FCL (Full Container Load)

TL;DR: FCL means you book a whole container for your cargo alone. You pay per container, not per cubic meter, and the container stays sealed from origin to destination.

With FCL, an empty container is delivered to the factory or warehouse, loaded, sealed and trucked to the port. Because no other shipper’s goods share the box, there is less handling, lower risk of damage and usually a faster, simpler process than LCL. The container is typically picked up at the destination terminal and delivered sealed to the buyer.

FCL pricing is a flat rate per container type, such as 20GP, 40GP or 40HQ, plus local charges like THC. Once a shipment reaches roughly 13 to 15 CBM, an FCL 20GP often costs about the same as or less than LCL. Ask your forwarder to compare both.

For heavy cargo such as glass mosaic, weight matters as much as volume. A container can reach its payload limit long before it is full, and road weight rules at the destination may be stricter than the carrier’s limit. A 20GP is often the better fit for dense goods, since a 40-foot container rarely carries much more weight. Cartons on wooden crates or pallets should be braced so they cannot shift.

Compare with LCL (Less than Container Load) and see Container Types (20GP, 40GP, 40HQ).