What is the shipping term for a container shared by multiple shippers?

The shipping term for a container shared by multiple shippers is Less-than-container load, abbreviated LCL.

An LCL shipment is smaller than a full container load, so a freight forwarder or consolidator combines it with other consignments in one container. Each shipper pays for the space or chargeable volume used rather than booking an entire box. At a container freight station, cargo is consolidated before departure and separated again near its destination.

LCL makes international ocean shipping practical for smaller exporters and importers whose goods do not justify a dedicated container. It can reduce the cost of shipping a partial load, although handling, documentation and consolidation steps may make it slower or more complex than a full-container shipment.

The main contrast is FCL, or full container load, in which one shipper’s cargo is booked as a single container load. “Consolidation” describes the process of combining shipments; LCL is the standard term for the smaller shipment or service itself.