International LCL Freight Forwarding
LCL Freight Overview
LCL spells out ‘Less than Container Load’ which neatly explains what this service offers – it is a service whereby multiple smaller shipments are grouped together and sent in one container so that you are sharing the space with others in order sending smaller shipments by sea freight become economically viable.
Understanding the LCL shipping process
Import & Load
Let’s assume you are importing from China (although K&L Freight has LCL services from all major trade lanes). Your supplier provides all the necessary information to book your shipment such as weight, dimensions, collection address, ready date and information for the export customs entry and this information is sent to K&L Freight.
K&L Freight then combine your goods with other shipments that are going from the same port and to the same port. Efficiency is the key here and the better loaded the container is, so that there is no space left un-used, the better this is as this keeps costs down for everyone.
Shipping & Arrival
The container is loaded at the port of departure where great care is taken to make sure that each shipment loaded is cleared through customs correctly as there may be many shipments in a container and a customs issue with just of them could delay the container being loaded on the ship and it would then miss the sailing.
The container is unloaded from the ship onto the quay and then the container is unloaded. Whilst the container is in the process of being unloaded the various shipments inside it are presented to customs for clearance. This is processed electronically.
Delivery
Once out of the container and customs cleared, delivery is normally made on a domestic transport service, often using one of the main pallet networks. As K&L Freight is a business-to-business service, all deliveries are on the basis of an agreed delivery date in business hours and untimed, though tail lift and timed deliveries are available as an option.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of booking LCL?
This is a cost-efficient service and you only pay for the space you use, which is payable by the cubic metre. It especially suits customers which want a steady flow of smaller shipments.
Many customers could either never fill a 20 or 40 foot container, or if they did they would have to purchase many months of stock at a time, or even book a full load container that would mainly be empty. Neither of these is economically viable and potentially environmentally disastrous.
There are some down-sides to using LCL services, or advantages to booking full load containers, depending on which way you look at these options. Most of the time an LCL service will take some days longer in overall transit. The collating or consolidating of shipments at port takes time and so shipments need to arrive at port several days earlier than a full container load. A full container load on the other hand is loaded at your supplier’s premises and goes straight to quay once loaded.
On arrival in the UK an LCL shipment needs to be unloaded on the quay before transport can be arranged, whereas a full container once it is off the ship and cleared customs can be delivered.
Please also bear in mind that a full load container is loaded by your supplier and unloaded by the customer, it is rare for it to be unloaded and re-loaded in transit. Therefore there is less risk of damage compared to an LCL shipment which is handled several times. Damage to LCL shipments is invariably caused by poor packing, something that regular users of our services are aware of and pack goods correctly so is not an issue.
SAFE AND SECURE
Benefit from our over 30 years of experience in global freight solutions. Partnering with top freight forwarders, K&L Freight ensures your shipment is delivered securely and safely.
FAST DELIVERY
With innovative freight forwarding solutions, K&L Freight guarantees quick and timely deliveries. We ship, fly, and deliver to any site, company, or doorstep across the UK, Europe, and globally.
EXPERT SUPPORT
K&L Freight’s dedicated team of freight experts offers unparalleled knowledge and customer service. We strive to find the best logistics solutions tailored to your specific needs.
K&L Freight has a large number of customers who rely on its LCL services from China, the Far East, and the Indian subcontinent, which they use week in week out.
Please use the form below to talk to our team today about your LCL shipping requirements and our friendly team will be more than happy to help.