Brazil to USA LCL Ocean Freight

LCL (Less than Container Load) means you share a container with other shippers' goods. So you pay only for the cubic meters (CBM) you use. LCL fits well when your shipment sits under 15 CBM, when you test new products, when you mix SKUs from several Brazilian suppliers, or when you can't fill a full container. Above 15 CBM, FCL usually costs less per unit.

Ocean LCL from Brazil to the USA takes 15-25 days in total. Santos/Paranagua to Miami takes 15-18 days — the shortest LCL transit in the region. To New York, plan for 18-22 days. To Houston, 20-25 days. This total covers CFS work at origin (2-3 days), the vessel's ocean transit, and deconsolidation at destination (2-3 days). Door-to-door shipping adds 1-3 more days.

LCL freight gets priced per CBM (cubic meter) or per metric ton, whichever costs more (W/M). The standard rule: 1 CBM equals 1 freight ton. Beyond the per-CBM ocean rate, LCL also carries CFS handling charges at origin and destination, plus documentation fees, ISF filing, customs clearance, and any port charges.

Standard documents include a commercial invoice (in Portuguese and English), packing list, bill of lading (HBL), and certificate of origin. You'll also need ISF filing, 24 hours before loading, plus a MERCOSUR certificate of origin if you claim tariff benefits. Food or farm products need a phytosanitary certificate, and some products need extra certifications, such as safety marks.

Yes. LCL works well for goods from many Brazilian suppliers. We offer 'buyer's consolidation': your agent in Brazil picks up cargo from several locations, then delivers it to a partner CFS, where it all gets consolidated under one HBL. This cuts your shipping costs and makes customs clearance at the US destination simpler.

If CBP picks the consolidation container for exam, every shipper's cargo in that box gets affected — not just yours. A VACIS X-ray scan may add 1-2 days delay. A full, intensive exam may add 5-10 days and bring CES handling charges, split among all shippers in the box. This is one real downside of LCL versus FCL: you share the exam risk with strangers.

The USA has no direct trade deal with MERCOSUR as a bloc. Still, MERCOSUR certificates of origin can help with customs paperwork and internal tracking. Most Brazilian goods enter the USA at MFN rates. We check each product's HTS classification to find any duty reductions or exemptions you can use.

General tariff rates on Brazilian goods to the USA average 1-5%. Coffee and some agriculture or mineral products get preferential rates or zero tariffs. Machinery and industrial goods usually pay 2-6%. Footwear and apparel may run higher, at 8-12%. Our customs broker partners study your specific products to cut your duty exposure and get the HS classification right.