What Is Sea Freight? Ocean Freight Costs, Transit & FCL vs LCL

Sea freight and ocean freight are two names for the same mode: cargo moved by container ship or bulk vessel between international ports. The industry uses them interchangeably. "Ocean freight" is the more common phrase in North America, "sea freight" in Europe and Asia, but the vessel, the carrier, the port, and the documents are identical either way. Sea freight moves roughly 80 percent of world trade by volume because nothing else matches it on cost per kilogram over long distances.

This guide covers what sea freight is, how a shipment moves from booking to empty container return, the six service types you can book (FCL, LCL, breakbulk, bulk, RoRo, and reefer), transit times by major trade lane, the full cost structure, container sizes, the documents every export and import file needs, the top ten carriers, and how a freight forwarder handles the workflow. If you run GoFreight or any full featured forwarder platform, ocean and sea freight bookings sit on the same shipment record, whichever term your customer used on the quote request.

What Is Sea Freight

Sea freight covers everything from a single pallet consolidated with other shippers' cargo in a 40 foot container, to a full cargo of grain in the hold of a bulk carrier, to a fleet of new cars on a roll on roll off vessel. The common thread is a scheduled ocean crossing between two ports, coordinated by an ocean carrier, filed with customs at both ends, and moved to and from the port by truck or rail.

Every question shippers ask about the mode uses similar language. What is sea freight? The cargo movement by sea in containers or bulk. What is ocean freight? The same thing in North American English. What is FCL? A full container booked exclusively for one shipment. What is LCL? A shared container. This guide answers each of those in turn.

Sea Freight vs Ocean Freight: Are They the Same

Yes. Sea freight and ocean freight are two names for the same mode of transport. A shipment quoted as "sea freight" is moved on the same container ships, by the same carriers (Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, Hapag Lloyd, ONE), through the same ports as one quoted as "ocean freight."

The reason both terms exist is regional. North American forwarders and carriers grew up calling the service "ocean freight" (ocean import, ocean export, ocean rates), which is the language you will still see on US carrier rate sheets and forwarder invoices. European and Asian forwarders use "sea freight" (sea freight import, sea freight export, sea freight rates) more often. Neither is more correct than the other and every carrier accepts either term on a rate request.

The terminology becomes precise only when paired with direction or service type:

• Sea freight import or ocean import: cargo moving into your country
• Sea freight export or ocean export: cargo moving out of your country
• FCL (Full Container Load): enough cargo to fill a 20 foot or 40 foot container
• LCL (Less than Container Load): cargo shared with other shippers inside one container
• Breakbulk: cargo loaded piece by piece into the vessel hold, not in a container
• Bulk: loose cargo (grain, ore, coal) loaded into the hold of a bulk carrier
• RoRo: vehicles and wheeled cargo driven on and off a roll on roll off vessel
• Reefer: temperature controlled cargo in a refrigerated container

How Does Sea Freight Work

A typical sea freight shipment moves through eight stages, from booking to empty container return:

1. 1
   Quote and booking
   The shipper or freight forwarder requests rates from carriers (or pulls them from a contract), books space on a vessel, and receives a booking confirmation with vessel name, voyage number, and cutoff dates.
2. 2
   Origin pickup and stuffing
   Cargo is collected from the supplier, brought to a container freight station or the shipper's warehouse, and stuffed into the booked container.
3. 3
   Export documentation
   Commercial invoice, packing list, and the bill of lading are prepared. Customs export declaration is filed (AES for US exports).
4. 4
   Port delivery and loading
   The container is trucked or rail shipped to the port of origin, gated in, and loaded onto the vessel before the cutoff time.
5. 5
   Ocean transit
   The vessel sails the booked lane. Transit times depend on the route: 14 to 18 days China to US West Coast, 28 to 35 days Asia to US East Coast via Panama, 30 to 45 days Asia to Northern Europe.
6. 6
   Arrival and import clearance
   The vessel arrives at the destination port. Import customs filing (ISF, AMS, and entry) is completed. Duties and taxes are paid.
7. 7
   Container release and unstuffing
   The consignee picks up the container, trucks it to a warehouse, and unloads it. If LCL, the cargo is deconsolidated at a destination container freight station first.
8. 8
   Empty container return
   The empty container is returned to the carrier's depot. Demurrage and detention fees apply if storage or use exceeds the free time.

