LCL groupage sea freight
When there is not enough cargo for a full container, paying for a full FCL is uneconomical. The solution is LCL groupage: your cargo travels in one container with other shippers' consignments, and you pay only for the volume you occupy. We organise LCL from China and Europe turnkey: from consolidation at the warehouse to customs at the destination port. The service is for companies and sole proprietors across Ukraine — Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro.
What LCL is and how consolidation works
LCL (Less than Container Load) is sea transport with partial loading of a container. The cargo of several shippers is gathered at a consolidation warehouse, loaded into a shared container and sent by sea, then broken down again at the destination port. This gives small consignments access to a sea rate without having to accumulate a full container.
When groupage cargo is worthwhile
LCL is justified when the volume is below roughly 15–18 m³ — then a share of a container is cheaper than renting a whole one. Groupage is convenient for regular small supplies, trial batches and high stock turnover. For a large volume a full container — FCL — is more economical.
How the LCL cost is calculated
The tariff is charged per volume (m³, CBM) or per tonne — the greater figure is paid. Fees are added to the freight.
| Component | For what |
|---|---|
| Sea freight | Volume (m³) × CBM rate or tonne |
| Consolidation | Handling at the origin warehouse |
| Deconsolidation | Breaking down the container at the destination port |
| Terminal charges | Local port costs |
| Documents | Bill of lading and customs processing |
The logic is close to the cost of sea container transport, but you pay only for your share.
Consolidation warehouse (CFS)
The key link of LCL is the consolidation warehouse, CFS (Container Freight Station). There the cargo of different shippers is combined into one container, and at the destination port it is split (deconsolidation). Because of this, groupage is technologically more complex than FCL and requires marking and sturdy packaging — the cargo is handled more often.
Bills of lading: house and master
For LCL two bills of lading are issued: a house bill of lading from the consolidator for your part of the cargo and a master bill of lading from the sea carrier for the whole container. How to read and check a bill of lading is covered in the guide to the bill of lading.
FCL or LCL — which to choose
| Parameter | FCL (full container) | LCL (groupage) |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | For the whole container | For the occupied volume (m³) |
| Worthwhile | From ~15–18 m³ and above | Below ~15–18 m³ |
| Transloading | No transshipment | Consolidation and deconsolidation |
| Timing | Faster | Slightly longer (per sailing schedule) |
If the volume grows, we recalculate the option to sea container transport by a full container.
Timing of groupage shipments
Groupage cargo runs on the sailing schedule and needs time for consolidation and deconsolidation. Sea delivery of groupage from Asia to Europe usually takes 35–50 days including all stages. We plan the sailing so that the junctions do not stretch out the delivery.
Documents and customs
Groupage cargo needs a commercial set: invoice, packing list, foreign-trade contract and permits by cargo type. Customs clearance after deconsolidation is handled by our customs broker, so the cargo does not get stuck at the warehouse.
How we organise LCL
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Measurements and rateWe calculate volume and weight, select the sailing and the CBM rate.
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ConsolidationWe gather the cargo at the origin warehouse and issue the house bill of lading.
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Sea legWe monitor the movement and arrival at the destination port.
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Deconsolidation and customsWe break down the container, handle customs and deliver the cargo.
Frequently asked questions
Groupage freight with Trans-Hope
Trans-Hope organises LCL sea groupage from China and Europe: we calculate the rate by volume, gather the cargo at the warehouse and take on customs. Send the volume, weight and route — we will calculate the shipment.
