FCL shipping to the USA, and the full name is full container load. It means that only one consignor of the whole box of goods is transported to the destination port, which is relatively easier than LCL.
FCL shipping to the USA is the freight that the shipper is responsible for packing, counting, stowage, and sealing. The unpacking of FCL shipping to the USA is generally handled by the consignee.
Another way to shipping from China to US is LCL.
LCL, the full name is Less Than ContainerLoad. It means that the cargo consigned by the consignor is less than the whole box of small-ticket goods. The agent (or the carrier) sorts the goods and collects the goods to the same destination into a certain quantity and packs them into the box. Because there are goods from different owners in one box, it is called LCL. FCL is the opposite.
Precautions for FCL shipping to the USA
FCL shipping to the USA needs to pay attention to these matters: booking, loading, customs declaration, and collection of these important nodes.
Booking
The goods are fully prepared, check the quality of the goods and that the packaging is no problem, stick the corresponding box marks, and book the space with the shipping company. Send the cargo information to the shipping company, and the shipping company will put SO to the shipper.
Cabinetry
The freight forwarding company will make an appointment for a trailer to go to the dock to pick up the empty container and load the container in the freight forwarder’s warehouse or factory.
When loading the cabinet, you need to pay attention to:
- Make sure the box is complete and can not damage the outer packaging of the carton;
- Ensure that the volume and weight of the carton of the goods and the customs declaration data cannot be too different, and weigh them after the final loading; so as not to increase the risk of inspection due to weight discrepancies;
- When loading, confirm that the packing list is consistent with the goods, so that the declared goods are not loaded, or the undeclared goods are loaded; so as not to find the goods during the inspection or fail to declare the goods, and delay boarding the ship;
- After the cabinet is installed, the cabinet number and seal must be marked, and the seal must not be damaged; if the inspection is replaced with a new seal, the seal number must be updated.
Customs declaration
Check the customs declaration information one by one, declare to the customs after correct, and confirm that all the information in the manifest declaration and customs declaration is accurate.
Even if it is inspected, it can be released quickly and catch up with the shipping schedule. The cabinet number and the customs declaration should be checked one by one to ensure that the declaration is correct. Make customs declarations in advance so that there is not enough time to deal with emergencies.
Bill of Lading
Ensure that the order information is correct, such as the information required by the bill of lading (B/L): product name, number of pieces, weight, volume, loading/unloading port information, shipper, consignee, and address.
After the bill of lading is received, the information should be confirmed as soon as possible, and the correction should be completed within the cut-off time if any problem is found. And confirm the bill of lading information with the shipper, if it exceeds this time, there will be a charge for changing the order.
Collection
The receipt is the key point, LDP/FOB is good, no matter what the method is, you must first receive the payment and then release the bill of lading or telex. To avoid empty money.
LCL VS FCL shipping to the USA, how to choose?
Calculation method of LCL by sea:
Actual weight = physical weight of the goods after weighing
Cargo volume = cargo length (cm) * width (cm) * height (cm) / 1000000
Weight standard: billed by volume (ie: length * width * height to obtain volume and then converted into CBM), single ticket less than 2CBM billed according to 2CBM; actual weight billed according to 1CBM=363KG volume
In addition, the transportation procedure of LCL is also much more complicated than that of FCL shipping to the USA. Many transportation companies do the whole container, and the price will be relatively transparent.
Although there are open market prices for LCL shipments, the surcharges of various transportation companies vary greatly, so the freight rates on the transportation company’s price list are only part of the final charge, not the final total cost.
In general, LCL shipments are more expensive than FCL shipping to the USA. The transportation cost of LCL and FCL shipping to the USA is very different in terms of procedures, time, and cost, and the relationship between the two is not a simple addition.
Xiongda International provides service of FCL shipping to the USA. Shipping companies such as Matson, EMC, COSCO, CUL, etc., other shipping companies can also book space in advance, Maersk, CMA CGM, WHL, and YML… including cargo collection, booking, trailer, loading Cabinets, customs declaration, customs clearance, pick-up cabinets, delivery to the door.