What Is FCL / LCL (Full / Less than Container Load)?

Two sea freight shipping methods — a full dedicated container versus shared container space.

FCL (Full Container Load) means a shipment fills, or is booked for, an entire dedicated shipping container — typically more cost-efficient per unit at high volume and faster to load and clear customs since no consolidation is needed. LCL (Less than Container Load) means a smaller shipment shares container space with other shippers' cargo, which is more economical for buyers not yet ordering at container-filling volume, at the cost of slightly longer transit and consolidation time.