Full Container Load (FCL)

Full Container Load (FCL) means you have exclusive use of an entire shipping container for your goods. Standard container sizes are 20-foot (approximately 33 CBM capacity, 21,700 kg max payload), 40-foot (approximately 67 CBM, 26,500 kg max), and 40-foot High Cube (approximately 76 CBM, 26,280 kg max). The 40-foot High Cube (40HC) is the most commonly used container in consumer product imports due to its additional height (9.5 feet vs. 8.5 feet standard).

FCL offers several advantages over LCL: lower per-CBM cost for large shipments, faster transit times (no CFS consolidation/deconsolidation delays), reduced risk of cargo damage (your goods are not handled at CFS facilities or stacked with other cargo), better security (the container is sealed at the factory and ideally not opened until it reaches your warehouse), and simpler logistics (one container, one delivery). FCL containers can often be loaded directly at the factory ("factory-stuffed"), eliminating the need for inland transport to a CFS.

FCL pricing is quoted as a flat rate per container, regardless of how full it is. This creates the incentive to maximize container utilization -- an 80% full container costs the same as a 100% full one. Work with your freight forwarder to optimize loading plans, consider consolidating orders from multiple suppliers into one container, and coordinate order timing to maximize container fill rates. A well-loaded 40HC container can hold approximately 20,000-30,000 units of typical consumer products, depending on product size.