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Freight from the USA

U.S. Sea freight Price Calculator Shipping Boxes, Crates and Pallets (LCL)

Sizes of Containers | Stuffing Methods | Types of PU Locations | Reading FCL Rate | Avoiding Mistakes | S.O.C.

Full Container Load for International Shipping Goods from the USA - FCL Freight

Less than Container Load (LCL) freight Vs. Full Container Load (FCL)

Our primary business is shipping from the U.S. freight LCL (Less than Container Load).

With LCL, multiple shippers share space in 40-foot sea containers, which are efficiently loaded and unloaded by professionals at Container Freight Stations (CFS).

With FCL (Full Container Load), shippers typically rent entire containers from steamship lines and are responsible for picking up, loading, unloading, and returning the containers.

International shipping via LCL, unlike FCL, does not require special knowledge and skills. It is more flexible and less restricted at any stage of international cargo transportation. However, while LCL offers flexibility, depending on the international shipping cost structure, FCL may be more efficient for high-volume cargo.

With FCL, unlike with LCL, shippers are at risk of heavy penalties from steamship lines for any negligence. Therefore, we only offer FCL service to our experienced B2B customers who have worked with us repeatedly. To request that we serve FCL freight, customers must have successfully completed at least three LCL shipments with us.

Our economical LCL service should meet your international transportation needs if you can pack all your goods in boxes or crates.

LCL rates are calculated per cubic meter or cubic foot. Watch this video on YouTube to learn about the size of a cubic meter. Calculate an LCL price quote in our online freight calculator 24/7 and book your shipment at your convenience. Receive our instructions within 24 hours. Watch this 3-minute video on YouTube about operating with our LCL online freight calculator.

The calculator also helps shippers compare international shipping costs with other offers and FCL options.

 

FCL means transporting goods in entire containers

FCL is the abbreviation "Full Container Load" used in international cargo transportation.

Regarding cargo transportation from the USA by sea, FCL refers to an ocean freight service that grants rights to ship entire multimodal sea containers.

Other industry-related terms refer to multimodal sea containers: 20-foot, 40-foot, 40HC, etc.

General Alternatives:

• Ocean cargo box
• Maritime shipping unit
• Freight box

Size-Based Terms:

• 20ft/40ft box
• TEU/FEU - for capacity measurement, TEU refers to 20-foot and FEU to 40-foot

Colloquial/Industry Terms:

• Sea can (regional slang)
• Shipping box

Typically, with FCL, containers are delivered, loaded, and sealed for international transportation from the United States at the shipper's facilities. Once loaded, they are transported within the U.S. by land to seaports, where they await loading onto vessels for further transportation from the U.S. to their overseas destinations.

Please note that Container Yards are not necessarily seaports. CY can be within landlocked city areas. They are connected with seaports by rail or truck lines. Often, FCL rates include ground transportation.

Do not confuse the trucking costs between CYs and seaports, which are included in the freight rate, with local trucking from/to CY.

Such trucking is called Pre-carriage and On-carriage, or local trucking. That assumes ground transportation from/to CY to/from cargo locations. Local trucking is NOT included in rates. If an ocean carrier offers local trucking, the costs of local trucking are separated from the costs of ocean freight.

Also, note that departure and arrival ports are not necessarily in the countries of origin and destinations. Containers can be transported from/to seaports of departure/arrival to CYs in other countries by rail, trucks, or smaller local vessels (fiders).

Finally, there could be direct international shipping from the USA to the destination country, or with transshipment via a hub seaport somewhere along the way to the port of entry to the final destination. For example, it can be shipped from the USA via ports such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Hamburg, etc.

Please note that even though you ship goods from the U.S., if the load is sufficient to fill a 20-ft box (i.e., the volume of your commodity is approximately 15–25 cubic meters), we recommend considering our Economy LCL Service. In certain circumstances, you may find that delivering from the USA LCL is more flexible and reduces liability.

With LCL, unlike with FCL, shippers are not obligated to load and secure cargo in containers. Unless you are experienced in container stuffing, think twice before requesting FCL.

Additionally, if you are shipping boxes, crates, or pallets from the USA and self-delivering them to an LCL carrier terminal (CFS), please note that this is not the same as a Container Yard.

