How do ocean freight rates for a 20-foot container compare to those for a 40-foot container?

Rates for a 40-foot container are typically higher than for a 20-foot container but offer better value per volume unit, making them cost-effective for larger shipments.

International Ocean freight Shipping and Delivery Services

As a leading ocean freight forwarder, Interworld Freight specializes in shipping goods to, from, and within the Americas.

Along with global full container load (FCL) and less-than-container-load (LCL) services at competitive ocean freight rates, our ocean & air multimodal option offers affordability and faster shipping for intercontinental freight.

Interworld can connect your business with overseas customers and suppliers in any location via a full range of integrated transportation services, on land and in the air, as well as at sea.

Competitive Pricing, Dependable Capacity

Interworld Freight is one of the largest NVOCCs moving cargo between the United States and Latin America—a huge factor when you need to secure space and guarantee low ocean freight rates.

Multimodal: For Speed Plus Economy

For shipping via China – Latin America trade lanes, Interworld’s multimodal service combines the speed of air freight and the affordability of ocean freight container rates with prompt and efficient transhipment hubs in the United States.

Ocean Freight for Your Industry

Interworld offers experience and expertise in sea freight services for a diverse range of industries, from automotive through foodstuffs to pharmaceutical and chemicals.

Reliability, Stability, and Great Container Rates? That’s Interworld

For ocean shipping to Latin America, Interworld is an unbeatable partner, no matter where your business is based, and with our door to door international shipping services, we’re the only ocean freight forwarder you need. Testament to that is our receipt, in 2022, of the WCAworld organization’s North America 2022 Best Partner award.

Our experience is built on three decades of forwarding sea freight to Central and South American markets, and providing shipping services for cargo owners in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. With a physical presence in the United States, Colombia, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Panama, and the Bahamas, we’ve earned our credentials right at the coal face.

So when you need an ocean freight forwarder that can assure a combination of competitive container shipping rates and reliable access to capacity, at any time, in any season, we can fast-track your enterprise to a competitive supply chain advantage.

Actions speak louder than words, of course, so why not ask us for an LCL or FCL quote for your next shipment—and let us show you what we can do.

Get a quote

Containers: Think Inside the Box

Containerized transportation offers the following benefits for shippers like you:

Seamless shipping: Containers are designed to standard specifications, meaning carriers can transport them by ship, train, and truck, without any need to handle the contents.
Increased efficiency: Containerized shipping allows for the more efficient use of space on ships and in ports.
Security: Containers are sealed and can be constantly monitored with sophisticated ocean freight tracking solutions, reducing the risk of cargo damage or theft.
Flexibility: Containers are suitable for transporting a wide variety of goods, including perishable and hazardous materials.
Options: Shippers can choose between full-container-load (FCL) and less-than-container-load (LCL) shipping, giving them a wide range of possibilities for large or small consignments.

FCL Shipping: Ideal for High Freight Volumes

If you have a large volume of goods to ship, require your freight to travel in isolation, or consider the security of your cargo the highest priority, an FCL sea freight service will typically be the ideal option.

FCL freight is secure, since the container is sealed at the point of origin and only opened at the final destination, except in the rare event of a customs inspection.

FCL shipping also provides more control over the shipping process because the shipper has exclusive use of a freight container.

LCL Shipping: For Smaller Freight Consignments

Ocean freight rates for LCL shipping are calculated using a volumetric weight formula, making this method of ocean freight shipping the most economical for smaller consignments. Essentially, you pay only for the space your consignment occupies in a shared container, sparing you from the cost of full shipping container rates. You might opt for an LCL service if you typically ship in volumes that would not justify the exclusive use of a freight container and the associated FCL container rates.

Interworld FCL: Options for Every Shipper

Door-to-port, port-to-door, or door to door shipping, the choice is yours when you ship full container loads with Interworld. Our freight experts can help you choose the ideal option for your cargo, right-size your container(s), and support you throughout the shipping process.

Learn more about FCL

Interworld FCL: Seize on Our Economies of Scale

Over 30 years in the ocean freight business, Interworld has developed an extensive network of partners, and our commercial relationships continue to go from strength to strength. That, along with our scale, brings us the buying power to secure space and keep our container rates among the most competitive for freight from the U.S. to Latin America.

FCL Services

Interworld LCL: Consolidate with Confidence

LCL shipping with Interworld is a flexible solution if your business ships smaller quantities of goods on an occasional or frequent basis. Our teams are experts in the consolidation of low-volume consignments and we ship weekly to a host of Caribbean and Latin American destinations.

Learn more about LCL

Interworld LCL: We Know the Industries We Serve

Our logistics experts have vast experience not only in the generalities of freight shipping, but also in meeting the more nuanced requirements of specific industries, including chemicals, construction, pharmaceutical, food & agriculture, automotive, technology, mining, and timber.

Learn more

Multimodal: By Air and By Sea

Our multimodal services offer you the optimum tradeoff between cost and speed. Choose air/ocean for the shortest overall transit time, or ocean/air for greater economy. Either way, multimodal will keep your freight costs low while you enjoy faster shipping to destinations in South and Central America.

Road Freight

Interworld is a provider of fast, efficient, and flexible road transportation, ideal when your goods don’t need to cross oceans, or for integration with our ocean freight services in door-to-door FCL or LCL shipments.

Learn More

Air Freight

When the need for expediency trumps the economy of ocean shipping our air freight options come into their own. We offer express and charter air freight services, along with multimodal shipping combining air and ocean carriage for a perfect balance of speed and economy.

Learn More

Ocean freight rates vary based on container size, route, carrier, seasonal demand, and market conditions. For current rates, it’s best to contact a freight forwarder.

Rates for a 40-foot container are typically higher than for a 20-foot container but offer a better value per volume unit, making them cost-effective for larger shipments.

For a quick ocean freight quote, provide your shipment details to a freight forwarder or carrier specializing in ocean transport.

Factors include cargo type, container size, route, carrier charges, seasonal demand, fuel costs, and geopolitical conditions.

Compare quotes from multiple carriers, consider flexible shipping dates, and negotiate contract terms with freight forwarders to ensure competitive rates.

Evaluate the reliability of carriers, transit times, additional fees, and the total cost-effectiveness of each quote.

Rates often rise during peak shipping seasons, holidays, and due to seasonal demand for certain goods, affecting overall shipping costs.

Ocean freight shipping and delivery services

Redefining Global Maritime Logistics