FCL vs LCL

FCL (full container load) gives you the entire container — sealed at origin, opened at destination. LCL (less-than-container load) consolidates your cartons with other shippers' cargo at a warehouse, and you pay per cubic meter (W/M — per CBM or per 1,000 kg, whichever is greater).

The classic break-even sits around 13–15 CBM: above that, a 20ft container (about 33 CBM) is usually cheaper than paying LCL rates, arrives faster because it skips consolidation and deconsolidation, and gets handled far less. LCL also carries minimum charges (often 1 CBM), so very small shipments may compare against air freight instead.

Measure your shipment volume first — the decision is mostly arithmetic.