Best LCL Shipping Services in Dubai/UAE | Best LCL Shipping Companies In Dubai

5 min readMay 14, 2021

Best LCL Shipping Services in Dubai

As an importer/exporter, you must have come across terms like Less-than-container load shipping. The acronym for it is LCL shipping and it is for shipping load in smaller quantities. Another much-known term is Full-container load shipping (FCL), which is concerned with large quantity shipments. LCL is often recommended for shipping lesser quantities of load as it also costs less.

Let’s dive deeper into the LCL shipping process in the article.

LCL shipping

A simple explanation of when to opt for LCL shipping can be understood as such:

“When your load(cargo) does not fill the complete container of height 20-foot or 40-foot then your cargo can be shipped alongside other shipments in a shared container.”

The above-mentioned process can also be referred to as groupage. It is said so because different cargos are grouped in one container or shipping. Thus, LCL shipping is for low and moderate-level weighted cargos.

LCL advantages

Cost-effective
Saves inventory space when you have to ship small quantity cargos quite often.
When it comes to availability during peak seasons, LCL is easier and readily available than FCL.

LCL Disadvantages

LCL may cost a lot if you are using it for large volumes of cargo shipment. That’s why it’s suggested to use FCL if you have large cargo.
Due to different port changes and stops, there are chances of cargo getting damaged or lost.

Cost of LCL shipping

Freight is charged as per the volume of cargo. Weight is the main factor when the load is more than a ton. In such cases, freight will be charged on the basis of whichever is higher out of CBM or weight.

Importers/exporters thinking of opting for LCL shipping must know that the process of shipping not only covers the tally but the whale’s long journey.

Costs included are:

Picking up cargo from the warehouse.
Loading your cargo with another set of shipments in the container.
The journey from the ship.
Taking out your cargo at the destination place
Delivering the cargo to the destined warehouse.

How the LCL shipping works?

Choose the provider who will ship the container.
Share cargo shipment details with the service provider.
Cargo reaches the service provider’s factory.
The details for the shipment provided by you are seen and understood.
The cargo is adjusted with the other shipments in the container and loaded onto the ship.
The ship arrives in the country of delivering cargo. The container is opened and set in the warehouse.
Once all cargos are sorted, the cargo is delivered to the customer.

When is LCL shipping better?

The thumb rule is to use LCL shipping when you have less load to ship. The main reason most of the time is because it costs less. Before you make any decision about the shipping method, you must compare LCL to other methods of shipment:

LCL in comparison with FCL:

For smaller shipments, LCL is seen as an ideal choice but sometimes you can reconsider that. Under circumstances such as:
When shipments are not above and until thirteen cubic meters(13 cubic meter), you should opt for LCL shipping, otherwise, FCL is recommended.
Sometimes, you might have to pay destination charges in the case of LCL so it’s better to take FCL shipping and have all the benefits.
With the points stated, LCL cost is in most cases, most affordable. The LCL cost validity is for a month up to three months whereas the FCL cost is just valid for two weeks.
You can choose LCL when there are no strict or urgent delivery deadlines since LCL shipment is seen as a method to be chosen when there are flexible delivery dates.
Since a lot of cargos are grouped together in a container in LCL so there are chances of spill or contamination from other cargos. That said, LCL cargoes are packed well and are taken care of diligently to avoid any such spill.

LCL in comparison with air freight:

Both LCL and air freight are well suited for small shipments. However, the choice is open to you to decide between the two. This decision can be made based on the size, weight, and deadline of the delivery of the cargo.

LCL shipping is less costly than air freight. The prices of air freight are subject to change quite frequently. As much as the size and the weight of the cargo increase, the prices of air freight will increase too in comparison to the LCL cost.
In terms of safety, air freight is much safer and is fast too. Shipment through LCL can take up to a month whereas, through air freight, it can be done in days. If the cargo delivery is strictly time-bound, air freight should be your choice.
Some goods might not be able to be sent through air freight due to certain restrictions. So for those goods, you can opt for LCL shipping.

LCL shipment packing:

As an exporter/importer, it’s important to know how to pack the shipment. The following steps can help in packing the cargo in a secure way:

Pack goods in boxes designated for export shipments. For better security, wrap them tight in straps and pallets.
You should pay attention to placing the cargo in the container evenly so that pieces of goods are properly stacked.
Mention if there is some sort of fragile goods in your shipment to avoid any damage.
Properly label the shipment boxes with details. Double-check this information to ensure seamless and clear delivery.
Make sure labeling on the boxes is done in neat letters to avoid any confusion.

How do you track the LCL shipment?

While your shipment is on the move, you might want to know about the goods. So this is the tough part! You might or might not be able to track the shipment. Since the cargo is shipped through the sea, tracking LCL shipment can be a little tough.

The providers give tracking IDs for FCL shipments. But, not many providers do the same for the LCL shipment. In cases wherein the tracking IDs are provided, chances are that the information will not be as updated as you want.

Thus before you go for LCL shipment, make sure to make these things clear with your service provider.

LCL Shipping Companies In Dubai

Address: Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai — UAE

PO Box: 111436

Fax: +971 4 3336089

Email: info@slrshipping.com P

hone: +97143336593