We mainly support SMEs, manufacturers, and agents who need reliable timelines and proactive communication. Whether you’re shipping regularly or moving your first consignment, we’ll tailor our service to your experience level and priorities, explaining everything in plain English and ensuring you have full visibility in terms of costs and options.

Often the same day. Share the basic information with us, either via our contact form or over the phone: origin, destination, dimensions/weight, commodity, timing, and any special handling, and we’ll come back with clear options and an all‑in price where possible. For urgent shipments, call us as soon as possible so we can prioritise your cargo.

Yes. You’ll be assigned a named contact at CECL who’s also a decision maker. That means no ticketing systems or endless voice menus – you’ll have access to a logistics expert who is aware of your shipment, keeps you informed at every milestone and can approve any changes quickly if something unforeseen arises.

We operate UK‑wide at origin and destination, with global partner networks for linehaul across major trade lanes. Tell us your preferred gateways and timing, and we’ll advise on the best routes with realistic ETAs. If something changes, you’ll hear from us first with clear options – rerouting, rebooking, or schedule adjustments – plus revised ETAs and costs so you can make an informed decision.

LCL rates are based on chargeable weight and volume, as well as shipping speed and trade lane. If you’re unfamiliar with the process, we’ll walk you through converting dimensions to CBM and the pricing options available, depending on the priority of your shipment. You’ll get a comprehensive quote with clear itemised surcharges where relevant.

Transit times can vary quite a lot, with factors including consolidation windows, sailing frequency, and gateway selection. We’ll give you a realistic delivery estimate based on the current schedules and seasonal factors when we plan your shipment. If your shipment is urgent, we can advise on faster alternatives.

Yes, we can provide you with a wraparound service where we coordinate everything from door collections and CFS handling to deconsolidation and delivery to site. That includes arranging appropriate vehicles for pickup and delivery and managing access requirements or permits. You’ll be kept up to date at every stage of the journey.

We proactively monitor all our ongoing shipments to spot delays or rollover risks as they develop. If that happens, we’ll get in touch with you to discuss options such as rebooking or rerouting and set new ETAs. Our aim is always to provide clear alternatives in good time, to minimise the impact of unforeseen delays as far as possible.

The key documentation for LCL shipments includes the commercial invoice and packing list. If you’re shipping hazardous goods, you’ll also need the Material Safety Data Sheet and any licenses that apply. We’ll talk you through all the requirements at the planning stage, and we can review your document pack for you to ensure there are no clearance issues down the line.

We can’t give 100% guarantees, but we take steps to maximise access – securing space early, working with multiple carriers and using alternate gateways. The earlier you get in touch to plan your shipment, the more options we’ll be able to offer, including planning backup options in advance.

During the planning phase, we’ll talk you through demurrage and detention risk and present the most appropriate strategy to control your costs. We aim to clear documents early, pre‑book delivery slots, and liaise with haulage services to ensure availability. If delays do happen, we can look at a change of port, storage options or swapping time slots to recover.

Yes. All you need to do is let us know the consignees, time windows, and any offloading constraints. Our team will handle the rest, including sequencing, vehicle type, and re‑palletisation if needed. We’ll confirm site requirements and give you clear, itemised pricing before dispatch.

High-cube containers offer additional internal height – providing an ideal option for lighter, bulkier cargo. Talk to CECL to check if this is a feasible option for your shipment. We’ll look at door heights, load plans, and weight distribution to see if a high-cube container would better serve your needs, and give you a clear cost-benefit analysis.

With CECL, you’ll always have access to a named decision maker at our end who can advise and authorise changes immediately. Depending on the situation, we can re‑cut documents, switch services, or adjust haulage – whatever’s needed to meet your updated needs. If that impacts the cost or duration of your shipment, we’ll present clear options so you can make an informed decision without adding delay.

The two most essential items are the commercial invoice and the packing list. Then, depending on what you’re shipping, you may need to add licences, origin statements, and certificates. We’ll give you a personalised checklist based on your goods and Incoterms. Our team can also pre-check your documents to minimise the risk of holds and delays.

Yes, we can help ensure the correct HS codes are applied – we just need you to supply the product specs, materials, and end‑use. Our team have decades of experience in the industry, and we’ll reference rulings, country-specific policy and Binding Tariff Information as needed to ensure smooth customs clearance

In many cases, it’s within the same day, assuming that we have comprehensive and accurate documentation and there’s no requirement for inspection of the goods. Naturally, for shipments involving controlled goods, timelines can be longer, and there’s also the possibility of random checks. Whatever happens, we’ll keep you updated as to the progress of your shipment in real time, so you have as much notice as possible of when your goods will clear customs.

Yes, as part of our fully managed service, our team can coordinate VAT or duty requirements for you. We can use your deferment, postponed VAT accounting, or duty relief schemes – in which case we’ll confirm setup details and permissions with you before filing.

If you have an urgent shipment, contact us as soon as possible. We can usually quote and mobilise within a matter of hours – depending on cutoffs and capacity. We’ll give you a clear picture of the options available with transit and cost trade‑offs. Our team can also manage customs clearance and handling to minimise bottlenecks and give you a single point of contact.

Yes. At CECL, we specialise in end-to-end planning incorporating air, sea, road, and storage as needed to get your goods where they need to be, on budget and on time. We manage every aspect from hand‑offs to schedules and documents, so you only have one thread of communication to follow. You’ll hear from us with proactive updates at every milestone or handoff point.

Yes, we offer a comprehensive range of storage options, including short/long‑term warehousing, devanning, re‑palletisation, and pick‑and‑pack. We can prepare pallets to your customer’s specifications and arrange accurately timed deliveries to match recipient availability and minimise offloading delays.

Our area of operations is UK‑wide at origin and destination, with global partner networks for linehaul. Tell us your preferred lanes, and we’ll confirm service levels and routings – and recommend alternatives if we can identify a better option. We’ll also recommend the best gateways to strike the right balance between time, cost, and reliability, depending on the nature and urgency of your planned shipment.

Yes, we’re able to assist with reverse logistics, including collections, consolidation, and re‑export. Our experienced team can handle all the necessary documentation and coordinate any inspections required on return. We can also provide reporting to help you track reason codes, timelines, and cost recovery.