- CONTAINER LOAD
LCL: Suitable for less than a full container load. Goods from multiple shippers are consolidated into one container.
FCL: Ideal for shipments that fill an entire container. Goods from one shipper occupy the entire container.
2) COST EFFICIENCY
LCL: Cost-effective for smaller volumes as shippers only pay for the space they use within a shared container.
FCL: Economical for large shipments as shippers pay a flat rate for the entire container, regardless of the space utilized.
3) CONSOLIDATION
LCL: Involves consolidating goods from multiple shippers into a single container, which requires efficient compression techniques to optimize space.
FCL: No consolidation is necessary as the entire container is dedicate to one shipper and one consignee.
4) RISK OF DAMAGE
LCL: Compression and consolidation in LCL shipments may increase the risk of damage to goods due to handling and stacking.
FCL: Since goods are not stacked with other shipments and its mostly stuffed at the shippers premises the risk of damage is generally low.
5) TRANSIT TIME
LCL: Shipments take longer time because they combine goods from many shippers probably going to transhipment ports before reaching the final destination.
FCL: Shipments are quicker as they are loaded onto a direct vessel.