These terms indicate if you’re booking the whole of your shipping container or only need to use part of the space.    FCL stands for ‘full container load’. LCL means ‘less than container load’.   Using an LCL service can be advisable if you don’t have a massive volume of things to ship or need to send clothes and possessions but aren’t bringing furniture with you.   There are pros and cons to this option – it is more cost-effective per cubic metre to book a whole container, but that might be a waste of money if you can share the space.   However, it’s worth noting that if customs raise queries or flag any of the consignment for inspection, customs officials will hold the entire container until the processes have been completed.