When choosing a service provider for shipping your belongings internationally via groupage, it is important that you work with an experienced transport company that understands the many risks and challenges of international moving so your possessions journey safely and without hindrance.

Elliott is a trusted premium moving company that has been shipping people’s belongings since 1947. Our premier relocation services include a global network of best-in-class partners, allowing us to provide our customers with door-to-door services no matter where they move.

What is Elliott’s groupage service?

“Groupage” refers to the shipment of our customers’ consignments in a single shared container. A groupage is therefore booked, packed, and containerised entirely by Elliott. While this approach is economical, it results in longer delivery times because the container is dispatched only when Elliott has sufficient volume to fill a container.

What is an LCL service?

An LCL (Less than Container Load) also refers to a shared container load; however, instead of sharing a container with the household goods and personal effects of our own customers, the load is shared with multiple crates of different commodities. In the case of an LCL, Elliott will secure your goods in a solid crate before delivering it to a consolidator, who will subsequently fill a container with various consignments before booking it with a shipping line (your crate may share a container with anything from spare parts to clothing being exported). An LCL typically leads to quicker turnaround times, usually between 12 to 16 weeks. This is because there’s often a high volume of cargo in transit, allowing the consolidator to fill a container more rapidly.

Comparing costs of groupage and LCL

It is cheaper to ship your goods via groupage because LCL shipments require crating and are additionally booked via a third-party consolidator. However, an LCL shipment has a faster turnaround time. For this reason, corporates often prefer to ship employees’ belongings during relocation via LCL so that they do not have to wait months for their shipment.

Are there disadvantages to LCL shipments?

Without the support of a premier company like Elliott, which has a global network of reliable partners with whom we maintain constant communication, there’s an increased risk of your belongings being misplaced during the waiting and handling period.

When you ship with Elliott, the risks generally associated with shipping via LCL are substantially reduced. It is also worthwhile mentioning that although various parties may handle the physical container, it is sealed.

If you opt for a groupage, what happens to your consignment during the waiting period?

Your consignment is safely stored at one of Elliott’s world-class warehouses.

What should you ship via groupage?

Groupage is suited for transporting household goods, personal effects, and sentimental items that are not immediately essential (hobby items, toys, ornaments, and anything you can live without for a few months are examples).

Choosing the best method for international shipping

International shipping options should generally be considered based on time, square meterage, weight, and cost.

There are 2 modes of shipping: air freight and sea freight.

Air freight is ideal for time-sensitive shipments and high-value goods. Larger international shipments are best sent via sea freight if you can wait longer. Although slow, this method is considerably more cost-effective than air freight, which is also further limited by strict airline rules.

When should you use a shared container?

With FCL shipping (Full Container Load), the shipper bears the cost of the entire container and uses it exclusively for a single shipment, even if they do not have enough goods to fill it up. LCL and groupage shipments consolidate various customers’ consignments into a single shared container unit.

Single container shipment is usually the better option for larger, urgent shipments or for shipments that need to arrive before a fixed date. LCL and groupage are better for shipments with flexible dates. Delivery time for FCL shipping can take a few shorter months, while groupage shipments can take 4 months to a year to reach their destination.

How does Elliott handle a groupage shipment?

In South Africa, Elliott manages every detail of the shipping process, overseeing the loading and secure locking of your consignment onto the ship. Once the shipment reaches its destination country, it is retrieved by one of our trusted partners. They carefully degroup the cargo, separating it back into individual consignments for delivery. Throughout this process, your goods are handled exclusively by Elliott and our preferred partners.

Groupage Destinations when you ship with Elliott

Elliott offers groupage shipping services to various destinations within each country through specific ports.

• Australia via the Port of Sydney (East Coast) and Fremantle (West Coast)
• New Zealand via the Port of Auckland
• United Kingdom via the Port of London Gateway
• Europe via the Port of Rotterdam
• USA via the Port of New York
• Canada via the Port of Toronto

Elliott does not offer a groupage service to the following countries due to the lack of cargo being shipped: Asia, UAE, South America, and Africa. If you are shipping to any of these countries, consider using LCL or FCL services.

Why you should choose Elliott when shipping your goods internationally

Starting a new life abroad is exciting, but the logistics of moving, on top of the emotional and psychological impact of relocating, can be overwhelming.

At Elliott, we recognise that your valued possessions are not just objects; they are a part of your history and your identity. In our capable hands, the transportation of your goods will be one less thing you need to worry about.

Did you know: The Elliott Management Committee (‘MANCO’) have collectively been with the Group for over 140 years?

A Quality Service

There is a big difference between something being “cheap” and “affordable.” For a successful move, it is better to choose a service that prioritises quality. Elliott offers an affordable groupage service, as well as LCL, or FCL when shipping via sea. We are FAIM certified and a trusted FIDI Partner.

Let’s recap your options for shipping via sea freight

When you book a groupage with Elliott, your consignment travels in a container of Elliott’s customers’ goods. Your goods are palleted and stored in our warehouse during the waiting period. A groupage shipment can take up to a year to reach its destination.

When you book an LCL, Elliott will crate your consignment as it will travel in a container with the commodities of others. An LCL shipment is more expensive than a groupage, but the advantage is that it is faster.

When you book an FCL, you do not share container space with any other customer, regardless of whether you fill it or not. FCL services are more expensive than shared container services.