Shipping by sea from China to UK via sharing a container (LCL)

Short Description:

LCL shipping is short for Less than Container Loading.

Different customers share a container from China to UK when their cargo is not enough for a whole container. LCL is very suitable for small but not urgent shipments. Our company starts from LCL shipping so we are very professional and experienced. LCL shipping can meet our goal that we are committed to international shipping in the safest and most efficient way.

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What is LCL shipping?

LCL shipping is short for Less than Container Loading.

When we handle LCL shipping from China to UK, first we will get cargo from Chinese factories to our Chinese LCL warehouse. Then we will load all different products into a container and ship the container form China to UK by sea.
After vessel arrives at UK port, Our UK agent will pick up the container from UK port to our UK warehouse. They will unpack the container to separate the cargo and make UK customs clearance for each customer’s product. Normally when we use LCL shipping, we charge customers according to cubic meter, which means how much space of the container your shipment takes up. So it is a more economical way than air shipping.

How we handle LCL shipping?

1. Cargo entry into warehouse: If EXW, we will pick up the cargo from your Chinese factory to our Chinese LCL warehouse. If FOB, the Chinese factories will send products in by themselves. For each customer’s products, we will post unique numbers on each package so that we can distinguish them when they are in one container

2. Chinese customs clearance: We will make Chinese customs clearance for each customer’s products separately.

3. Container loading: After we got the Chinese customs release, we will pick up the empty container from the Chinese port and load different customers’ products in. Then we send the container back to the Chinese port and wait for the booked vessel.

4. Vessel departure: The Chinese port staff will coordinate with the vessel operator to get the container on board and ship it from China to UK

5. UK customs clearance: After the vessel departs, we will coordinate with our UK team to prepare for UK customs clearance for each shipment in the container. Usually, our UK team will clear the cargo before the vessel arrives at the UK port. If not, there will be risk of a random customs hold due to late lodgment of customs entry.

6. UK container unpacking: After the vessel arrives at the UK port, we will get the container to the UK warehouse. My UK team will unpack the container and separate each customer’s cargo.

7. UK inland delivery: Once the cargo is available, Our UK team will contact consignee in advance to confirm the delivery date and book the truck to deliver the cargo in loose packages to consignee’s door

1. Cargo entry into warehouse

2. Chinese customs clearance

3. Container loading

4.Vessel departure

5. UK customs clearance

6. UK container unpacking

7. UK inland delivery

LCL shipping time and cost

How long is for the transit time for LCL shipping from China to UK ?
And how much is the price for LCL shipping from China to UK?

The transit time will depend on which address in China and which address in UK.
The price is related how many products you need to ship and the detailed address.

To answer the above two question clearly, we need below information:

① What is your Chinese factory address ? (if you don’t have a detailed address, a rough city name is ok).

② What is your UK address with post code?

③ What are the products ? (As we need to check if we can ship these products . Some products may contain dangerous items which can be not shipped.)

④ Packaging information : How many packages and what is the total weight(kilograms) and volume(cubic meter) ?

Would you like to fill below online form so that we can quote LCL shipping cost from China to AU for your kind reference ?

Few Tips when we use LCL shipping

When you use LCL shipping, you’d better let your factory pack the products well. If your products are fragile items like the vase, LED lights etc, you’d better let the factory put some soft material to stuff the package. The fragile cargo needs to cross several oceans, withstanding fierce waves for about one month from China to UK. If there is some space in cartons/boxes, the fragile cargo may get broken.
Another way is to make pallets. With pallets, it can better protect products during container loading. Also when you get the products with pallets, you can easily store and move products via forklift, which is easier than manual handling.

I suggest that our UK customers let their Chinese factories put a shipping mark on the boxes/cartons/pallets when they use LCL shipping. For different customers’ products in a container, our UK agent can easily identify the consignee’s cargo through a clear shipping mark when they unpack the container in the UK.