What is the FCL/LCL break-even point?

It is the shipment volume at which a full container costs the same as paying the LCL per-CBM rate for that volume. Below it, LCL is cheaper; above it, FCL wins because the fixed container price is spread over more cargo.

Why use usable capacity instead of nominal container volume?

A 40ft container has about 67 nominal CBM but you rarely load more than 55 to 60 CBM after pallets, dunnage, and stacking limits. Using realistic usable capacity gives an honest FCL cost per CBM and a correct break-even.

Does the LCL rate use volume or weight?

LCL is billed on revenue tonnes, the greater of actual weight in tonnes or volume in CBM (1 CBM is charged as 1 tonne). For light cargo, volume governs, so this tool compares on CBM. For dense cargo, enter the weight-based revenue tonnes as your effective volume.

Are customs and duties included?

No. This compares only the freight and handling charges that differ between FCL and LCL. Import duty, VAT, and customs brokerage are usually identical for both modes and do not affect which is cheaper, so they are left out.

When should I pick FCL even below break-even?

FCL avoids the deconsolidation step at destination, so it is often faster and lower-risk for damage-prone or high-value cargo. If transit time or handling risk matters more than a small cost saving, choose FCL even when the numbers slightly favour LCL.

Ocean Freight Rate Comparison Tool

Choosing between a full container (FCL) and shared consolidated space (LCL) comes down to one number: your shipment volume relative to the break-even point. This tool totals the real all-in cost of each option for the volume you actually need to move and tells you which is cheaper — and by how much.

How it works

FCL is a fixed price for the whole box, so its effective cost per CBM falls as you load more cargo. LCL is a flat rate per cubic metre, so its total rises linearly with volume. The break-even is where the two lines cross:

fcl_per_cbm   = fcl_all_in / usable_capacity_cbm
lcl_total     = lcl_rate_per_cbm × shipment_cbm
fcl_total     = fcl_all_in            (one container, fixed)
break_even    = fcl_all_in / lcl_rate_per_cbm   (CBM)

Below the break-even CBM, paying LCL per cubic metre is cheaper than buying a whole container. Above it, the fixed container price is spread over enough cargo to beat the per-CBM rate.

Example and tips

Suppose a 40ft container is quoted all-in at 2400 with 58 CBM usable, and LCL runs 60 per CBM. The break-even is 2400 / 60 = 40 CBM. A 30 CBM shipment costs 1800 by LCL versus 2400 by FCL, so LCL wins. A 45 CBM shipment costs 2700 by LCL but still only 2400 by FCL, so FCL wins. As a rule of thumb, once you exceed roughly two thirds of a container’s usable capacity, FCL is usually the better deal — and it removes the destination deconsolidation step entirely.