UK freight forwarder Mercator’s export team recently handle a shipment for less than container load LCL to Mexico from the UK. The LCL to Mexico shipment consisted of 8 stackable crates with engineering equipment.
As the pallets were stackable, due to the nature of the packing and the goods, it made sense to ship via LCL to Mexico, rather than by a full shipping container. Had the pallets been non-stack, it could have been feasible to ship on a full container basis. LCL shipping allows shippers to share the cost of the ocean freight, handling fees, and port fees, rather than bearing the full cost of a shipping container.
The UK exporter sold the goods to their customer in Mexico on CIF (cost, insurance and freight) Incoterm, meaning the UK exporter was responsible for the LCL to Mexico shipment from door in the UK to the port in Mexico. Our team therefore handled the UK export customs clearance, pick up from door in the UK, delivery to Southampton port for consolidation, marine insurance and LCL sea freight to Altamira, a port north of Mexico City.
Transit time for sea freight to Mexico from the UK port to port is around 20 days. When dealing with LCL shipping, add approximately 7 days prior to sailing for cut off times and loading into the shared shipping container. Likewise, once the goods have arrived at the destination port, add an additional 7 days for customs clearing of the shared container and unpacking.
Thanks to our founding membership of the freight forwarder network MarcoPoloLine, we have longstanding and trusted connections with our partner agent based in Mexico City. As such, we are able to handle shipments to Mexico on all incoterms, including DAP (delivered at place).
If you have a shipment for LCL to Mexico, get in touch with our team who will be glad to provide you with a quote. To contact the team, email sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk, call our office on (+44) 02392 756 575, or complete the form below and we will get back to you.
