Container Freight Station (CFS)

---
published: true
layout: post
date: '2023-07-09 21:47:19 -0400'
categories:
  - CBP
tags:
  - CFS
---
A **Container Freight Station** refers to a facility that consolidates or de-consolidates freight before preparing such freight for the next leg of its journey. Most CFS will be located close to ports of entry such as airports, ocean container ports and major railway hubs.  In the US, a CFS is designated by its **FIRMS code**.

Most of the time it is a warehouse where goods and products that do not fit into one container are collected, stored and wait for other goods to fill a container before they are shipped to the next destination. As such, the CFS is used with **Less than Container Load (LCL)** shipping where one shipment is not enough to fill a container.

Once the shipment arrives at the facility, it is consolidated and packaged into a **Full Container Load (FCL)** shipment, which can then be transported to the next stage. LCL is thus more cost-effective when a client does not have enough goods to fill a container and opts to share the space in a container with those of another shipper, rather than pay for a full container.

## Types of Container Freight Stations
There are two types of CFS: **Origin** and **Destination**.

1. **Origin CFS** – A container freight station in the country from where the goods originate. This is where freight is consolidated before the goods are shipped to the destination station.

2. **Destination CFS** – A container freight station in the destination country where freight is de-consolidated before each individual shipment is sent to the rightful client.