LCLshipping cargo must see, shipping LCL practical skills!

 LCLshipping cargo must see, shipping LCL practical skills!

n international sea transport, sea LCL is suitable for situations where the quantity of goods is small or the volume is not enough to fill the entire container.

Shipping LCL cargo is usually organized and managed by logistics companies or freight forwarders. The container space can be fully utilized by reasonable assembly of the goods of multiple cargo owners.

So, what are the differences between LCL and FCL by sea, and what do you need to pay attention to when shipping?

01 The difference between LCL and FCL

Marine LCL means that the goods of different cargo owners are assembled and concentrated in one container for transportation. Shipping LCL can make full use of container capacity and reduce the transportation cost of each cargo owner.

Full container shipping, also known as full container transportation or full container transportation. The cargo will not be mixed in the same container with the cargo of other different owners. This method is suitable for large quantities of goods or goods that need to maintain integrity and independence.

02 LCL features and advantages

Cost effective: For smaller volumes, LCL shipping is usually more cost-effective than FCL shipping, as the cost is divided among multiple shippers.

Flexibility: LCL shipping allows shippers to ship smaller batches of goods as needed, without waiting for containers to fill.

Space saving: Through reasonable assembly of goods, you can make full use of the space of the container and minimize the waste of space.

03 Shipping LCL precautions

Loading and unloading time: Due to the need to assemble at the time of loading and unloading, LCL shipping may require more loading and unloading time.

Cargo protection: Cargo may come into contact with other cargo in the container and additional protective measures may be required.

Route restrictions: Some routes and ports may not have LCL service, resulting in limited shipping options.

04 Shipping LCL practical skills

01 Generally no designated shipping companies are accepted

The shipping company only accepts the booking of FCL cargo, and does not directly accept the sea booking of LCL cargo. The shipping company can only book the shipping space after the LCL cargo is assembled through the freight forwarder.

Due to the limitations of the supply of goods, the general freight forwarder can only concentrate on booking space to a few shipping companies, and rarely meet the needs of the designated shipping company, so try not to accept the designated shipping company when the LCL cargo is completed, so as not to meet the requirements when handling the consignment.

Almost all LCL cargo is through the freight forwarding company "centralized delivery, centralized distribution" to achieve transportation, the East China LCL distribution port is basically the port of Shanghai.

02 Pay attention to the terms of carriage

When negotiating a deal with the customer, special attention should be paid to the relevant terms of transport, so as not to find that the terms of transport cannot be met when the other party's letter of credit is issued.

In daily operation, we often encounter that L/C stipulates that LCL cargo transport does not accept the bill of lading of freight forwarders, because the shipping company does not directly accept the booking of LCL cargo, the shipping company's ocean bill of lading is issued to the forwarder, and the forwarder then issues HOUSEB/L to the consignor. If L/C stipulates that the forwarder B/L is not accepted, then there is no choice in the actual transportation. It will result in an L/C discrepancy.

03 billing tons as accurate as possible

Before LCL delivery, the factory should be required to measure the weight and size of the goods as accurately as possible. When the goods are delivered to the warehouse designated by the freight forwarder for storage, the warehouse will generally measure again, and the measurement and weight will be charged.

If the factory changes the packaging, the factory should be asked to notify in time, do not wait for the goods to be delivered to the freight forwarder warehouse, through the freight forwarder to feedback the information back, often time is very tight, and then change the customs declaration document, it is easy to delay customs declaration, or produce expedited customs declaration fees and port charges.

04 Pay attention to the minimum charge standard for goods

In some ports, due to the shortage of LCL goods and the high cost, the freight forwarding company specializing in LCL adopts the minimum charge standard for the goods with less cargo volume.

For example, the minimum starting for 2 freight tons, that is, less than 2 freight tons, all according to 2 freight tons pricing charges. Therefore, the quantity of goods is small, the port of the goods in the transaction should take into account some such factors, so as not to be passive in the future.

05 Confirm the fee before signing

For some routes and ports are more remote, and the customer wants to deliver to the inland point of LCL goods, it is best to consult before signing a contract, confirm that there are shipping companies and freight forwarding companies can undertake to handle these remote ports, inland points of delivery and related costs before signing.

In SUMMARY:Overall, LCL is a flexible and affordable means of shipping by sea, especially suitable for the export of small quantities of goods or small businesses.