What does Full Container Load (FCL) mean?

Full Container Load “FCL” in shipping terms means that a shipment occupies the entire space of a container without having to share it with other shippers. In an FCL cargo, the complete goods in the said container are owned by one shipper. Shipping lines offer a variety of containers that differ in size and function: standard dry containers, refrigerated containers, tank containers, flat rack containers, collapsible flat rack containers. The average length of any of these containers is either 20-feet or 40-feet.