Container shipping is a popular way to move goods internationally. With the recent rise in digitization, there has been a surge in online shopping, thus increasing the demand for shipping. There are many different types of international shipping, but FCL services are one of the most popular ways to import goods via the ocean. Unlike other types of international shipments, you don’t need to break your freight into smaller pieces or rely on multiple carriers for one shipment.
FCL services or full container load shipment offers better pricing than other types of shipments, so you will save money on both the cost of shipping and the cost of your goods. Thus, all your goods travel together in a single truck or ship, saving you time and money while cutting down on freight costs. Full container load services make it easy to get large shipments from one place to another quickly and efficiently.
Learn more about how FCL services can benefit you by reading this blog post.
FCL as the term suggests is a mode of shipment, where an entire container is allocated to a particular shipper. Thus, shippers have the container exclusively to themselves.
Advantages of FCL services
Cost-effective
One of the major reasons why FCL services are preferred is because it provides cost-effective solution in terms of space and time. Moreover, as freights are charged as per cubic centimeter, FCL proves to be much budget friendly. One gets a better pricing option as compared to freights when shipped as smaller pieces or into multiple carriers for one shipment.
FCL provides a better user experience
Full container load services offer a better user experience, as all the goods are shipped together and there is no worry about miscommunications between freight carriers. This also means that one has a much easier time receiving their shipment, as it will arrive in one piece and do not need to be trucked into the country or broken up into smaller shipments. This is because FCLs are handled by one carrier from start to finish, meaning you only interact with one company from the initial booking process to the boat arrival. In contrast, other types of international shipping might involve more than one boat or trucking company for your shipment. This can make it difficult to communicate with carriers and can make it more difficult for you to get an accurate estimate of the total cost of the shipment.
Better time tracking options
Nowadays, with modern technology, several logistics companies provide their shippers with real-time updates. Thus, shippers can easily keep track of their shipments and get live updates on the location of the goods.
FCL offers customers the best selection of goods
One of the many benefits of FCL is that one gets a wide selection of goods from one place. In other words, you can get all your freights from one shipment instead of multiple shipments. For example, if you are moving to a new country and need to get everything from your home into your new apartment or house, then FCL can help because it only takes one trip.
Flexibility
Flexibility is another benefit of FCL services. You can fit a large number of goods in a small space without worrying about size limitations. There are no size constraints on what you can bring or how much space there needs to be for storage. You also don’t have to worry about inadequate packaging when using FCL services because everything comes wrapped in just one box except fragile items that come in their own boxes. This not only saves room but also makes packing and unpacking easier. With regular international shipments, one has to break down their freight into smaller pieces and repackage each item in its own container which requires more time and effort than FCL does.
When to book FCL services?
Full container loads are versatile and offer great pricing. Depending on the time of year, you may be able to save hundreds or thousands of dollars by shipping your freight in a single container. Full container loads are best for businesses with one large shipment. If you have multiple shipments, it could be more cost-effective to book partial container loads.
Factors that influence FCL costs
Many factors can influence the cost of your FCL shipment. For example, the size of the container is one of the most common factors to keep in mind. The larger the container, the more you pay per freight unit. Another important factor is origin and destination. If your goods are coming from or going to a major trading partner or hub, then it’s likely that you will have to pay more for delivery. When it comes to shipping freight internationally, there are three main types: LCL (Less than Container Load), FCL (Full Container Load), and Less than Truck Load (LTL). Depending on which company you choose, you can also get value-added services like product inspection, warehousing, and storage.