Who Is Involved in a Sea Freight Shipment

Sea freight is a many party workflow. A single shipment typically involves:

• Shipper (exporter): the party sending the cargo
• Consignee (importer): the party receiving the cargo
• Carrier: the shipping line operating the vessel
• Freight forwarder: the intermediary booking space, handling documentation, and coordinating origin and destination logistics. See the full role explanation in the freight forwarder glossary.
• Customs broker: licensed to file customs entries on behalf of the importer (often part of the forwarder)
• Port and terminal operators: load, discharge, and store containers at each end
• Trucker or rail operator: moves the container between port and warehouse

What Can Be Shipped by Sea

Sea freight handles almost any cargo that is not urgent. Common categories:

• Dry cargo in containers: consumer goods, electronics, apparel, furniture, packaged food, machinery
• Bulk cargo: grain, coal, ore, cement (loaded loose into bulk carriers, not containers)
• Refrigerated cargo (reefer): fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, frozen meat and seafood
• Heavy lift and project cargo: wind turbines, generators, oversized industrial equipment
• Vehicles: shipped via roll on roll off (RoRo) vessels or in containers
• Hazardous goods (DG): chemicals, lithium batteries, and other regulated cargo with IMDG classification

Types of Sea Freight Service: FCL, LCL, Breakbulk, Bulk, RoRo, Reefer

Six service types cover almost every ocean booking. Which one you use depends on the cargo, the volume, and how much handling the goods can tolerate.

Most freight forwarders quote FCL and LCL as their default. Breakbulk, bulk, RoRo, and reefer are specialist bookings and are usually handled by carriers or forwarders with named expertise in that mode.

When to Choose Sea Freight Over Air Freight

Choose sea freight when cost matters more than speed. Choose air freight when speed matters more than cost.

Most international supply chains use both: sea freight for planned inventory replenishment and air freight to cover stockouts or launch shipments.

Sea Freight Transit Times

Transit time is port to port sailing time only. It excludes origin pickup, port cutoff times, customs clearance, and inland delivery, all of which add 7 to 14 days on each end. Direct sailings (no vessel change) are faster; transhipment sailings (cargo transferred to a second vessel at a hub port) are usually 8 to 15 days slower on long haul lanes.

The table below covers the major container trade lanes with typical direct and transhipment ranges, and the carriers most likely to appear on a rate sheet.

Transit times vary by service string, vessel speed, and port congestion at both ends. Real time container tracking through Shipment Tracking & Operations Software for Forwarders is how modern forwarders keep customers current when a vessel skips a port or a transhipment call runs late. For deeper coverage of factors that move these numbers, see our guide to ocean freight transit times.

How Much Does Sea Freight Cost

Sea freight rates are quoted per container (FCL) or per cubic meter (LCL). Five variables drive the final invoice.

1. Base Ocean Freight Rate

The published rate per 20 foot (TEU) or 40 foot (FEU) container on a specific lane. As of 2026, indicative rates:

• Asia to US West Coast: 2,000 to 4,500 USD per 40 foot container
• Asia to US East Coast: 3,000 to 5,500 USD per 40 foot container
• Asia to Northern Europe: 2,500 to 5,000 USD per 40 foot container

Spot rates fluctuate weekly. Contract rates lock in a price for 6 to 12 months.

2. Surcharges

Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) for fuel, Currency Adjustment Factor (CAF), Peak Season Surcharge (PSS), Low Sulfur Surcharge, and emergency surcharges (Suez transit, war risk) all stack on top of the base rate.

3. Terminal Handling Charges

Origin Terminal Handling Charge (OTHC) at the load port and Destination Terminal Handling Charge (DTHC) at the discharge port. Documentation fees and customs filing fees (AES at origin, ISF and AMS at destination) also sit at this layer.

4. Inland Costs

Trucking from supplier to port at origin. Trucking from port to consignee warehouse at destination. Drayage fees within the port area.

5. Risk and Compliance

Cargo insurance (0.3 to 0.7 percent of cargo value), customs duties and import taxes, and any demurrage or detention fees if free time at the port is exceeded.

