Modes in brief
| Mode | What it is | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCL (less than container load) | Your cargo shares a container with others | Small orders | Extra handling at consolidation; more time; charges per volume or weight |
| FCL (full container load) | You use a whole container | Large orders | Weight limits; need a full load to be efficient |
| Air freight | Cargo moves by aircraft | Urgent or small high-value orders | Highest cost per kilogram, especially for heavy items |
Invented comparison
Suppose, as an invented example, an order of 4 pallets weighing 3,000 kg in total, and a forwarder gives three quotes. These figures are invented.
| Mode (invented) | Quote | Transit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCL | $900 | 5 weeks | Several handlings |
| FCL, part-filled | $2,400 | 4 weeks | Container only 15% used |
| Air | $7,500 | 1 week | High cost per kg |
In this invented case, LCL is cheapest per order but slowest and has more handling; air is fast but costs many times more. The decision depends on how urgent the goods are.
Questions to ask the forwarder
Freight quotes are usually incomparable until every charge has a name.
- What are the full charges at origin, freight and destination, in writing? A rate without destination charges is not a quote.
- What are the transit time and the cut-off dates? The cut-off decides whether a shipment makes a vessel.
- How is cargo packed and secured for heavy dense pallets? Edges are dense and awkward, and packaging failures become your loss.
- What insurance is recommended, and what does it cover? Check the exclusions before you need them.
- What paperwork must reach the forwarder, and by when? Documents arriving late are the usual cause of a missed vessel.
Decision rule
Write one: for example, “use air only if a stock-out would stop trucks in service”. Otherwise plan earlier and use sea freight.
Weight and the container limit
Steel edges are dense, so a container can reach its weight limit before it is full by volume. Ask the forwarder what the weight limit is for the container you are quoted and how pallets will be spread across the floor. Ask for the packing and securing method in writing, and ask the supplier whether the pallets are built for fork handling at both ends. These questions cost nothing and avoid damage.
Limits
No rates or transit times are real. Use current forwarder quotes.
Boundary: All quotes and times in the example are invented and no freight rate is cited; obtain current quotes from your forwarder.
Further reading on this site.
Incoterms for Blade Buyers: Choosing the Term That Fits Your Risk Appetite ↗Landed Cost for Imported Plow Blades: Freight, Duty and Duty Drawback Basics ↗Sourcing carbide wear parts guide ↗Consignment Stock for Wear Parts: Pros, Cons and Contract Terms for Municipalities ↗Reading a Metals Surcharge Clause Line by Line ↗Quote Validity in a Volatile Metals Market: How Long Is a Fair Price Hold? ↗
