit time isn’t a priority, or if you need to ship small shipments often. It works perfectly for stackable cargo, but we can also ship your boxes and pallets if they are non-stackable.
LCL is a budget friendly option compared to airfreight. It is cheaper than airfreight, allowing you to ship fewer goods more frequently while spending less money on inventory and warehousing space.
What's the Process to Ship LCL?
The first step is to reach out to us with your shipment’s details. This includes basic information such as cargo commodity, destination, pallet quantities, weights, and dimensions.
You can drop off your cargo at the consolidation warehouse, or we can pick it up from your location. Your cargo is then loaded into the container and taken to the local port for export. We will file export notification to U.S. Customs on your behalf before the vessel sails.
How Much Does LCL Shipping Cost?
The main factors that will determine your LCL shipping cost is the amount of space your cargo will occupy within the container (known as volume), its weight, and destination. Volume is calculated in cubic meters (CBM) and weight in kilograms.
Full-Container-Load (FCL) might be the better shipping choice if your cargo is heavy, large, and non-stackable. You’ll also benefit from faster transit times and less cargo handling.
What Goods Can I Ship via LCL?
You can ship most dry goods via LCL as long as your cargo doesn’t exceed the maximum CBM of 29 cubic meters and 3,000 KG for a single package. Cargo such as tile and stone, olive oil, wine and beverages, and fitness equipment are commonly shipped via LCL.
Can I Ship Dangerous Goods via LCL?
You can ship dangerous goods via LCL depending on your cargo’s hazmat classification type. Certain types of hazmat classes will require special handling and will make LCL an unrealistic option.
guide
Los Angeles LCL Shipping Tips
Here are some helpful LCL shipping tips that we put together for first-time importers shipping through Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.
Packaging
It’s essential to use durable packaging such as crates, pallets, or thick boxes for all your LCL freight, as it will be consolidated and shipped with other cargo. Your cargo will also be handled multiple times throughout its journey.
Weight Restrictions
The maximum weight for one package or pallet cannot exceed 3,000 kg, and 29 cubic meters. We recommend shipping FCL for dense and heavy cargo.
Volume Restrictions
Your LCL shipping cost will be based on how much space your cargo takes up in the container, known as cubic meters (CBM), plus origin and destination fees. LCL is ideal if you’re shipping less than 6 pallets or under 15 cubic meters.
The Last Free Day
Your LCL cargo is assigned a “last free day” when unloaded at the destination warehouse. You or your forwarder will schedule a pickup time on or before this day to avoid a daily storage charge, known as demurrage.
Warehouse Fees
LCL cargo is subject to handling fees at origin and destination. We include these fees in our pricing to provide you with cost certainty and a stress-free shipping experience.
LCL vs. Air Freight
We recommend shipping via air freight if your cargo is small, lightweight, and under 3 cubic meters.
