CFS

CFS is the abbreviation taken from the English words Container Freight Station, which in Polish translation means a consolidation point where general cargo is collected for further transport. CFS container, on the other hand, is called a container freight station because it is most often a port facility, i.e. a place where small shipments are combined into collective containers or separated. First, the exporter loads the cargo, e.g. on a truck, and delivers it to the CFS with a bill of lading. The cargo is then unloaded and received by the CFS dispatcher and undergoes customs clearance. Once it is approved by the relevant authorities, it can be packed into a container and forwarded for export.

What is worth knowing about CFS?

CFS in Poland and around the world most often takes the form of a large warehouse where shipments for further export and import are temporarily stored. Container stations are usually located in ports or near railroad junctions. The CFS container also prepares the loading plan for the container, the so-called logistics operations. In addition, such facilities mark and seal the cargo for identification purposes and organize customs clearance and ensure the safety of the goods until they leave the warehouse. However, these are not all the advantages.

The most important functions of a CFS

The most important functions of a CFS include, first of all, relieving the pressure on ports and other terminals and making customs clearance procedures easier and faster. CFS activities contribute to easy cargo tracking, as its operations are designed to accurately record shipments, including exporter, importer, and customs agent names, cargo details, ports of origin and destination, carrier name, and even identification of means of transportation.

What is the general cargo?

When it comes to knowing the definition of CFS transportation, the concept of general cargo is also extremely important. These are all kinds of processed products and finished goods that are transported in individual or bulk packages. General cargo is characterized by different external dimensions and properties, and its unit value is higher than that of bulk cargo. These kinds of products require special treatment during transportation and handling, which is extremely important from the safety point of view. It is also worth mentioning the difference between general cargo and bulk cargo, as in its case the contents of the consignment can be weighed and calculated. Due to its small volume, groupage cargo is also a component of groupage shipments, so that individual shipments from many different buyers are combined by shippers and sent further as groupage cargo to individual customers. Characteristics of groupage cargo include the different shapes and packaging of the goods, the variety of shippers and consignees, and the lightweight of individual shipments.

Advantages and disadvantages of groupage cargo

Some of the advantages of groupage cargo include not having to store a stock of goods while reducing the costs associated with this and internal logistics. It is also possible to unitize the goods and adjust the size of delivery to the recipient's needs. The last advantage is usually the possible on-time delivery. The disadvantages of general cargo, on the other hand, undoubtedly include the need to bring small batches of cargo to and from the terminal and the use of specialized reloading equipment, making the process itself very time-consuming and inefficient. The inefficiency is also influenced by the lower efficiency compared to full truckload shipments and the often underutilized cargo space of the means of transport. Small shipment sizes are also more susceptible to damage.

Types of general cargo

Less-than-truckload cargo is divided into unpackaged and packaged. Packaged may include various types of products transported in barrels, bottles, crates, baskets, sacks, crates, bulbs, balloons, or drums. It is also worth mentioning the functions of the packaging itself, as it is extremely important in the case of general cargo. First of all, it facilitates transportation and storage and perfectly protects the goods against damage or the impact of adverse weather and chemical factors. Additionally, the packaging allows to easily identify the product and provides information about its content, as well as can be treated as an advertising element. Every packaging should be properly marked. Among the markings, there are basic ones that serve the identification of the goods and informative ones which enable you to get to know the characteristics of the content. Additionally, in case of dangerous goods, the packaging should be precisely marked, which also includes information on the way of handling the goods if they require special treatment.

CFS Shipping - Type of creating groupage units

A consolidation point, or what is known as CFS Shipping, collects general cargo and uses it to form groupage units. This includes the ceiling, which involves bundling several pieces of cargo together. Another form of bundling is palletizing, which is placing goods on a pallet, and containerizing - as the name implies, placing cargo in a container. The last type of grouping is bundling, i.e. combining cargo into packages or parcels. This is most often done, for example, in the case of boxes of matches. All mentioned activities are aimed at good protection of general cargo so that it reaches its destination intact, therefore all works are performed with great care, accuracy, and precision by experienced specialists in this industry.