• You eliminate the costs of container deliveries, waiting time, and the return. You also avoid the risks of penalties associated with missing return cutoffs and paperwork submission. Such penalties are imposed directly by steamship lines and can be substantial.
• You may deliver light, easy-to-handle, loose cardboard boxes and have them palletized at CFS. Additionally, you gain ISPM15 compliance.
• When your unit arrives at the destination, you are not obligated to pick it up, unload it, and return it to the CY.
• For more information about LCL shipping from the USA, please visit this link.

However, if you need to ship internationally a larger load that is enough to fill an entire FEU, then FCL can be the only cost-effective option.

Global containerized cargo transportation from the USA should be safer, easier to organize, and more cost-effective than other services, such as roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) or Breakbulk. The only limitation is that the size and weight of the commodity must fit in a 40-foot box.

Other multimodal equipment is available. It is designed to ship specific kinds of commodities. However, sea containers other than 20 or 40 feet are typically subject to equipment availability from a steamship line.

 

Utilizing FCL Vs. Hiring International Moving Companies

If you are a first-time shipper moving goods overseas from the USA, do not confuse FCL freight with international moving company services.

International moving companies should:

• Deliver a 20- or 40-foot box to your door

• Professionally load and secure your belongings

• Handle all customs paperwork

• Transport vehicles along with household goods (if agreed)

However, their services come at a high cost.

With FCL on your own:

• You rent the entire 20ft or 40ft unit from a steamship line

• You are responsible for all aspects of the shipment:

  • Meeting the truck at a safe location

  • Loading and securing everything properly (1-2 hours free; after that, $50-$75+/hour waiting fees apply)

  • Delivering the sealed unit to the container yard (CY)

• You must prepare all required paperwork 

• At the destination, your consignee must:

  • Clear customs and pay all charges

  • Pick up the unit from the port

  • Transport it, unload, and return the empty promptly to avoid penalties

The procedures for transporting FCL are quite complex. However, if you are well-organized and keep control of your international delivery, all this should cost you the same amount you would pay an international moving company.

Once again, if you can pack all your goods in boxes or crates, always consider the international shipping LCL as an alternative. If you ship internationally in quantities of less than 10-15 cubic meters, then LCL should be less complicated, more convenient, and cheaper than FCL.

 

International multimodal sea containers' specification

The most common method for delivering goods from the USA overseas is via FCL, utilizing 20-foot, 40-foot, and 40HC multimodal sea containers.

However, there are other types of equipment in the international cargo transportation industry, such as 45-foot High Cubes, Open Top, Flat Racks, etc. However, such equipment is always subject to availability at CYs. If you ship regular commodities FCL, then consider these three types of equipment:

20-foot standard

• Interior Dimensions (L x W x H): 5.919 m x 2.340 m x 2.380 m (19 ft 5 in x 7 ft 8 in x 7 ft 9.5 in)
• Door Opening (W x H): 2.286 m x 2.278 m (7 ft 6 in x 7ft 5 1/2 in)
• Tare Weight: 1,900 kg (4,189 lbs)
• Cubic Capacity: 33.0 cbm (1,165 cubic ft)
• Payload*: 22,100 kg (48,721 lbs)

40-foot standard

• Interior Dimensions of a 40-foot container ~ L 476 in x W 92 in x H 94 in. Door Opening is W 90 in x H 89.6 in
• Interior Dimensions (L x W x H): 12.051 m x 2.340 m x 2.380 m (39 ft 6.5 in x 7 ft 8 in x 7 ft 9.5 in)
• Door Opening (W x H): 2.286 m x 2.278 m (7 ft 6 in x 7 ft 5.5 in)
• Tare Weight: 3,084 kg (6,799 lbs)
• Cubic Capacity: 67.3 cbm (2,377 cubic ft)
• Payload*: 27,397 kg (60,401 lbs)

40-foot high cube

• Interior Dimensions (L x W x H): 12.056 m x 2.347 m x 2.684 m (39 ft 6.5 in x 7 ft 8 1/4 inx 8 ft 9.5 in
• Door Opening (W x H): 2.340 m x 2.585 m (7 ft 8 in x 8 ft 5 3/4 in)
• Tare Weight: 2,900 kg (6,393 lbs)
• Cubic Capacity: 76.0 cbm (2,684 cubic ft)
• Payload*: 29,600 kg (65,256 lbs)

*Payload weight exceeds over-the-road legal limits in the US and Canada. The recommended maximum payload for shipping from the USA and Canada is 35,000 lbs per 20-foot box and 42,000 lbs per 40-foot box.

