Full container load
20ft Container Shipping.
The 20ft container is the standard unit of world trade: 33 cubic metres of sealed space, a high payload allowance and a price that is usually the cheapest way to move a dense full load.
A 20ft general purpose container gives you roughly 33 cubic metres of sealed, weatherproof space and a payload allowance far higher than most shippers ever use. It is the right box for anything heavy relative to its volume — tiles, stone, machinery, drums, bottled drinks, engine parts, fixings — because you will hit the weight ceiling long before you fill the volume. It is also the standard unit for a two or three bedroom household relocation.
NLX Logistics books 20ft units from Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway, Tilbury, Liverpool, Immingham, Teesport and Grangemouth to every major container port in the world. Price includes the ocean freight, the bill of lading and UK terminal handling, and we quote the destination charges alongside so you know the full landed cost of the movement rather than just the headline sea freight.
20ft container guide prices — per container, port to port
Rates are per container, port to port, excluding destination charges, duties and taxes.
| UK to Northern Europe | From £950 per container |
| UK to Mediterranean and North Africa | From £1,350 per container |
| UK to West Africa | From £1,650 per container |
| UK to Middle East and South Asia | From £1,750 per container |
| UK to USA and Canada East Coast | From £1,850 per container |
| UK to Far East and Australasia | From £2,250 per container |
| UK to Caribbean and South America | From £2,150 per container |
These are indicative rates. Contact us for precise rates.
Loading a 20ft properly
- Load heavy items low and evenly across both axle lines to stay within road weight limits
- Fill voids with dunnage so nothing shifts in a swell
- Use lashing points and ratchet straps rather than relying on friction
- Keep a clear aisle to the doors for customs examination where possible
- Photograph the load before sealing and note the seal number on the paperwork
- Never load prohibited items, aerosols, fuels or undeclared hazardous goods
How the booking process works
Every 20ft container shipping booking with NLX Logistics follows the same simple sequence, and you keep the same reference number and the same contact from the first email to final delivery. You send us the details, we send you a written quotation, and once you are happy we confirm space and issue a booking pack with everything you need to prepare.
We never ask for paperwork you do not need, and we never spring charges on you at destination without warning. If a cost is likely to arise at the other end — terminal handling, customs examination, quarantine inspection, storage after free time expires — we tell you about it in the quotation so you can budget for it rather than discover it later.
- Send us the details and we reply with a written price, usually within the hour
- Confirm the booking and we reserve space on the next suitable departure
- We arrange UK collection or you deliver to the port, terminal or warehouse
- We lodge the UK export declaration and issue the transport document
- You receive sailing or flight confirmation, tracking and arrival notification
- Our destination agent handles import formalities and onward delivery if instructed
Documents and information we will ask for
Good paperwork is what keeps freight moving, so we front-load it. For commercial cargo we need a commercial invoice and packing list, your EORI number, the commodity codes and the incoterms you have agreed with your buyer. For vehicles we need the V5C or bill of sale, photographic identification for the owner and the keys. For personal effects we need a detailed inventory and, where relevant, evidence of residence.
If anything is missing we will tell you exactly what to obtain and where to get it. We would far rather spend ten minutes on the phone before the cargo moves than deal with a detention charge at destination because a certificate was never applied for.
Insurance, liability and protecting your cargo
Standard carrier liability is limited by international convention and is calculated on the weight of the cargo rather than its value, which means an expensive, lightweight shipment is barely protected at all. We therefore recommend all-risks marine cargo insurance on the declared commercial or replacement value of every consignment, which we can arrange at the point of booking for a small percentage of the insured value.
Cover runs warehouse to warehouse, includes general average contribution, and is underwritten on Institute Cargo Clauses A for most cargo types. Claims are handled with a single point of contact, and we will help you assemble the survey report, photographs and commercial evidence a claim requires.
Why shippers stay with NLX Logistics
Transparent guide pricing before you commit, in-house customs clearance, UK-wide collection and a named freight specialist who answers the phone. Move more. Worry less.


