International Sea Freight (FCL & LCL)
FCL and LCL, import and export, on the ocean trade lanes that carry the weight of India’s trade — with the carrier and routing chosen for your cost and transit, not ours.
Sea freight moves the overwhelming majority of the world’s trade by weight, and for good reason: nothing else moves a container of cargo across an ocean for the price. The trade-off is time and complexity — longer transits, more parties in the chain, and documentation that has to be right before the vessel sails rather than after. We take that complexity off your desk.
We book full-container-load (FCL) and less-than-container-load (LCL) shipments out of and into the main Indian ports — Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mundra, Chennai, Cochin and others — with weekly LCL consolidations on our core lanes. Because we are carrier-neutral, we choose the line and the routing that fit your cost and transit needs rather than whichever we happen to have a target with.
What you get with this service.
FCL — full container
Your cargo, your container, sealed at origin. The most economical option once you have enough volume to fill a 20ft or 40ft box, and the least handled in transit.
LCL — shared container
Space by the cubic metre in a shared container, consolidated with other cargo. The right call when a full container would sail half-empty.
Import & export
Both directions, both cleared. Export shipping bills and import bills of entry are filed by the same team that booked the freight.
Reefer & special equipment
Temperature-controlled reefers, open-tops and flat-racks for cargo that will not fit or survive a standard box.
FCL or LCL — which is right
The rule of thumb is volume. Below roughly 13 to 15 cubic metres, LCL usually wins because you pay only for the space you use. Above it, a full container is typically cheaper per unit and — just as important — is handled less, because it is packed once at origin and not opened until it reaches you. LCL cargo is consolidated and deconsolidated at both ends, which adds handling, time and a little more risk of damage.
But volume is not the only factor. Fragile or high-value cargo may justify a full container below the break-even point simply to avoid the handling. Urgent cargo may prefer FCL because it does not wait for a consolidation to fill. We work the actual numbers for your shipment rather than applying the rule of thumb blind.
The documents that make or break a sailing
A sea shipment lives or dies on its paperwork. The bill of lading, the commercial invoice and packing list, the shipping bill on export or bill of entry on import, the certificate of origin where a trade agreement or the buyer requires it — each has to agree with the others, because customs on both sides reads them against each other. A weight that does not match, an HS code that does not fit the description, a consignee name spelled two ways: any of these can hold a container and start demurrage running.
We prepare and check this set before the cargo moves, and we file the customs entries ourselves rather than handing them to a third party. It is unglamorous work, and it is the difference between a container that clears and one that sits.
| Factor | FCL — full container | LCL — shared |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Roughly 13 m³ and above | Smaller shipments below that |
| Billed on | Per container | Per cubic metre or tonne |
| Handling | Packed once, sealed to destination | Consolidated and deconsolidated both ends |
| Transit | Does not wait to fill | May wait for the consolidation |
Questions we are asked a lot.
What is demurrage, and how do I avoid it?
Demurrage and detention are charges the shipping line levies when a container sits beyond its free time — at the port, or once it is with you. The usual causes are slow customs clearance or documents that were not ready. The way to avoid it is to have the paperwork right and the entry filed before the vessel arrives, which is exactly the part we own.
How long does an ocean shipment take?
It depends entirely on the lane — a few days to the Gulf, a few weeks to Europe or the US west coast, longer with transhipment. Transit time is only part of the picture: booking cut-offs, sailing frequency and clearance at both ends all matter. We give you a realistic door-to-door window at quotation, not just the sailing time.
Can you arrange marine insurance?
Yes, and for anything of value you should carry it. Carrier liability under the standard bill of lading is limited and is not the same as insuring the cargo for what it is worth. We can arrange all-risks marine cover so a loss is a claim, not a write-off.
The rest of what we move.
International air freight
Fast, dependable air cargo for urgent and time-sensitive shipments worldwide.
Customs clearance & trade compliance
Documentation, clearance and compliance support that keeps cargo moving.
Warehousing & distribution
Secure storage, inventory management and distribution built around your supply chain.
Project cargo & heavy lift
Planning and execution for oversized, heavy and project consignments.
Door-to-door logistics
End-to-end management from the supplier’s floor to the final destination.
Packing, relocation & mobility
Professional packing, office moves, employee mobility and household goods.
Tell us what you are shipping.
Send us the cargo, the origin and destination, and the date you need it there. We will come back with a practical routing and a clear quotation — not a form letter.