 

Three methods of stuffing

1. A Live Load means a trucker will deliver an empty container to your location and wait while you load, secure, and seal it. Free loading time varies from one to two hours, depending on the trucking company's service conditions. If you exceed this free waiting time limit, you pay $50-75+ per hour for each additional hour.
    
2. A Drop-And-Pick means that a domestic trucking company will deliver and leave an empty container at your location for several days. Then, they will return to pick it up, loaded, secured, and sealed.
   
   Please remember that DROP AND PICK MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE under certain circumstances and in certain areas.
    
   Regarding calculating international shipping costs for conveyance from the U.S., ground transportation with DROP-AND-PICK typically costs twice as much as with LIVE LOAD. However, DROP-AND-PICK has the advantage that the shipper takes the time to load and secure everything.
    
   If you load it near a Container Yard, the cost of DROP-AND-PICK transportation will likely not be much higher than with a 'live load.' In this case, the time required to load and secure everything may be worthwhile. However, the LIVE LOAD may be the only option if you are far from CY. Also, the container must be returned according to the schedule. Otherwise, substantial fines may be incurred for failing to meet the return deadline.
    
3. Warehouse Quality Loading (not to be confused with international moving companies) refers to the shipper self-delivering loose goods to the warehouse of a quality-loading international shipping company that specializes in loading goods into sea containers for further transportation overseas from the U.S. Once the warehouse receives and accepts the goods, they will be loaded and secured for an additional cost. After all, it will be returned to CY.
    
   The Warehouse Quality Loading method is not always available. This service can be costly. However, it should be less expensive than hiring an international moving company. The quality loading company warehouse should guarantee the fastening and securing of commodities for safe global transportation from the USA. If the quality loading company is located near the CY and has a permit for the yard, then using this method may save you compared to using an international moving company to convey your goods.
    
4. ATTENTION TO CAR SHIPPERS! Exporting cars and other motorized vehicles from the USA that require U.S. DMV registration (such as motorcycles, boats on trailers, jets, etc.) is a priority for quality loading warehouses. As soon as motor vehicles are delivered to the company's warehouse along with their original titles, the quality loading warehouse should pick up an empty container from the yard and professionally load and secure the vehicles for further transportation overseas from the USA.
    
   Keep in mind that no motor vehicle can be approved for exporting from the U.S. without the original title validation by U.S. Customs. A lack of a validated title on just one vehicle will delay or reject the entire shipment. It may also result in roll-over, storage, and other charges, as well as penalties from U.S. Customs, seaport authorities, steamship lines, and other entities.
    
   Besides the quality loading of motor vehicles, as a rule, validating titles with the U.S. Customs is part of the job of quality loading warehouses. The warehouse staff should validate the original titles of all vehicles with the U.S. Customs to obtain a Customs release for the international shipping. Then, validated (stamped) by U.S. Customs, titles should be returned to the shipper or, upon request, mailed to the consignee overseas.
    
   

Types of pickup locations in FCL 

1. Commercial facility – features a loading dock with a ramp and forklift access. The shipper is responsible for loading and securing cargo inside containers delivered from a CY by a local trucking company for the load, and then returning it to the CY.
    
   After you finish loading and sealing before it leaves, ensure that you have on hand a copy of the dock receipt with the unit and seal numbers, signed and dated by the trucker. Keep it on file as proof of the load.
    
2. Residential or Business with limited access – No ramp or forklift is available. The shipper loads and secures goods in the container.
    
   You may consider hiring a professional staffing company (an international or local moving company) to load everything properly. If you are hiring a local moving company, consider the time slot for the equipment delivery.
    
   International shipping companies and their truckers typically CANNOT guarantee the time slot for the equipment delivery. Discuss that with your loaders in advance.
    
3. Quality Warehouse Loading - The international shipper delivers a pre-packed load to the nearest international shipping company warehouse. Once goods are received, a 20 or 40-foot box will be delivered to the warehouse for the load. The international shipping cost will include charges related to cargo receiving at the warehouse, storage (if any), loading and securing everything, title validation (if motor vehicle(s), etc.
    
