Our LCL groupage service to Cuba lets you ship anything from a single pallet upwards without paying for a whole container. Cargo is consolidated at our East Tilbury groupage bay, loaded into a shared box with other UK exporters and discharged at Havana after an average 22 day sailing, then de-consolidated at the arrival depot for your consignee to collect or for us to deliver.
Pricing guide
LCL Groupage Rates to Cuba
Per cubic metre · Havana · weekly consolidation
| Minimum charge (2 cbm)Anything smaller still pays the 2 cbm minimum | from £401 |
| 1 – 5 cbmWeekly consolidation from our Tilbury groupage bay | from £201 per cbm |
| 5 – 12 cbmBreak point where a 20ft FCL is worth pricing | from £181 per cbm |
| Over 12 cbmWe will quote FCL alongside for comparison | from £165 per cbm |
| Single standard pallet (1.2 x 1.0 x 1.6 m)Chargeable at 2 cbm minimum | from £421 |
| Palletising, wrapping and labellingISPM15 timber where required | £38 per pallet |
| UK collection into groupageAny UK postcode, tail-lift available | from £85 |
| Export customs entryHouse bill of lading issued in-house | £45 per consignment |
| Destination de-consolidation (guide)CFS handling at the arrival depot | payable locally |
Weight or measurement basis: one tonne or one cubic metre, whichever is greater.
LCL groupage shipping from the UK to Cuba
LCL — less than container load — lets you ship from a single pallet upwards to Cuba without paying for a whole container. Cargo is consolidated at our East Tilbury groupage bay, loaded into a shared box with other UK exporters and discharged at Havana after an average 22 day sailing, then stripped at the arrival depot for collection or onward delivery.
What we ship LCL to Cuba
Typical groupage consignments to Cuba run from one to ten pallets. Anything that would rattle around inside a 20ft container but is too heavy or too bulky for air freight is normally cheapest as sea groupage.
- Part-household removals and personal effects
- Student, expat and single-room shipments
- E-commerce and retail replenishment stock
- Trade samples and exhibition freight
- Spare parts and machinery components
- Boxed furniture, white goods and household items
How LCL to Cuba is priced
Groupage is charged per cubic metre on a weight-or-measurement basis, whichever is greater, with a two cubic metre minimum. Below about five cubic metres LCL is comfortably cheaper than a 20ft container. Between five and twelve the two converge, and above twelve it is usually worth taking a full container to avoid de-consolidation charges at Havana. We run that comparison on every quotation.
Packing standards for shared containers
Because your goods share the box, presentation matters. We palletise, shrink wrap, corner-protect and label every consignment before consolidation, and all timber packaging is ISPM15 heat treated and stamped — something Cuba customs can and does check. Allow the 22 day sailing plus roughly seven to ten days either side for consolidation and de-consolidation.
Free LCL quote to Cuba
Send us the number of pallets or the dimensions and weight of each piece and we will quote your LCL groupage to Cuba by return, with destination charges shown as a separate estimated line so nothing comes as a surprise.
Ports of discharge in Cuba
Ports we sail to in Cuba
Average port-to-port transit 22 days · weekly departures
UK loading ports
- Tilbury
- London Gateway
- Southampton
- Felixstowe
- Liverpool
Cuba discharge ports
- HavanaRoRo ramp, container terminal and inland haulage available
- MarielRoRo ramp, container terminal and inland haulage available
Shipping groupage cargo to Cuba
Quote & booking
Rates, sailing or flight options confirmed in writing.
UK collection
Nationwide collection or delivery into our Tilbury depot.
Loading & packing
Lashing, crating, palletising and photographic record.
Customs & export
Export entry, NES clearance and documentation released.
Transit & delivery
Tracking updates until the cargo lands with your consignee.
Typical LCL consignments to Cuba
From one pallet to a part container load, consolidated weekly.
- One pallet to a part container load
- Personal effects and student shipments
- Trade samples and e-commerce stock
- Spare parts and workshop consumables
- Furniture and part-home removals
- Retail replenishment on a weekly cadence
- Motorcycles and quads, crated
- Exhibition and event equipment
When to upgrade to a full container
Once a consignment passes roughly twelve cubic metres, a sole-use 20ft container to Havana usually costs less than the same volume in groupage and removes the de-consolidation handling at destination. We price FCL alongside every LCL quote so the decision is made on numbers rather than habit.