Full container load (FCL) shipping
Total Connection books full container load shipments for chemical and industrial shippers as a licensed NVOCC: 20 ft, 40 ft and 40 ft high cube containers, door to door or port to port, with IMDG dangerous goods documentation, export filings, drayage and customs coordination handled by one team.
What FCL shipping involves
A full container load gives your cargo the whole container, sealed at your dock and opened at the consignee's. It is the standard for volumes above roughly 12 to 15 pallets, for hazardous cargo that must be segregated, and for shipments where transit time and handling matter.
Total Connection issues the house bill of lading under our NRA tariff, books space with the carriers serving the lane, arranges the empty pickup and loaded drayage, files the export documents and coordinates customs at destination.
Container types and cargo
20 ft standard
Dense cargo such as drummed chemicals, machinery parts and palletized raw materials, up to about 28,000 lb payload on most lanes.
40 ft standard and high cube
Palletized and packaged goods, IBCs and lighter industrial cargo; high cube adds a foot of interior height.
Open top and flat rack
Over-height and over-width machinery loaded by crane; see breakbulk and OOG cargo for pieces beyond container limits.
Hazmat containers
IMDG-classified cargo with dangerous goods declaration, placarding, segregation and carrier approval.
How an FCL shipment runs
Booking
Commodity, hazmat class, container count, Incoterms and required dates set the routing and carrier.
Origin
Empty container positioned, loaded and sealed at your dock, VGM submitted and the container returned to the terminal before cutoff.
Documents
House bill of lading, export filings, dangerous goods declaration and commercial documents prepared and transmitted.
Destination
Customs entry coordinated with the broker, drayage to the consignee and the empty returned within free time.
FCL shipping FAQ
When should I ship FCL instead of LCL?
Above roughly 12 to 15 pallets FCL usually costs less per unit, and it is the right choice for hazmat that needs segregation, fragile cargo and time-sensitive shipments.
Can I ship hazardous materials FCL?
Yes. IMDG classification, dangerous goods declaration, placarding and carrier approval are handled before booking, and some classes require specific carriers or lanes.
What does door to door include?
Empty container positioning, loading at your dock, drayage to the terminal, ocean freight, destination drayage and delivery, with customs coordinated at both ends.
Who is responsible for the container weight?
The shipper declares the verified gross mass. We collect and submit the VGM to the carrier before the terminal cutoff.
Quote an FCL shipment
Send the product, origin, destination and timing. 732-817-0401 or quotes@totalconnection.com.
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