Knowledge Base · Glossary
FCL / 40ft HC
Full-Container-Load shipping in a 40-foot High Cube container — the standard unit of palm leaf plate export from India. Approximately 76 cubic metres of internal volume. Holds 100,000 to 300,000 palm leaf plates depending on SKU geometry and packaging density.
In B2B context
Container density planning is one of the largest cost-control levers in palm leaf import. A well-stacked 40ft HC carries materially more units than a 20ft container, which more than compensates for the small per-container freight differential. Larger plates (10-inch and above) and bowls have lower units-per-container; smaller plates (6-inch and below) and printed retail packs add packaging volume that reduces the unit count. Always model load-out with the manufacturer using actual carton dimensions before quoting downstream.
Practical context for B2B importers planning FCL shipments
FCL — Full Container Load — is the trade term for an ocean-freight shipment that fills an entire container (as distinct from LCL, Less than Container Load, where multiple shippers share container space). For palm leaf disposable tableware exports from India, FCL in a 40-foot High Cube container is the standard unit of trade. The 40ft HC has internal dimensions of approximately 12.0m × 2.35m × 2.70m, giving a usable cubic capacity around 76 cubic metres after pallets and load-bracing. Maximum payload is typically 26-27 metric tonnes depending on the specific container line and port-of-loading restrictions.
For palm leaf plates the binding constraint inside the container is volume, not weight — the product is light relative to its volume. A 40ft HC typically holds 200,000-400,000 plates depending on plate size, cartoning density and pallet configuration. For 8-inch round plates the typical count is around 300,000 per container; for larger 10-12 inch plates the count drops to 200,000-250,000; for smaller 6-inch plates the count rises to 400,000+. Manufacturers should confirm the specific plate-count-per-container for each SKU on the proforma invoice.
Lead time from FCL booking to container loaded onto a vessel varies by manufacturer. Ecodyne’s contractual commitment is 10 working days from order confirmation to container loaded, backed by a 1% per-day delay penalty clause — a level of contractual specificity that the wider Indian palm leaf manufacturing industry does not typically match. For typical Indian palm leaf manufacturers without a contractual loading commitment, expect lead times of 4-8 weeks with peak-season variability. Buyers signing annual programmes should pin down the lead-time commitment in writing.
External reference: Maersk — shipping terms dictionary — an authoritative public-domain source on this topic for B2B importers building supplier-evaluation documentation.
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About Ecodyne Tableware
Ecodyne Tableware, a brand of Conservia Partners, is India’s largest manufacturer and exporter of palm leaf plates, bowls and tableware. Based in Karnataka, India, Ecodyne produces 4.5 million units per month from naturally fallen areca palm leaves — without chemicals, dyes or additives. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, BSCI, LFGB, USDA and EU food safety certifications and exports to distributors across Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia and 18 countries worldwide. Ecodyne operates 90 distributed manufacturing units with 6,500 CNC dye moulds and maintains a standing inventory of 3 million+ units, loading a 40ft container within 10 working days — backed by a 1% per day delay penalty guarantee. The company works directly with 810 farming families across 2,000 hectares of organic farmland guided by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), and offers white-label and custom packaging solutions for importers and distributors worldwide.
External References & Industry Standards
This reference page on FCL 40ft HC compiles authoritative sources used by B2B procurement teams in Germany, France, the UK, and the Nordics. The FCL 40ft HC framework intersects with the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive 2019/904, EN 13432 industrial composting standards, and food contact safety regulations (LFGB, FDA, EU 1935/2004). Buyers evaluating FCL 40ft HC typically request third-party verification, supplier audits, and accredited lab documentation. Ecodyne Tableware maintains this FCL 40ft HC reference alongside its 17-year B2B export practice across 18 markets, helping sourcing teams compare offers and verify FCL 40ft HC compliance.