Email
13OO 71O 683
Tariff Lookup
HS Code Lookup
Newsletter Signup
LCL means your cargo shares a container with other importers’ cargo. FCL means you take the whole box. The decision is usually framed as a volume question, but volume is only one of five things that matter — and the cheapest freight rate is regularly the more expensive shipment.
The short answer
| LCL — Less than Container Load | FCL — Full Container Load | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Roughly 1–13 m³ | Roughly 13 m³ and above, or any volume needing control |
| How it is charged | Per revenue tonne — the greater of cubic metres or metric tonnes | A fixed rate for the container, regardless of how full it is |
| Cost behaviour | Rises steadily with every cubic metre | Flat — the marginal cube is free once you have the box |
| Handling | Packed with other cargo at origin, unpacked at destination | Sealed at origin, opened at your premises or nominated depot |
| Transit | Longer — consolidation and deconsolidation add days at both ends | Shorter and more predictable |
| Damage exposure | Higher — more handling, adjacent cargo, restow risk | Lower — no third-party cargo touching yours |
| Destination charges | Per-shipment charges that do not shrink with volume | Per-container charges, spread across more cargo |
| Free time risk | Minimal — no container to return | Real — detention and demurrage accrue daily |
Calculate your cube first with our CBM calculator. That figure is what the whole decision turns on.
How LCL is actually priced
LCL is quoted per revenue tonne, often written as W/M — weight or measure. The carrier compares your volume in cubic metres with your gross weight in tonnes and charges on whichever is greater, treating one cubic metre as 1,000 kg.
So a 6 m³ shipment weighing 2 tonnes is charged on 6 revenue tonnes. A 2 m³ shipment weighing 5 tonnes is charged on 5 revenue tonnes. Dense cargo pays on weight; light cargo pays on space.
The part importers underestimate is destination charges. An LCL consignment attracts deconsolidation, documentation, terminal and agency charges in Australia that are largely fixed per shipment. On a 2 m³ consignment those charges can exceed the ocean freight itself. This is also why an LCL quote that shows only a low per-cube rate is rarely the full story — always ask for the all-in landed figure.
How FCL is actually priced
FCL is a fixed price for the container. Whether you fill 60% or 100% of a 20ft box, the ocean freight is the same. That produces a very different cost curve: LCL climbs with every cube, FCL is flat, and the two lines cross.
| Container | Internal volume | Practical load | Typical payload limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft general purpose | ~33 m³ | ~25–28 m³ | Weight-limited for dense cargo — often the binding constraint |
| 40ft general purpose | ~67 m³ | ~55–58 m³ | Volume-limited for most cargo |
| 40ft high cube | ~76 m³ | ~62–66 m³ | Best value per cube for light, stackable cargo |
Note the 20ft weight point. Heavy cargo — tiles, stone, machinery, liquids, fasteners — regularly reaches the road and container weight limits at well under half the internal volume. If your cargo is dense, the 20ft is a weight decision, not a space decision.
Where the crossover sits
As a working rule, once a consignment reaches roughly 13–15 m³ it is worth pricing a 20ft FCL alongside the LCL rate. Below that, LCL is usually cheaper. Above it, FCL usually wins on both cost and control.
But the crossover moves. Take FCL earlier than 13 m³ when:
- Your cargo is fragile, high-value or brand-sensitive and you do not want it handled at a consolidation depot
- You need predictable transit — LCL adds consolidation waiting time at origin and deconsolidation queues at destination
- Your cargo is dense — LCL charged on weight can hit container pricing at surprisingly low volume
- You are shipping regularly and can consolidate two orders into one container
- Your cargo has biosecurity risk and you would rather not share a container with someone else’s timber packaging
Stay with LCL longer when:
- Cash flow matters more than transit time — smaller, more frequent shipments spread the spend
- You are testing a new product or supplier and do not want a container of it
- You have no unpack capability — no dock, no forklift, no yard space, or a site that cannot take a B-double
- Your volume is genuinely variable month to month
The cost nobody quotes: free time
FCL has a hidden cost that LCL does not. Once the container is available, you get a limited period of free time before demurrage (leaving the container at the terminal) and detention (holding the container after collection) start accruing daily.
Detention and demurrage will wipe out an FCL saving faster than any other line item. The defence is planning, not negotiation:
- Confirm the free time period at booking, in writing
- Know your unpack date before the vessel arrives, not after
- Check your site can physically take the delivery vehicle and unload it in a day
- Book transport and the empty return slot early
- Resolve documentation issues pre-arrival so the clock does not start while you chase a permit
If you cannot commit to an unpack window, LCL removes the risk entirely — there is no container to return.
Worked comparison
Two importers shipping from Shanghai to Sydney.
| Importer A | Importer B | |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo | Packaged homewares | Ceramic tiles |
| Volume | 9.5 m³ | 9.5 m³ |
| Gross weight | 2,100 kg | 18,000 kg |
| LCL chargeable basis | 9.5 revenue tonnes (volume) | 18.0 revenue tonnes (weight) |
| Sensible mode | LCL — comfortably under the crossover | FCL 20ft — weight makes LCL uncompetitive, and the cargo is at the container weight limit anyway |
Same cube, opposite answers. This is why “how many cubic metres?” is never the only question we ask.
What to send us for an accurate comparison
- Total cubic metres and gross weight (use our CBM calculator)
- Number and type of packages, and whether they are palletised or stackable
- Supplier address or load port, and the Incoterm
- Delivery address in Australia, and what access it has — forklift, dock, vehicle size limits
- Commodity description and value, for duty and insurance
- Required delivery date, and whether it is firm
With that we will quote LCL and FCL side by side as landed costs, including destination charges, so you are comparing the same thing.
Not sure which way to go?
Send us your cube, weight and delivery address. We will price both options as a full landed cost — including destination charges and free time — so the comparison is real.
Compare LCL and FCL Call 1300 710 683Frequently asked questions
At what volume should I switch from LCL to FCL?
Around 13–15 m³ as a general rule, but it moves. Dense cargo, fragile cargo, time-critical cargo and regular shipping all justify FCL earlier. Always price both.
Is LCL slower than FCL?
Usually yes. LCL cargo waits to be consolidated at origin and must be deconsolidated at a destination depot before release, which typically adds days at both ends. FCL moves as a sealed unit.
Is my cargo safe in an LCL container?
LCL is used successfully every day, but it involves more handling and shares space with cargo you did not pack. Strong packaging, clear marks and proper palletising matter more on LCL than FCL, and marine insurance is strongly recommended either way.
Can I fill a 20ft container completely?
Rarely, and often you should not. Practical loading is around 25–28 m³ in a 20ft, and dense cargo will reach road and container weight limits well before that. Overloading creates compliance problems at the destination, not savings.
What are detention and demurrage?
Demurrage is charged when a container stays at the terminal beyond free time. Detention is charged when you hold the container after collection beyond the allowed period. Both accrue daily and both are avoidable with an unpack and return plan made before arrival.
Can I consolidate several suppliers into one container?
Yes. Buyer’s consolidation brings cargo from multiple suppliers into one container at origin, and it is often the point at which FCL becomes cheaper than several separate LCL shipments. Talk to us early — it needs planning at the purchase order stage.
Container capacities, crossover volumes and free time periods are indicative and vary by carrier, equipment, trade lane and cargo type. Confirm the specifics of your shipment with MTF Logistics before booking.