How Cargo Consolidation Can Save You Money on International Shipping

Renting a full 20ft or 40ft container makes sense when you have enough goods to fill it. But what if you only have a few pallets, a single vehicle, or one bedroom's worth of household items? Paying for an entire container would mean throwing away thousands of dollars. That's where cargo consolidation comes in.

What Is Cargo Consolidation?

Cargo consolidation — also called groupage or Less-than-Container-Load (LCL) shipping — combines goods from multiple shippers into a single container. You only pay for the cubic meters (CBM) your cargo occupies, plus a share of the documentation and handling. The freight forwarder handles loading, sealing, ocean transit and unloading.

A 20ft container from Montreal to West Africa costs roughly CAD 4,500-6,500 to ship as a Full Container Load. The same container fits about 28-30 CBM of cargo. If you only have 5 CBM (about the contents of a small bedroom), consolidation would cost you roughly CAD 1,250-2,250 — a saving of 60-75% compared to renting the whole container.

Cargo consolidation is ideal for: diaspora families sending personal effects home, small online sellers shipping inventory to African markets, importers testing new product lines, individuals shipping a single vehicle, and businesses with regular small-volume shipments that don't need a full container.

1. You request a quote based on your cargo dimensions and destination. 2. You drop off your goods at our Montreal warehouse before the container closing date. 3. Our team measures, weighs, photographs and labels everything. 4. Once enough cargo is collected, we load the container and seal it. 5. The container ships to the destination port. 6. Your cargo is unloaded, customs-cleared and made available for pickup or delivery.

Consolidation shipments depart on fixed schedules — typically every 2-4 weeks per destination. Each shipment has a container closing date (the last day to drop off cargo) and a sailing date. Plan ahead so your goods arrive at the warehouse before the closing date.

Almost anything that fits standard freight rules: boxes, pallets, vehicles, motorcycles, building materials, household goods, electronics, auto parts and clothing. Prohibited items include firearms, drugs, hazardous chemicals and items requiring special permits.

Pack tightly into sturdy boxes or pallets — irregular shapes waste space and cost more per CBM. Disassemble large furniture. Combine shipments with friends or family heading to the same destination. Book early to lock in space on the next departure.

VELOX Logistics runs regular consolidation departures from Montreal to nine African destinations including Dakar, Cotonou, Lomé, Abidjan, Douala, Matadi, Kinshasa, Niamey and Ouagadougou. We publish next departure and container closing dates so you can plan ahead.

If you are planning to ship to Africa, VELOX Logistics offers full container shipping, cargo consolidation, vehicle export and warehousing from Montreal. Contact us today on WhatsApp at +1 514-718-0282 or request a free quote.