4. Port/Ocean Freight Only – No equipment pre-carriage is included in the sea freight. Such an Ocean Freight Only option is available only for:
   
   a. Shippers that are experienced in international cargo transportation from the USA;
   b. Freight forwarders and NVOCCs;
   c. International Shipper-Owned Containers (SOC), including above a. & b. requirements, if available. 
   
   With this option, international shippers are also entirely responsible for obtaining permits to access the piers or rail yards of steamship lines (SSL). This generally requires a Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement (UIIA) in the USA. Any roll-over charges that may occur during container pulling, as well as any additional charges added to the international shipping cost of the inland part in global transportation with this Ocean Freight Only option, are the shipper's responsibility.
   
   Please note that the shipper is responsible for returning empty containers to their destinations.

 

Helpful hints. Reading FCL quotes for shipping from the USA overseas.

Most of the time, FCL quotes on cargo transportation from the USA would be DOOR-PORT FOB vessel or FREE OUT. Specifically, EXW (Ex Works) at the named place of the load pickup TO the named destination seaport CY, and FOB (Free On Board) ship's rail at the named port of origin.

That means that FCL quotes to ship from the USA contain charges related to:

1. Container(s) delivery to a location in the USA for the load and return of them to the CY;
2. Origin THC – Terminal Handling Charges, fees related to U.S. Customs export formalities, and export documents turnover;
3. The ocean freight. The cost of international cargo transportation between the origin and destination CYs.

Remember that FCL quotes typically DO NOT include any charges at destinations.

Upon the container's arrival at the destination country's yard, the consignee (recipient of the goods) will be responsible for all charges related to import recovery. To get a freight release, the consignee must pay:

1. Destination Terminal Handling Charges (THC);
2. Destination Customs-related charges,
3. Release and the ocean carrier's destination agent fees,
4. Cost of local transportation to truck the container "to the door" for unloading and return of the empty. 
5. Any other applicable destination charges, fees, and taxes (if applicable).

A sample of FCL quote on shipping from the USA:

* Above rates are valid through 6/7/2007
* Rates DO NOT include import customs clearance fees, duties, taxes, or marine cargo insurance.
* Marine cargo insurance cost is 1.5% of the value declared, subject to a deductible of USD 1,000 per unit, and a minimum premium of USD 350 per unit.
* Maximum legal payload 18 metric tons per 20-foot & 20 metric tons per 40-foot containers; the load must be evenly spread along the floor.
* Plus International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) Euro 14 per unit for all shipments via UK/Continent/Scan-Balt/Black Sea
* Plus ocean carrier security fee (CSF) for all USA and Canadian ports of loading, each unit for USD 6
* Equipment must be returned "CLEAN AND ODOR FREE." Any cleaning costs incurred will be charged to the shipper's account.

 

Avoiding common mistakes in international shipping from the USA using FCL

A. Storage/demurrage charges at destinations.

Your consignee (recipient) should receive an arrival notice several days before your shipment arrives. When obtaining a bill of lading, ensure that the consignee's contact information initially provided in a booking request is correct.  

Act promptly! Free storage time at a destination yard is limited. Depending on the destination, it varies from 7 to 14 days. After that, storage may dramatically increase the total international shipping cost.

By law, your consignee can work directly with the destination country's customs and other parties related to your international ocean freight shipment to recover the imported goods.

However, suppose the consignee is unfamiliar with import procedures in the international cargo transportation industry. In that case, we suggest that your consignee request that professionals complete the import release on their behalf immediately. It can be the customs broker of your destination country or a licensed freight forwarder. Please provide them with the arrival notice and other documents the destination authorities require. They will charge a reasonable fee for their service. However, they should obtain customs and warehouse releases with no (or minimal) storage and demurrage charges. 

B. S.O.C. - Shipper Owned Containers.

When you book an FCL shipment and request container delivery for the load, you "rent" the container from the steamship line you use for conveying from the USA. The "Rent" charges are included in the ocean freight rate. The shipper must remember that once the container is released at the destination and leaves the yard to be unloaded at the consignee's facility, it must be returned empty and in good condition to the yard within a specific time limit. Otherwise, detention charges will arise.

