UK based freight forwarder, Mercator, was recently tasked to handle an LCL China to UK shipment. The freight consisted of 6 pallets and were purchased on a FOB (free on board) incoterm.
When purchasing goods on FOB, you are responsible for the costs and risk from the point at which the cargo is loaded onto the vessel for shipping to the UK. The supplier at origin (in this case China) will be responsible for export customs, loading of the goods, transportation to the port, and loading onto the vessel.
Mercator’s import team therefore asked our partner agent in China to liaise with the supplier to coordinate the delivery of the cargo to the agreed vessel departure and coloader. Our team in the UK then took control and arranged the sea freight, import customs, and delivery to door in the UK.
LCL China to UK shipping is more economical than air freight, and usually more economical than FCL shipping. When you opt for LCL China to UK shipping, you only pay for the amount of space your shipment takes up in the shared shipping container, where as with FCL, you pay a flat fee. There is a point at which FCL becomes a better option, and this can be 8-9 pallets in a 20’ shipping container. LCL does take longer than air freight though, and generally up to a week longer than FCL due to the packing and unpacking times involved at each end.
If you have a LCL China to UK shipment and you are looking for a quote, get in touch with our team, in partnership with our agent in China, we can cover most ports in China, and every mode. Teamed with our in house customs clearances at the major sea freight ports in the UK and our AEO status with HMRC, choosing Mercator means you are choosing an established freight forwarder who takes customs compliance and processes seriously, allowing for a smooth shipping journey. To request a quote you can get in contact with the team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and we will be in touch.
