Shipping from China: Sea vs Air, FCL vs LCL

The short answer

Most China cargo moves by sea (cheapest, slowest) or air (fast, expensive). Sea is either FCL — a full container, cheapest per unit — or LCL, a shared container for smaller loads. Choose by weight and volume, value and urgency, and always compare freight quotes on the same Incoterm.

Sea vs air

	Sea freight	Air freight
Cost	Lowest	Highest
Speed	Weeks	Days
Best for	Large, heavy, non-urgent	Small, high-value, urgent

FCL vs LCL

FCL (Full Container Load) means you book a whole container (20ft or 40ft) — the cheapest per unit once you have enough volume, and less handling risk. LCL (Less than Container Load) shares a container with other shippers — right for smaller loads, but with more handling and a higher per-unit cost. The crossover is usually a few cubic metres; a forwarder can tell you which is cheaper for your load.

What drives the cost

Sea FCL is priced per container; LCL and air are priced on chargeable weight — the greater of actual weight and volumetric (dimensional) weight. Bulky-but-light goods are charged on volume, so packaging efficiency matters. Freight also carries surcharges (fuel, port, peak-season) that a quote should itemise.

The Incoterm decides who arranges it

Your Incoterm sets who books and pays freight: under EXW you arrange everything from the factory; under FOB the supplier gets it onto the vessel and you take over; under CIF the supplier covers freight to your port; under DDP they deliver to your door. Always compare supplier quotes on the same Incoterm, or you are not comparing like with like.

FAQ

Is sea or air freight better for China imports?

Sea for large, heavy or non-urgent goods (cheapest); air for small, high-value or urgent shipments (fastest). Most bulk importing goes by sea.

What is the difference between FCL and LCL?

FCL is a full container you book alone — cheapest per unit at volume. LCL shares a container with others — better for small loads but higher per-unit cost and more handling.

What is chargeable weight?

For air and LCL, freight is charged on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (size-based). Bulky light goods are billed on volume, so efficient packing reduces cost.