Full Out
Full out refers to a container or transport vehicle that is loaded to its maximum allowable capacity — either the structural volume limit of the container or the maximum gross weight permitted by the carrier or applicable road regulations. A full-out shipment leaves no residual space or weight allowance that another shipper could use.
For importers and freight forwarders managing FCL bookings, understanding whether a container will ship full out versus partially loaded affects both the per-unit cost calculation and the risk exposure during transit.
What Is Full Out?
A container is considered full out when cargo fills it to the maximum payload — typically the ISO weight limit for the equipment type (for example, roughly 26,500 kg net payload for a standard 20-foot dry container) or the physical volume of the box, whichever is reached first. In practice, most ocean containers hit one of these limits before the other: dense commodities (steel, chemicals) reach weight limits while bulky, lightweight cargo (furniture, apparel) runs out of cubic space.
Full out contrasts with a partial load, where a shipper uses only a portion of a container's capacity. Partial FCL shipments are common when shippers consolidate infrequent cargo or when volumes are too large for LCL but don't justify a full box. A container that ships partially loaded still incurs the full FCL ocean freight rate — the unused space is simply wasted.
The term also appears in trucking and intermodal rail, where it means the driver or operating carrier cannot add additional freight to the conveyance.
How Full Out Is Determined
Carriers and shippers establish whether a container is full out by comparing two measurements at the time of stuffing:
- Volume utilization: actual cubic meters of cargo packed versus the container's internal cubic capacity (approximately 33 CBM for a 20-foot and 67 CBM for a 40-foot standard dry container).
- Weight utilization: total cargo weight versus the container's maximum payload, which is itself constrained by the vessel's stacking limits, port equipment ratings, and destination country road weight laws.
A shipper loading a 40-foot high-cube container with 55 CBM of cargo at 14,000 kg has not shipped full out — there is physical space remaining and significant weight headroom. A container stuffed to 66.5 CBM at 28,000 kg (approaching the ISO payload limit) is full out on both dimensions.
Full Out vs. Partial Load
| Scenario | Capacity Used | Cost Impact | Space Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full out | 100% (weight or volume) | Lowest per-unit ocean rate | None — no residual space |
| Partial FCL | Under 100% | Higher per-unit cost | Idle capacity is wasted |
| LCL consolidation | Shared with other cargo | Per-CBM or per-kg pricing | Carrier absorbs the risk |
A partial FCL shipment pays the same base ocean freight as a full-out move on the same equipment size. The shipper absorbs the cost of the unused capacity unless the booking was priced as a partial from the start.
Why Full Out Matters for Pricing and Per Diem Risk
FCL pricing. Ocean carriers quote FCL rates per container, not per kilogram or CBM. Shipping full out maximizes the return on that fixed cost. A BCO or NVOCC that regularly ships partial loads on FCL equipment may be over-spending compared with LCL alternatives.
Per diem and detention exposure. A container that ships full out often takes longer to unstuff at the consignee's facility. If the receiving warehouse is slow or lacks labor, a heavy full-out container can accumulate per diem and detention charges before it is emptied and returned to the carrier's pool. Teams managing full-out loads should plan receiving capacity accordingly to protect the free time window.
Weight compliance. Road weight restrictions vary by jurisdiction. A container that is full out by ISO payload standards may still exceed the legal axle weight in the destination country. Truckers and drayage providers need verified gross mass to plan axle distribution and assess whether permits are required.
Best Practices for Full-Out Shipments
- Calculate both cubic and weight utilization before finalizing the booking — a mismatch between the two reveals whether the cargo is better suited for a 20-foot versus 40-foot container.
- Confirm the verified gross mass (VGM) early. A full-out container requires accurate VGM submission before the carrier's cut-off to avoid last-minute booking issues.
- Coordinate receiving labor in advance. Full-out containers take longer to unload; alerting the warehouse team reduces dwell time and per diem risk.
- Compare the FCL full-out rate against LCL for shipments that are consistently under 70-75% of container capacity — LCL is often more cost-effective in that range.
- Check destination country road weight limits before dispatching a full-out load, especially for 40-foot containers approaching the ISO payload limit.
Related glossary terms
FCL (Full Container Load)
FCL is the ocean-shipping mode where one shipper occupies an entire container. Learn FCL vs. LCL trade-offs, when FCL wins on cost, and typical transit times.
LCL (Less than Container Load)
LCL (Less than Container Load) is a shipping method where multiple shippers share a container, making it cost-effective for smaller shipments that don't fill a…
Per Diem
Per Diem in shipping refers to daily charges for using a container beyond the carrier's free time, applying to demurrage inside the port and detention outside…
Demurrage Charges
Demurrage is the port fee charged when a loaded container sits at the terminal past free time. Learn LFD, demurrage vs. detention, and how to avoid charges.
