Sea freight with FCL and LCL options, port to port or door to door, for your imports and exports. A partner network spanning 93 countries, paperwork support and regular cargo tracking with Konsol Logistics.
Sea freight moves your cargo in containers from port to port or from door to door, and for bulky or heavy shipments it is often the most balanced mode on cost. With full container (FCL) and less-than-container (LCL) options and a partner network spanning 93 countries, Konsol Logistics plans your import and export cargo, supports you with paperwork and follows the process from start to finish.
Sea freight's strength is cost per unit of cargo; its weakness is speed. Accept both up front and the decision gets easier. Machinery and spare parts, furniture, textiles, building materials, packaged consumer goods and industrial inputs are bulky or heavy and travel comfortably by sea. Temperature-controlled products can sail too, in a refrigerated container for example.
Sea freight does run on a calendar, though. Vessel schedules, cut-off dates and port congestion shape your plan directly. For an urgent part holding up a production line, air is usually the better call. Check the urgency, value and volume of the cargo first and choose the mode after; that beats hunting for an expensive emergency fix later.
FCL (Full Container Load) reserves a whole container for a single shipper. LCL (Less than Container Load) is part-container carriage in which the cargo of different shippers is consolidated in one container. Volume alone does not draw the line between them; cargo sensitivity and the calendar matter too.
| Criterion | FCL | LCL |
|---|---|---|
| Container use | All of it reserved for you alone | Shared with other cargo |
| Loading | Usually at your warehouse or factory, then sealed | Consolidated with other cargo at a container freight station (CFS) |
| Handling | Cargo is touched little from origin to destination | Consolidation and deconsolidation increase handling |
| Packaging need | Important, but the cargo travels in a space of its own | More careful packaging and clear labelling required |
| Price logic | By container type and route | By weight or measurement (W/M) |
| Schedule | You largely set the loading time | Depends on the consolidation programme and sailings |
| Suitable cargo | Large, regular or sensitive loads | Small and medium volumes, frequent but small shipments |
A practical rule: if your cargo fills most of a container, ask for an FCL quote too. Past a certain point, the unit cost of shared carriage can approach the cost of a whole container, or even exceed it. For a few pallets or cubic metres, LCL lets you pay only for the space you take. Two quotes side by side show which is economical.
The right equipment matters for cargo safety and freight cost. Capacity and weight limits vary by line and equipment, so confirm current values with the carrier.
These are the basic types for general dry cargo. The 20' container stands out for dense, heavy loads and the 40' for light but bulky ones. With heavy cargo the weight limit often fills before the volume does, so work that out before booking.
It has more internal volume than a standard 40', which helps with light but bulky cargo and tall pallets. Availability varies by port and season, so state the need at the enquiry stage.
These are used for products that need temperature control. Settle the required temperature range, pre-cooling and power connection up front, and send them with the booking request to reduce surprises at the port and on board.
Cargo loaded from above, or exceeding standard container dimensions, travels on this equipment. It calls for detailed measurements and often carrier approval; the earlier you tell us, the easier it is to plan.
The same container can be carried under two different maps of responsibility. The choice decides who organises what between the departure point and the delivery address.
The carrier moves the cargo from the port of loading to the port of discharge. Getting the cargo to the port, export and import clearance and final delivery stay with the parties concerned. It suits shippers and consignees that have their own customs broker and local haulier.
From the pickup point to the delivery address, the chain is planned by one hand. Konsol Logistics organises the road leg and the sea leg together through its partner network; one contact cuts the correspondence load. Still, have the quote state clearly which costs are covered.
Door to port or port to door combinations are possible. In exports, collecting the cargo from the factory and delivering it at the port of loading, while the consignee uses its own solution at arrival, is a common arrangement. Consider the choice together with Incoterms.
For FCL, the charge is generally set by container type and route. For LCL, the W/M (weight/measurement) principle applies: weight and volume are calculated separately and the higher one is charged. Light but bulky cargo is assessed on volume, dense and heavy cargo on weight, so shrinking the packaging or stacking pallets neatly shows up directly in LCL cost.
Incoterms 2020 rules decide where costs and risk change hands. Under FOB the seller is responsible until the cargo is loaded on board, and sea freight passes to the buyer. Under CIF freight and minimum insurance belong to the seller, but risk passes to the buyer at loading. Under EXW the buyer takes on everything from the point of departure. Who pays storage, demurrage and detention at the port of discharge also depends on your contract and the Incoterms rule you chose.