Container Sizes and Capacity

Sea freight uses ISO standardized containers. The most common types:

FCL vs LCL: Which One Should You Use

The choice between Full Container Load and Less than Container Load is driven by cargo volume and time tolerance.

Use FCL (Full Container Load) when you have at least 14 to 18 cubic meters of cargo, or when your goods are sensitive to handling. FCL containers are sealed at origin and opened only by the consignee, which reduces damage and theft risk. The breakeven point is typically around 15 m3, where below that LCL is cheaper, and above that FCL is cheaper per cubic meter.

Use LCL (Less than Container Load) when you have a smaller shipment, typically 2 to 15 cubic meters. LCL cargo is consolidated with other shippers' cargo at the origin container freight station and deconsolidated at destination. Transit times are 5 to 10 days longer than FCL due to consolidation steps, and per cubic meter rates are higher, but the absolute spend is lower because you pay only for the volume you ship.

Sea Freight Documentation Required

Every ocean shipment carries the same core document set, regardless of lane or carrier. A missing or wrong document is a common cause of customs holds, storage charges, and delayed delivery.

• Bill of Lading (B/L). The carrier's receipt for the cargo, the contract of carriage, and (for negotiable original B/Ls) the title document. Issued as an original B/L, a Sea Waybill, or an electronic Bill of Lading (eBL).
• Commercial Invoice. The seller's invoice to the buyer showing cargo description, quantity, unit price, total value, Incoterm, and payment terms. Customs uses it to assess duty.
• Packing List. Line by line detail of every package, its weight, its dimensions, and its contents. Customs uses it to match physical cargo to the invoice.
• Certificate of Origin. Confirms the country where the goods were manufactured. Required to claim reduced duty under free trade agreements.
• Import Security Filing (ISF, "10+2"). Filed with US Customs at least 24 hours before vessel loading at the origin port for US bound ocean cargo. Non compliance carries a per shipment penalty.
• AMS (Automated Manifest System) filing. Vessel manifest filed by the carrier or NVOCC with US Customs before arrival. The forwarder confirms the shipment appears correctly.
• AES (Automated Export System) filing. US export declaration filed for shipments above the value threshold or with export controls.

Modern forwarders file ISF, AMS, and AES from a single shipment record using Customs Management Software for Forwarders, so the same cargo, container, and party data drives every filing and no field is retyped.

Major Sea Freight Carriers

The top 10 carriers handle around 85 percent of global container capacity. As of 2026:

• MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company)
• Maersk
• CMA CGM Group
• COSCO Shipping
• Hapag Lloyd
• ONE (Ocean Network Express)
• Evergreen
• HMM
• Yang Ming
• ZIM

Most operate within global alliances (Gemini Cooperation, Ocean Alliance, Premier Alliance) that share vessel capacity to give shippers more sailing options per lane.

How a Freight Forwarder Helps with Sea Freight

A freight forwarder is the operational layer between you and the carriers. Forwarders book vessel space, handle export and import documentation, coordinate trucking and customs at both ends, track the shipment, and reconcile the invoices. For an importer or exporter without an in house logistics team, the forwarder is the single point of contact across what would otherwise be 5 to 10 separate vendors.

Top Global Ocean Freight Forwarders

Freight forwarders are distinct from ocean carriers. Carriers (MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, and the others listed in the section above) own or operate the vessels. Forwarders coordinate the shipment across carriers, customs, trucking, and warehousing without owning the ships. The largest global ocean freight forwarders by handled ocean TEU volume typically include:

• Kuehne + Nagel
• DHL Global Forwarding
• Sinotrans
• DB Schenker
• DSV
• Nippon Express
• Expeditors International
• CEVA Logistics
• Kerry Logistics
• CH Robinson

Rankings shift year to year with mergers and lane volume shifts. Regional and mid market forwarders serve most SME shippers, while the top 10 above concentrate large enterprise ocean freight.

Modern freight forwarders run on cloud based software that captures every shipment, document, and invoice in one workflow. GoFreight is purpose built for this. The platform handles ocean import and export, AES and ISF filing, container tracking, customer portals, and accounting in one place. See Ocean Freight Management Software for the full feature breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep Reading

• FCL (Full Container Load): Definition and When to Use It
• LCL (Less Than Container Load): Definition and How It Works
• Ocean Freight Transit Times: Sea Shipping Times by Route