LCL or FCL: where the tipping point lies

Groupage is billed by volume, a full container at a flat rate. So there is a precise volume above which the container costs less than groupage.

It is the question we hear most often when quoting: "Is my shipment big enough for a container?" The answer is not a matter of intuition; it comes down to two billing methods that have nothing to do with each other.

Two opposite pricing logics

With groupage (LCL), you pay per chargeable freight tonne: the greater of the volume in cubic metres and the weight in tonnes. Each additional cubic metre therefore costs exactly the same as the previous one. The bill is proportional.

With a full container (FCL), you pay for a box. Whether it leaves 60% or 95% full, the ocean freight, terminal handling and documentation fees are the same. The cost per cubic metre therefore falls sharply as the box fills up.

The crossover can be calculated

On our indicative China → Northern Europe rate card, a 20' delivered to port comes to about €1,860 once BAF, terminal handling, security and documentation are added. Groupage costs in the region of €74 per chargeable cubic metre, plus documentation fees.

The crossover therefore falls at around 24 m³. Below it, groupage remains cheaper; above it, the box wins. And it wins very quickly, since the marginal cost per cubic metre becomes zero up to the 33 m³ usable in a 20'.

What the calculation doesn't tell you

• Groupage requires going through a deconsolidation centre: allow several extra days, and an extra handling of your pallets.
• A full container leaves your supplier sealed and is only reopened at destination: less breakage, fewer disputes, less theft.
• Dense goods (tiles, metal parts) reach the chargeable weight long before the volume: the crossover then comes much sooner.
• Conversely, a bulky, light shipment fills the container without reaching its payload: volume is what decides.

Our calculator applies exactly this reasoning: enter your actual weight and volume, switch between groupage and container, and the crossover appears for your pair of cities rather than as an average.