LCL freight | Deal with a licensed company | Phases in LCL transportation

Sea Freight is the Most Cost-effective Way to Ship Internationally

How Containerized Ocean Transport Keeps International Shipping Costs Affordable

Ocean freight remains the most cost-effective option for global trade because of one innovation: standardized containers.

Over 90% of the world’s cross-border goods move by sea, and this system offers the lowest international shipping costs for bulk commodities and manufactured products. A single container ship can carry enough goods to fill thousands of airplanes, spreading operational expenses across massive volumes, making rates per unit remarkably economical.

When comparing freight costs, Ocean transportation consistently undercuts air freight 12-15 times for equivalent cargo. This price advantage stems from three factors: efficient fuel use (ships move 1 ton of goods 500+ miles on 1 gallon of fuel), optimized port operations, and the scalability of containerization. Businesses and individuals shipping internationally benefit from predictable pricing models, where filling a 20- or 40-foot unit locks in stable rates matching volatile air cargo markets.

While speed varies, shipping internationally by sea provides unbeatable value for non-urgent shipments. Modern logistics networks have further reduced global cargo transportation costs.

As online shopping drives global trade, container ships maintain low-cost international delivery, proving that the slow method of cargo transportation often offers the best value, particularly for consolidation services (LCL) for smaller loads. As e-commerce fuels demand for cross-border trade, containerized ocean transport anchors affordable global cargo transportation costs, proving that sometimes the slow route is the smartest economic choice.

Introduction to LCL Freight

For those seeking low-cost international shipping solutions to convey relatively sizable loads from the United States overseas, Less than Container Load (LCL) service is the best option.

Unlike Full Container-Load (FCL) shipments, LCL allows multiple shippers to share container space, significantly reducing global cargo transportation costs. This makes it an affordable way to ship internationally. This method is particularly cost-effective for small to mid-sized businesses and individuals who don’t require a full container.

An experienced international shipping company can streamline the LCL process by consolidating cargo from different shippers at a Container Freight Station (CFS). This approach ensures affordable transnational prices, reliability, and compliance with global regulations.

By leveraging consolidation, businesses gain access to global markets without the expense of booking an entire container.

Optimizing international shipping costs with LCL requires careful planning and the right logistics partner. A trusted global cargo transportation company will handle shipments, making LCL a practical and economical choice for exporters. Whether you ship overseas commercial commodities or items not for sale but for personal use, LCL provides a flexible, low-cost global conveyance solution tailored to your needs.

Ensure you deal with a licensed company

Global conveyances are essential to the logistics chain.

The online freight costs calculator is designed to remotely manage global transportation for relatively large loads virtually from anywhere in the world.

It works perfectly for transporting commercial cargo and moving household goods from the USA overseas. You may watch a short video on YouTube to see how easy it is.

The United States government strictly regulates and controls any conveyances from the U.S. to avoid unfair practices and fraud. Any business that provides global conveyance services in the U.S. must be licensed and bonded.

If you ship a relatively sizeable load from the USA in boxes stacked on pallets or crates, AMID Logistics can support your global transportation needs, providing low-cost international shipping options.

AMID Logistics is a licensed and bonded U.S. Freight Forwarder - an Ocean Transportation Intermediary. Our primary business is global cargo transportation from the USA, utilizing the Less than Container Load service. We support such conveying for small and midsize exporters in the USA and all over the world.

We manage e-commerce orders targeted at the U.S. market and help customers ship household goods and personal belongings. If you are an inexperienced first-time shipper, then after reading this article, you should be prepared for the venture.

Shipping internationally in containers

Do not confuse services for transporting goods from the USA. It all depends on the cargo size, transportation arrangement, and modes of transportation. Sea services, in general, fall into four categories:

Parcel services.
Moving personal belongings and household goods from the USA with international moving companies.
Services provided by global shipping companies (freight forwarders and NVOCCs).
Conveyance with steamship lines (VOCC).

When transporting goods from the United States overseas, please remember that all the services only assist exporters in their business. It is the shippers' and consignees' responsibility to ensure proper packing, export and import documentation compliance, customs formalities, and payment of all charges related to global conveyance.

AMID Logistics is an international shipping company - a U.S. forwarder. Regarding the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations: ...An Ocean forwarder is an individual or company that dispatches shipments from the United States via common carriers and books or otherwise arranges space for those shipments on behalf of shippers. Ocean forwarders also prepare and process the documentation and perform related activities for those shipments.

When dealing with a U.S. freight forwarder, shippers should also be prepared to deal directly with other parties related to the shipment. These include U.S. domestic ground transportation companies that deliver loads to sea carriers' facilities, carriers overseas' agents, who handle import recoveries in countries of destinations, customs, and other businesses and organizations if a load is under their supervision, etc.

Common phases and the related costs in LCL

Shippers should consider these three typical phases in any LCL transportation cycle. Each step corresponds with charges related to the phase. In other words, you should understand the international shipping cost quoted and what is included in it for conveyance from the USA by sea. Most of the time, it concerns destination charges.

I. ORIGIN - CARGO IS AT THE ORIGIN - INCLUDED IN QUOTE, DEPENDING ON SERVICE REQUESTED:

Cargo pickup and delivery to an ocean carrier's warehouse (called CFS - Container Freight Station) OR self-delivery to the CFS by the shipper.
Origin country's customs formalities, unless subject to special regulations.
Handling at the CFS; transfer to the seaport of departure; export documents turnover and freight release.

II. SEA FREIGHT - GOODS ARE IN TRANSIT - INCLUDED IN QUOTE:

Cargo is on board the vessel and in transit between CFSs at origin and destination — actual sailing by sea. It may include cargo reloads in transshipment docks.

III. DESTINATION - CARGO IS ENTERED IN THE COMMERCE ZONE OF THE DESTINATION COUNTRY - NOT INCLUDED IN QUOTE (DESTINATION CHARGES):

Entry to the destination: communication with the ocean carrier's destination agent, handling shipments at the port of entry, and document turnover.
Completing destination customs formalities to obtain customs release, i.e., entree filing; assessing customs duty, taxes (if any), and other applicable destination country's governments' related charges.
Delivery to the final destination terminal (the terminal is not a seaport of entry itself); handling of the load at the terminal; document turnover and obtaining the terminal release.
Delivery to the consignee (called "to door") if not self-picked up from the final destination terminal (CFS).

You may find a more complete and comprehensive explanation of global conveyance procedures in respect of dealing with a U.S. Freight Forwarder in the FAQ sections of our website:

Export from the USA by sea refers to this link.
For import to the USA by sea, refer to this link.