Sourcing & Trade Guide
LCL vs FCL Shipping: China to Lagos, Mombasa, Tema (2026)
Comilmart Team
October 21, 2026
LCL vs FCL shipping is the first big decision a small importer faces after choosing a supplier. LCL (less-than-container load) means you share a container with other shippers and pay for the space your goods use. FCL (full-container load) means you book a whole container for your cargo alone. The right choice depends on your volume, your budget, how fragile the goods are and how fast you need them. This guide explains both, with container sizes, how to work out CBM, the main cost drivers, and notes for the ports at Lagos, Tema and Mombasa. It uses Maersk, Alibaba's shipping guide, the Kenya Ports Authority and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, all read in October 2026.
Freight rates change with the season and route, so we do not quote prices. Ask your forwarder for current itemised quotes.
LCL vs FCL shipping: the difference in one table
Maersk's guide to FCL vs LCL shipping summarises the trade-offs:
| LCL | FCL | |
|---|---|---|
| Container use | Shared with other shippers | Exclusive to one shipper |
| Cost model | Pay per cubic metre (CBM) used | Flat rate per container |
| Upfront cost | Lower, but rises quickly as volume grows | Higher upfront, more economical at scale |
| Transit time | Slower because of consolidation and possible delays | Faster, with direct routing |
| Risk and handling | More handling and exposure | Sealed from origin to destination |
| Best for | Under about 15 CBM, cost-sensitive cargo | Roughly 15 CBM and up, high-value or fragile cargo |
Maersk says LCL is often an accessible starting point for smaller businesses, and that as volumes grow, moving to FCL may lower unit costs and improve transit times. It also makes a point many beginners miss: it can sometimes be more economical to use FCL even if your goods do not fill the whole container. Alibaba's shipping guide gives slightly different thresholds, with LCL for roughly 1 to 15 CBM and FCL for bulk orders above 20 CBM, which shows these lines are guides, not rules. Ask your forwarder to price both when your volume is in the middle.
How to work out CBM
CBM stands for cubic metres, the volume unit used to price LCL. Maersk's LCL page says charges are based on the space used, measured in CBM, and that its booking portal derives CBM from the cargo's length, width, height and weight. The basic arithmetic for a carton is length times width times height, all in metres.
For example, a carton measuring 60 cm by 40 cm by 50 cm is 0.6 by 0.4 by 0.5 metres, which is 0.12 CBM. One hundred identical cartons would be 12 CBM. Remember that a forwarder may also look at weight, and that pallets, wrapping and gaps take space. Ask the supplier for the final packed dimensions and weight per carton before you book. Our guide to landed cost shows where freight sits in your total.
Container sizes for FCL
Maersk publishes specifications for its dry containers. As listed in its equipment sheet for Africa, a standard 20-foot dry container has an internal length of about 5.9 metres and a cubic capacity of about 33 cubic metres, with a maximum payload of about 28,200 kg. A 40-foot dry container has about 67 cubic metres and a payload of about 28,800 kg. A 40-foot high cube has about 76 cubic metres and a payload of about 28,620 kg. Maersk's explainer on container types adds that 20-foot containers suit heavier cargo, 40-foot containers suit bulkier goods such as furniture, and high cubes are taller but limited by weight.
These are figures for one carrier's equipment. Usable space is lower than the full cubic capacity because of how cartons stack. Ask your forwarder what they have planned for your cargo.
What drives the cost of LCL vs FCL shipping
Alibaba's shipping guide lists the main drivers for sea freight: the origin and destination ports, weight and volume, fuel surcharges, seasonal demand and customs fees, with extra fees for terminal handling, documentation, customs clearance and peak season, and inland transport from the port. It says sea freight is billed by weight or volumetric weight, whichever is greater. Maersk's LCL page notes that door-to-door pickup and delivery and customs clearance are optional add-ons, and that LCL pages state package and booking limits: for example a single package is capped at 3,000 kg and 29 CBM, and a booking at 20,000 kg and 60 CBM on Maersk's service. Those limits show why very large or heavy items need a different arrangement.
Compare quotes on the same basis: port-to-port or door-to-door, which charges at origin and destination are included, and what happens if the cargo is held at the port. Our guide to choosing a freight forwarder lists questions to ask.
Notes for Lagos, Tema and Mombasa
Lagos. Nigerian Ports Authority pages list container terminals at Apapa and Tin Can Island. Alibaba notes that buyers should consider potential delays due to port congestion at Lagos. Read our walk-through of clearing goods at Lagos port.
Tema. The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority describes the Golden Jubilee Terminal at Tema as an inland clearance depot with a container freight station that handles full and less-than-full container loads, and a reefer terminal for temperature-controlled cargo. Ask your forwarder where your LCL cargo will be unstuffed.
Mombasa. The Kenya Ports Authority's Port of Mombasa page describes it as the gateway to East and Central Africa, with two container terminals and direct shipping links to more than 80 ports, serving hinterland countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DR Congo, northern Tanzania, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia. If you import into one of those countries, confirm transit rules and documents with your forwarder.
See also shipping from China to Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
Which should a small importer choose?
- First order, small quantity: LCL, so you do not tie up cash in a full container.
- Repeat orders of the same product, growing volume: ask for FCL and LCL prices side by side each time.
- Fragile or high-value goods: consider FCL, because the container stays sealed from origin to destination, according to Maersk.
- Several suppliers in China: ask your forwarder about consolidating cargo before shipping.
- Time-sensitive goods: compare air freight. See sea freight vs air freight.
Frequently asked questions
What does LCL mean? Less-than-container load: several shippers share one container and each pays for the space used.
What does FCL mean? Full-container load: one shipper books the whole container.
At what volume should I switch from LCL to FCL? Maersk's guide gives roughly 15 CBM as the point where FCL starts to fit, but FCL can sometimes cost less overall below that. Get both quotes.
Is LCL slower? Maersk says LCL can be slower because of consolidation and possible delays.
Who pays for shipping on Comilmart B2B orders? Suppliers arrange and pay for shipping and delivery, and we do not handle freight, customs clearance or duties.
Next step
When you request quotations, tell suppliers your delivery country and whether you want LCL or FCL, so shipping is included correctly. Post your request at /request-quotation with the product, quantity and delivery country, and browse B2B listings with MOQs and tiered pricing at /browse. Whatever you choose in the LCL vs FCL decision, get the quote in writing and compare final landed cost.