The B/L (Bill of Lading) is both evidence of the contract of carriage and the receipt for the cargo, and in many cases a document of title to it. An original B/L issued to order is needed to take delivery. Telex release or a sea waybill reduce the physical circulation of the document; which fits depends on your letter of credit and commercial agreement.
Expert note: When comparing quotes, do not look at the freight line alone. Ask in writing whether terminal handling at destination, documentation fees and free time are included. A cheap-looking quote can turn expensive with the extra invoice that arrives at destination.
You can review current port, freight and transit information on the LCL Tariffs page of our website. For part-container cargo, look there first, then use the Quick Quote form for details specific to your shipment.
The process looks long, but its logic is simple. Every step has its own date, and most problems start when one is missed.
Most sea freight problems begin before loading, not at sea. These checks head off the common ones.
Expert note: On loading day, before the truck arrives, lay the labels, the area for seal details and the document set side by side and check them. A check that takes minutes prevents a document correction that costs hours at the port.
Once your cargo volume and the departure and arrival points are known, the rest takes shape quickly. The Quick Quote form checks your details and prepares a ready-made WhatsApp message; you send it yourself, and your account representative contacts you one to one. At Konsol Logistics we weigh FCL and LCL side by side and decide together which fits your cargo.
With FCL a whole container is reserved for one shipper; with LCL the cargo of several shippers shares a container. FCL stands out for large and sensitive loads, LCL for small and medium shipments. Which is economical depends on volume, route and schedule.
W/M stands for weight/measurement. In LCL the charge is based on whichever is greater, weight or volume. Light, bulky cargo is assessed on volume, dense, heavy cargo on weight, so declaring packaging dimensions correctly directly affects the price.
The B/L is issued by the carrier, evidences the contract of carriage and shows the cargo was received. It often works as a document of title too, so settle in advance how delivery will be made at destination. An original, telex release or sea waybill is chosen according to the commercial agreement.
Cut-off is the last time the cargo or container can be delivered to the port or consolidation warehouse for a vessel to accept it. If it is missed, the cargo usually moves to the next sailing and the arrival date slips. Confirm the date in writing at booking.
Some can, under the IMDG rules. Classification, packaging, labelling and notification requirements apply, though, and not every carrier accepts every product, so declare the product with its safety data sheet before booking.
On the LCL Tariffs page of our website you can review current port, freight and transit information. For a firm quote on your own cargo, fill in the Quick Quote form; values can change over time, so exact information is confirmed at the quote stage.
Konsol Logistics is an international logistics and freight company based in Konya. It organizes road, sea, air, part-load, project and cross-trade shipments, and supports customers with planning, document routing and cargo tracking.
Transport is carried out through partners and agents. The scope of the service becomes clear at the quotation stage, depending on your cargo, your route and the mode you prefer.
FCL is sea freight in which a whole container is set aside for a single shipper; LCL is sea freight in which the cargo of several shippers is consolidated in one container. Which one is more economical depends on the cargo volume, the route and the calendar.
If your cargo fills most of a container, ask for an FCL quote as well, because beyond a certain point the unit cost of shared transport can approach that of a full container. Putting the two quotes side by side is the most reliable comparison.
The most common sea containers are the 20' and 40' standard dry containers and the 40' High Cube; refrigerated (reefer) units serve temperature-controlled cargo, and open top and flat rack units are used for top-loading or out-of-gauge loads. The choice depends on the weight, volume and requirements of the cargo.
Capacity, weight limits and equipment availability vary by line and period, so confirm the current values with the carrier.
The bill of lading (B/L) is the document issued by the carrier in sea freight; it evidences the contract of carriage, shows that the cargo has been received and, in most cases, works as a document of title to the cargo. Which document the cargo will be released against at destination should be settled from the start.
Checking the cargo description, weight and party details on the B/L draft prevents correction costs later. The issuing format may differ from one carrier to another.
Demurrage is the daily charge a carrier can claim for each day a container stays inside the port or terminal beyond the free time; detention is the daily charge for each day beyond the free time after the container has left the terminal and until it is returned empty.
Preparing the arrival documents in advance and planning the unloading and return dates mostly prevents these items.
A sea freight export moves through request and quotation, booking, document preparation, loading, issuance of the B/L, and then sea transit and arrival. Each step has its own date, and most problems begin when one of these dates is missed.
On transshipment sailings, dates can slip, so leave some margin in your plan.
Detailed guide pages on the topics most often asked about together with this service.
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