Ocean freight from Miami: Weekly LCL consolidations and FCL bookings

LCL, less than container load, shares a container with other shippers' cargo going the same way, and you pay for the space you use. FCL, full container load, is a container of your own, and you pay for the box whether you fill it or not.

Per cubic meter or per 1,000 kg, whichever is greater. That's W/M. Beyond the ocean rate, the price depends on the charges at each end, whether it moves door to door or port to port, and the cargo itself, since dangerous goods and oversize pieces need extra handling.

Once you're filling about half a 20′ container, roughly 14 m³, price it both ways. Past that point a full container often costs less per unit and skips consolidation at both ends. Density matters too, so send the dimensions and weight and we'll quote both.

It rolls to the next week's sailing on that lane, and we'll tell you before you have to ask. Cargo cutoffs are 12:00 PM ET, on each lane's cutoff day (5:00 PM for Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Chile). Hazmat and bonded cargo closes 24 hours earlier, so on a Monday lane that's Friday at 12:00 PM.

We're closed on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day. When a cutoff lands on a day we're closed, it moves to 12:00 PM on the business day before, and the sailing finder above already shows the new date.

On our weekly lanes: 3 to 5 days to Central America, 2 to 7 days to the Caribbean, 6 to 29 days to South America, 13 to 31 days to Europe and 30 to 48 days to Asia and Oceania. Most of those are port to port. Argentina and Bolivia are measured to the destination CFS. Add pickup and consolidation in Miami and delivery at the other end.

Yes. Our own trucks collect anywhere in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach and bring it to our dock in Medley. From farther away we arrange linehaul to Miami. See trucking.

Yes, in a full container. We don't have cold storage, so refrigerated cargo can't be delivered to our warehouse. An operating reefer picks up straight from your supplier, your supplier loads it, and we handle the rest of the export.

Yes, if any one Schedule B number going to one consignee is worth more than $2,500, and licensed goods need one at any value. We file it in AES as your agent once you give us written authorization.

No. The ISF, or 10+2, covers ocean cargo coming into the United States. Exports need an EEI instead, when the rules above apply.

Yes, declared at booking and documented under the IMDG Code. Hazmat closes 24 hours before general cargo on the same lane. Our staff are trained and certified in DG handling. A misdeclared shipment holds up everyone else's cargo in the container, so tell us up front.

Yes. Cargo insurance is available on request. See freight insurance.

Yes, through our customer service team. Call (305) 597-9595 or email ops@express-freight-intl.com for a status update. We don't have automatic online tracking.

Yes. We handle ocean freight coming into Miami as well as exports. See customs clearance for the import side, or send the details through the quote form.

Send the details through the quote form or call (305) 597-9595. We respond within 4 business hours, Monday–Friday. Dimensions matter most, because ocean freight is priced on volume as well as weight.