---
title: "Why are sailing options different for U.S. exports?"
description: "US export sailings are less frequent with longer transit times because vessels reposition empty containers, but space is easier to book; LCL sails 10-14 days after cargo ready date."
language: en
canonical: https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/exports-us-fewer-sailings/
lifecycle: live
---

# Why are sailing options different for U.S. exports?

Sailings are often slower out of the U.S. -- the vessels are loading a lot of empty containers by calling multiple ports to maximize the utilization of the vessel. As a result, the sailing schedules for exports from the US are often less frequent with longer transit times. On the bright side, it means that space is easier to secure.

Note: For an LCL shipment, the earliest sailing will likely be 10-14 days after the [cargo ready date](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/cargo-ready-date/). It is best to plan ahead!

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/exports-us-fewer-sailings/](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/exports-us-fewer-sailings/) for AI/LLM consumption.*