--- title: "Sea freight from India: FCL vs LCL guide · SSL" description: "How sea freight from India works: FCL vs LCL, common container types, the port to door chain, and the documents an export shipment needs." url: https://safeandsecure.in/guides/sea-freight-fcl-lcl-india-guide/ canonical: https://safeandsecure.in/guides/sea-freight-fcl-lcl-india-guide/ updated: 2026-11-11 lang: en-IN publisher: Safe & Secure Logistics Private Limited --- Guide · Sea # Sea freight from India: FCL vs LCL, containers and documents How sea freight from India works: FCL vs LCL, common container types, the port to door chain, and the documents an export shipment needs. 5 min read Updated 3 Nov 2026 By the Safe & Secure desk Choose FCL when your cargo fills most of a container or must stay sealed from factory to destination. Choose LCL when it is a few cubic metres and can share a box through a CFS. Safe & Secure Logistics books the ocean leg through partner carriers and runs the road leg to Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Mumbai Port or Haldia. **On this page · 8 sections** 1. FCL and LCL in one paragraph each 2. How to choose 3. Container types 4. Port to door: the legs of a shipment 5. What SSL does, and what partners do 6. Documents for an export shipment 7. Common mistakes 8. Checklist Short answer What is the difference between FCL and LCL? FCL books a whole container for your cargo. LCL shares a container with other shippers and is charged per cubic metre. FCL usually pays off once your cargo fills most of a 20 ft box. Most of India’s trade by value moves by sea. For an exporter, the choices come down to four things: how much space you need, which container suits the cargo, who handles each leg between your door and the buyer’s, and which documents must be ready before the vessel cut-off. This guide covers each in turn. It is general guidance. Always check the current rules with your customs broker and the official portals listed under sources. ## FCL and LCL in one paragraph each **Full container load (FCL).** You book a whole container. It is stuffed at your factory or at a container freight station (CFS), sealed, and stays sealed until the destination unless customs opens it. You pay per container, whether it is full or not. **Less than container load (LCL).** You send a few cubic metres to a CFS. A consolidator packs your cargo into a shared container with other shippers’ goods, and it is unpacked at a destination CFS. You pay per cubic metre, usually with a minimum. ## How to choose | Situation | Lean towards | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Cargo fills most of a 20 ft container | FCL | Lower cost per cubic metre, one seal | | A few pallets or cartons | LCL | Pay only for the space used | | Fragile or high-value goods | FCL | Fewer handlings, no shared box | | Tight delivery date | FCL | No wait for a consolidated box to fill | | Regular small orders to one buyer | LCL, then FCL as volume grows | Flexibility first | | Tall, heavy or out-of-gauge pieces | Special equipment | Open top or flat rack | LCL adds two CFS handlings and a consolidation wait at each end. On a busy trade lane this is small. On a thin lane it can add days. Ask for the consolidation schedule on your exact route. ## Container types The common boxes are: - **20 ft dry.** Suits dense cargo that reaches the weight limit before it fills the space. - **40 ft dry.** Roughly twice the space of a 20 ft, for lighter cargo. - **40 ft high-cube.** About a foot taller than a standard 40 ft, for bulky, light goods. - **Reefer.** Temperature controlled, for food, pharma and other chilled cargo. - **Open top and flat rack.** For machinery and pieces too tall or wide for a closed box. Inside dimensions and payloads vary by shipping line. Use our [container size guide](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/container-size-guide/) to check fit, and confirm with the carrier before booking. ## Port to door: the legs of a shipment A sea shipment is a chain of separate legs. Each one has an owner. 1. **Brief.** You share cargo, volume, container type, ports, Incoterm and ready date. 2. **Booking.** Space is booked with a shipping line or consolidator, and the vessel and gate cut-offs are confirmed. 3. **Stuffing.** FCL is stuffed at your factory where the line allows it, or at a CFS. LCL goes to the CFS. 4. **Road leg to port.** The container moves by truck or rail to the terminal before the gate cut-off. 5. **Export customs.** A licensed customs broker files the shipping bill on [ICEGATE](https://www.icegate.gov.in/) and the goods get let export order. 6. **Ocean leg.** The vessel sails and the carrier, or a registered NVOCC or MTO, issues the bill of lading. 7. **Destination.** An overseas agent handles import clearance and delivery to the buyer, as the Incoterm decides. Your Incoterm sets where your cost and risk end. Under FOB you stop at the Indian port. Under CIF or DAP you carry it further. The [Incoterms guide](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/incoterms-guide/) explains each term. ## What SSL does, and what partners do Safe & Secure Logistics books your ocean freight, FCL or LCL, and runs the port haulage by road. One SSL desk is your single point of contact for the whole movement. The ocean carriage itself is by partner shipping lines. The bill of lading is issued by the carrier or a registered NVOCC or MTO. Customs is filed by a licensed broker. Destination handling is by our overseas agent. SSL does not own vessels or ocean containers. On the road side, SSL made over 1,100 port-linked truck moves via Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Port, Mundra and Haldia in the year to August 2026. The wider network has run since 1951, with 76,000+ truck hires a year, 110+ branches and offices, and 2,000+ destinations. Read more on our [sea freight service](https://safeandsecure.in/services/sea-freight/) and [port haulage service](https://safeandsecure.in/services/port-haulage/) pages. ## Documents for an export shipment Most sea exports from India need: - **Commercial invoice and packing list.