What is container freight station?
A container freight station is also known as CFS which is basically a warehouse who has specialised work in the consolidation and deconsolidation of cargo. A local container load shipment is always taken to a CFS which is an origin where the container is consolidated with other cargo. The container is then sent to a container yard before it gets loaded on to the vessel. We shall always keep one thing in mind that at a container freight station (CFS), the goods does not belong to a single customer, rather it belongs to different customers and the shipment is often done only by local container load (LCL) shipments. LCL (local container load) shipments only takes place when the supplier does not have enough cargo to full container (an FCL).
Once the container reaches the destination port, it is then taken to the other CFS for deconsolidation. Local container load shipments are then picked up from the CFS and final delivery is done. The origin and destination CFS, both charges some particular container freight station fee.
What is the purpose of container freight station?
As mentioned above, container freight station is a facility where the goods are consolidated and unconsolidated. A CFS for it’s ease is always located near the ports, oceans or airport where then the cargos are exported to and from.
CFS also works as a home for the containers where they are shipped, consolidated and unconsolidated. It is also a place or a warehouse where the containers and goods are kept, stored and the place where they wait to get shipped out to the next location. This process works as a major part of the industrial market and knowing how it works is another important thing to keep in mind. They also work as an integral part of the local container load (LCL) shipping.
A container when not fully loaded is mostly cost effective if it gets shipped via LCL (local container load). In this case what happens is that the freight is taken to the warehouse where it gets consolidated. The other step is loading the container onto a truck or ship and sending it to its destination.
If you want to know the right container freight station for your goods, then you must choose the one which is run by the professionals and who knows how important it is to store it safely and efficiently ship the products. They do all the work skilfully like handling the shipments of your products and follow your delivery instructions carefully.
They keep professional staff and facilities at Classic Transportation and Warehousing whenever there is a need in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They also serve rail ramps in Chicago and Michigan along with a pool of containers that are available for your use. They guarantee about the reliable warehousing and transportation services.
Role of CFS in export/import process
Import and export process is considered as one of the most common situations in which container freight station is most required. In case you purchase a good from within the nation, then first it gets consolidated and at a container freight station and then is sent for exportation. Until and unless you have got a huge amount of goods, other customer’s goods are also going to be contained in the same container. In short, there is a very big role played by the container freight station when we talk about export and import process or business. It helps the suppliers by creating a central location where the suppliers can send the products that have been ordered.
CFS Pier to Pier
Let us talk about one new term called CFS/CFS pier to pier which is most often seen on the bills of lading or letters of credit. The bill of lading contains some information and the information includes, port name which is referred as the shipping port name, destination port name etc. These bills are the bills given by the cargo while packing and sending it into the container along with the others goods and which is then again unpacked by a consigned at the destined terminal.
CFS Receiving Services
CFS services are known as a set of services which takes place between receiving a cargo from the exporters to the goods getting packed in the container. These services include:
- Movement of empty containers from a container yard to the container freight station.
- Taking up loaded containers from the container freight station to the container yard.
- Tallying up the goods
- Issuing dock receipt or shipping order
- Physically moving of cargo in or out of a Container Freight Station
- Stuffing, sealing and marking of containers in order to label and identify.
- Storage of containers
- Ordinary sorting and stacking of containers pre or post shipment
- Preparing containers internal load plan