If your destination facility is located far from the Container Yard, you should consider the potential charges for equipment detention.

For example, upon the release at the destination CY, your container must continue to travel by rail thousands of miles away from the yard, either in bond or not. Then, the empty must be returned to the yard.

In this situation, the only option is to use S.O.C. (Shipper-Owned Containers) to avoid detention charges and eliminate expenses related to container return. Sometimes it is referred to as a "One-way" box.     

S.O.C. means buying a container to ship cargo from the USA at the origin. Then, it is your property, and you are not obligated to return it. After it is emptied, you may sell it, use it for storage, or destroy it, among other options. 
   
Many dealers worldwide can sell new and used multimodal equipment for international shipping. However, remember that a STEAMSHIP LINE MAY NOT ACCEPT S.O.C. WITHOUT A CERTIFIED INSPECTION.

Before purchasing a piece of equipment for international cargo transportation, you should consider:

Why do you need S.O.C.? Consider a reload released by customs cargo from the container into a trailer or another one purchased at the destination.

If you still need an S.O.C., then think about:

• Is the rate obtained from an international shipping company valid for S.O.C.? 
• Does the steamship line require a condition survey before loading?
• Consider using a crane to lift your container on/from the chassis or flatbed. Most trailers are designed to slide equipment off the ground and cannot handle the weight if it is loaded.  
• Do not overload. Consider road weight and the port crane's limitations.
• Do you have insurance that will cover you in case your equipment damages the cargo of others or the vessel? Your insurance will most likely cover your payload, but not the damage your container can do to others. 
• Notice: S.O.C. may send a negative message to Customs. Customs know that S.O.C. means a "one-way trip." It can often refer to junk or even hazardous cargo and is frequently purchased at the end of its service life.

 

C. The shipper is responsible for the commodity and export/import documentation.

When transporting cargo from the USA overseas, the shipper should clearly understand that they are held responsible for the description and legality of the commodity, as well as the sufficiency of the documents submitted to international shipping.

An ocean carrier bill of lading, the mandatory document in international cargo transportation by sea, acts as a title for your shipped goods, as a rule, stating *SHIPPER LOAD AND COUNT* and *SAID BY SHIPPER TO CONTAIN.* That means that the ocean carrier (and a freight forwarder who represents this carrier) is not responsible for information provided by the shipper on his commodity. 

A freight forwarder should guide shippers through the complexity of international shipping procedures. However, the shipper is responsible for providing all necessary documents related to their shipment that the officials of the origin and destination countries will require.

Below is the list of commonly used documents required to be submitted in international shipping by sea:

MANDATORY DOCUMENTS:

A. International Ocean Freight Bill of Lading – Ocean carrier's transport document. It displays commodity, cargo routing, consigner, and consignee information, among others. It acts as a title for exporting goods.

B.1. For commercial international ocean shipments - a Commercial Invoice. A complete description of the commodity being shipped.

B.2. For moving household goods and personal belongings overseas – a Valued Packing List. An inventory list with a value assigned to each item being shipped.

Please note that some couriers require proforma commercial invoices for moving household goods from the USA. However, having a complete, valued packing list submitted at the origin upon Customs' request at the destination makes it easier to transfer the valued packing list into the form of a proforma commercial invoice.   

In respect of U.S. Customs, all commercial invoices (and valued packing lists) must be in English and show:

• Value of commodity in US Dollars (exchange rate = date of export);
• Shipper's full name and address (M.I.D. - manufacturer's identification);
• Consignee's full name and address;
• The detailed description.
• The quantity.
• The weight.
• Cargo's Country of Origin.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DEPENDING ON COMMODITY AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

D. Packing list in international shipping - Breakdown description: pieces, weights, and packing materials. (Examples - Wood Pallets, Skids, Crates, Boxes, Dunnage, Straw Packing, etc.)

E. Fumigation Certificate - Certification that cargo and packing materials were fumigated after it had been containerized and are free of Infestation.

F. Special Documents - Dependent on commodity and country of origin.

Visa
Quota
Visa/Quota
Certificate of Origin
North American Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin (NAFTA)
Packing Declaration
Dangerous Goods Declaration - hazardous materials
Fish and Wildlife Declaration
Consular Legalized documents
F.D.A.
U.S.D.A.
Anti-Dumping

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