** Values, HS codes, weights and package counts must match each other. - **Shipping bill.** Filed on ICEGATE by the customs broker, under the procedures set by [CBIC](https://www.cbic.gov.in/). - **Bill of lading.** Issued by the carrier or NVOCC once the cargo is on board. - **Certificate of origin.** Where the buyer needs one, often to claim a trade agreement benefit. See [DGFT](https://www.dgft.gov.in/). - **E-way bill.** For the road leg to the port, where the value crosses the GST threshold. Some goods need extra permits, test reports or licences. Check your HS code with the [HS code finder](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/hs-code-finder/) and the full [document checklist](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/export-import-document-checklist/). ## Common mistakes - Booking LCL for cargo that would fill most of a 20 ft box - Measuring volume from the order rather than the packed cartons - Missing the gate cut-off because the truck was booked too late - Invoice and packing list figures that do not match - Choosing an Incoterm without checking who pays destination charges - Ignoring detention and demurrage on the container. See our [demurrage and detention guide](https://safeandsecure.in/guides/demurrage-and-detention-explained/). ## Checklist - Packed volume and weight measured - FCL or LCL decided against the volume - Container type confirmed for the cargo - Incoterm agreed with the buyer - Booking and cut-offs confirmed in writing - Road leg to port booked with time to spare - Invoice, packing list and HS codes checked against each other - Customs broker briefed - Certificate of origin arranged if the buyer needs it For more on the wider export process, read [exporting from India step by step](https://safeandsecure.in/guides/exporting-from-india-step-by-step/) and our [port haulage guide](https://safeandsecure.in/guides/port-haulage-jnpt-mundra-guide/). Ready to ship? For a regular lane or a tender, send an [RFQ](https://safeandsecure.in/ship/rfq/). For a single shipment, [request a quote](https://safeandsecure.in/ship/quote/) with your cargo, volume, ports and ready date. *Figures for Safe & Secure Logistics are for FY2025-26 from our booking register. How each one is counted is on the [Facts and sources](https://safeandsecure.in/facts/) page.* Tools - [Container size guide](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/container-size-guide/) - [Incoterms guide](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/incoterms-guide/) - [Export and import document checklist](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/export-import-document-checklist/) - [HS code finder](https://safeandsecure.in/tools/hs-code-finder/) Services - [Sea freight](https://safeandsecure.in/services/sea-freight/) - [Port haulage](https://safeandsecure.in/services/port-haulage/) - [Customs clearance](https://safeandsecure.in/services/customs-clearance/) Terms [Logistics glossary →](https://safeandsecure.in/glossary/) Sources ## Where these rules come from 1. [CBIC: Customs, shipping bill and export procedures](https://www.cbic.gov.in/) 2. [ICEGATE: Indian Customs electronic filing portal](https://www.icegate.gov.in/) 3. [DGFT: Foreign Trade Policy and certificate of origin](https://www.dgft.gov.in/) 4. [Directorate General of Shipping: MTO registration](https://www.dgshipping.gov.in/) 5. [Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways](https://shipmin.gov.in/) Rules change. Check the linked source before acting; this guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. ## Frequently asked questions **What is the difference between FCL and LCL?** FCL books a whole container for your cargo. LCL shares a container with other shippers and is charged per cubic metre. FCL usually pays off once your cargo fills most of a 20 ft box. **Which container types are most common?** Standard 20 ft and 40 ft dry containers and the 40 ft high-cube. Reefers, open tops and flat racks are used for chilled, tall or oversized cargo. See the container size guide for inside dimensions. **Does Safe & Secure Logistics own ships or containers?** No. Safe & Secure Logistics does not own vessels or ocean containers. We book space with partner carriers, arrange the container and run the road leg to the port. **Who files customs for a sea shipment?** Export customs is filed by a licensed customs broker on ICEGATE. Your own broker can do it, or our desk arranges one for you. **Can the container be stuffed at my factory?** Yes, where the shipping line allows factory stuffing. The desk arranges the empty container and hauls the stuffed box to the port. **Which Indian ports does SSL haul to?** Safe & Secure Logistics runs port haulage via Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Port, Mundra and Haldia. Ready to move it? Share the lane and load; our desk confirms the price, usually within minutes. [Get a quote](https://safeandsecure.in/ship/quote/) [All guides](https://safeandsecure.in/guides/) --- Source: https://safeandsecure.in/guides/sea-freight-fcl-lcl-india-guide/ (the HTML page is the record; this markdown twin was generated from it on 2026-11-11). Publisher: Safe & Secure Logistics Private Limited, https://safeandsecure.in/. Figures and their periods: https://safeandsecure.in/facts/