Container Shipping from the UK — 20ft, 40ft, FCL & LCL Worldwide

The 20ft GP (general-purpose) container is the workhorse of international shipping. Internal dimensions are 5.90 m long × 2.35 m wide × 2.39 m high, giving roughly 33 m³ of total capacity and around 28 m³ of usable space once doors, ventilation and bracing are accounted for. Maximum gross weight is 30,480 kg with a payload of about 21,600 kg.

A 20ft fits a single saloon, 4×4, van or pickup with 2–4 m³ remaining for boxed personal effects. It's the right choice for solo relocations, single-vehicle exports and small commercial consignments. Per-cubic-metre pricing is higher than a 40ft, but the absolute freight cost is lower.

The 40ft GP container is twice as long as a 20ft (12.03 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m), with ~58 m³ usable space and 26,500 kg payload. It's the standard for full-house relocations and two-vehicle shipments. The 40ft HC (High Cube) adds 30 cm of height (2.69 m internal), increasing capacity to ~67 m³ — ideal for motorhomes, tall machinery, classic-car restoration projects and large furniture.

Per-cubic-metre, the 40ft is the most economical container format. If you're between sizes, almost always go up: a half-empty 40ft is usually cheaper per m³ than a full 20ft on the same route.

Beyond the standard GP and HC we also book Open Top containers for over-height cargo (loaded by crane through the roof), Flat Rack containers for over-width machinery and boats, Reefer containers for temperature-controlled goods such as wine or pharmaceuticals, and Tank containers for liquids. Specialist equipment is in shorter supply so we recommend booking 3–4 weeks ahead.

FCL (Full Container Load) means you reserve the entire container for your cargo. Pricing is a flat per-container rate, sailings are direct (no consolidation delay), and your goods are sealed from origin to destination — no other shipper has access. FCL is the right choice once your volume hits about 14–15 m³.

LCL (Less than Container Load) bundles small shipments into a shared container at the carrier's consolidation depot. You pay per cubic metre or per tonne (whichever is greater), with a minimum charge equivalent to 1 m³ on most routes. LCL is cheaper for shipments under ~12 m³ but adds 5–10 days for consolidation and deconsolidation.

A live load delivers an empty container to your address on a side-loader trailer. You have a fixed window (typically 2 hours free, then waiting time charges) to pack and load before the driver leaves. Live loads suit relocations where you're packing from the house directly into the box.

A warehouse load — the option we recommend most often — has us collect your goods, transport them to our bonded warehouse near the loading port and professionally load and brace the container under cover. Costs are similar, supervision is included, and you avoid demurrage risk if loading runs over.

Containers sail from Southampton (the UK's largest container terminal, owned by DP World), London Gateway (Thames), Felixstowe (the UK's largest single port, Suffolk), Liverpool, Tilbury and Sheerness. We choose the port that minimises inland trucking cost from your collection address and matches your preferred carrier's sailing schedule.

UK export requires an HMRC C88/SAD electronic export declaration, a commercial invoice or packing list, and the Bill of Lading. We handle declarations in-house under our own EORI number, so you don't need to register anything. Destination clearance is the buyer or receiver's responsibility — we provide the BL, commercial invoice and any certificates of origin needed.

Carrier liability under the Hague-Visby Rules is capped at SDR 666.67 per package or SDR 2 per kg — a fraction of most cargo values. We arrange Institute Cargo Clauses (A) all-risks cover for the full declared value, including general average contributions if the vessel is involved in a casualty. Premiums are typically 0.4%–1% of declared value for general cargo.