LCL Reefer Service

What is LCL Reefer Service?

LCL service (Less than Container Load), also known as groupage, concerns the transport of small goods as partial loads, meaning that all the space available in the container will not be used by the same shipper. Loads of various kinds are therefore associated on the basis of their characteristics, temperature and weight. With this kind of transport, shipments from different companies will use the same service, dividing the costs, arriving at a single destination and then sorted among the final recipients. This shipping method therefore differs from FCL (Full Container Load), full load, in which the goods are sent from a single shipper to a single consignee.

For the transport of foodstuffs or other perishable loads, refrigerated containers with controlled temperatures are used, equipped with a system capable of maintaining the temperature necessary for the correct conservation of the product and of acting on the humidity levels. According to the type of load to be transported, reefer containers can be set with variable temperatures ranging from -20 C ° to +25 C °.


Our LCL Reefer service

Do you need to seafreight your goods by reefer groupage service?

Our Company is specialized in moving frozen and perishable foodstuff, we can offer all the possible solutions to those who need to move temperature controlled foodstuff in Italy and abroad.

As a matter of fact, in addition to the chilled or “cool” airfreight forwarding we offer groupage temperature controlled sea freight service, better known as LCL Reefer. (Less then Container Load).

The strong points of this service are the following:

  • Possibility to send by seafreight smaller quantities of goods, saving money, because a small quantity would not justify the cost of a full 20’ container, neither the cost of air freight forwarding.
  • We can offer an all-in service from ex Works Italy up to door delivery in HONG KONG and SINGAPORE.

LCL reefer

Thanks to this service you can safely put your foodstuff in our hands, knowing that the cool chain will never be interrupted

Our temperature controlled vans will pick up the goods from anywhere in Italy, set at the requested temperature; our temperature controlled warehouse implements HACCP system and we can set it at the needed temperature, from -20°C , +4°C, +15°C up to +25°C.

Thanks to our special agreements with the best shipping lines, we can guarantee monthly scheduled departures by LCL REEFER.

The goods must be in our warehouse within the 48 hours before the Container stuffing, in order to have the necessary time to check the documentation, perform the Customs clearance in our warehouse, weighing the goods as per the new SOLAS regulations for the VGM (Verified Gross Mass) definition.

In our warehouse your products will be in a safe, healthy and cool area, at the required temperature. On request we can palletize, re-pack, shrink-wrap and strap the pallet.

Our staff is highly specialized and well aware of the influence that transport may have to the food deterioration process; for this reason we follow step by step all the phases of transport to ensure the stable conditions which keep the food from perishing.

We stuff the container when it has already reached the requested temperature; the Container is supplied by first class shipping lines and we make sure that it is in perfect conditions, clean, and odorless; the goods are transferred directly from the refrigerated room to the reefer container, which will be kept at the chosen temperature during all the transportation period.

The stuffing is carried out very carefully, the pallets are properly secured to avoid any movement during the transportation. If needed, additional material is added to guarantee proper lashing.

The transit time from port to port is around 27 days to Hong Kong and 22 days to Singapore; upon arrival the container is unloaded at the port of destination where our Agents will immediately arrange for all the import procedures, Customs clearance, deconsolidation, unstuffing and delivery of the goods. All this while keeping the container and the goods always at the required temperature.


Thanks to our LCL REEFER service, we can offer very competitive prices also for minimum quantities.

Our LCL Reefer service is surely more convenient in terms of cost than airfreight forwarding, however in case of urgent shipments, we can arrange for temperature controlled airfreight for perishable cargo on daily departures basis.

The transparent partnerships with our Agents in Singapore and Hong Kong enable us to offer the price that you need, from our Liscate warehouse up to our Destination Warehouse , including all the terminal and handling charges at origin and destination, (only excluded pick up & delivery and Customs export/import), regardless of the Incoterms applied: in this way the price is clear and fixed either if the shipment is on FOB or on CIF basis.

This service has been studied and planned for the food industry, for food & drinks with long term shelf life but which need to be kept at controlled temperature, like:

  • vacuum-packed meat
  • hams and salami
  • milk and cheese
  • olive oil and packed olives
  • vacuum-packed fish
  • Coffee and similar
  • Pasta, rice and flour
  • Bread, pastry cakes
  • Wine, champagne, sparkling wine and beer
  • Chocolate, creams, patisserie
  • Ice creams
  • Any frozen product

Depending by the type of product and by your request, the temperature may be set at :

  • - 20°C
  • + 4°C /+ 6°C
  • + 15°C gradi
  • +25°C

The Safety of your goods is essential for us; for this reason on request we can insure your goods for all the transportation at the most competitive insurance premium.

Safety, professionality and punctuality are our main characteristics. Entrust us for your LCL temperature controlled shipments.

Our highly experienced staff will take care of your goods, with the safest and healthier handling assuring you that the cool chain is never interrupted from door to door.

Do you need to seafreight your goods by reefer groupage service?