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Container Freight Station (CFS)

Abbreviation: CFS

A container freight station is the warehouse where LCL cargo from many shippers is consolidated into one container, or stripped and sorted again at destination. A CFS may sit inside or outside the terminal. LCL consignees usually pay CFS charges per m³ or per W/M when collecting their goods. Strong packaging and clear shipping marks matter because the cargo is handled several times.

Related terms

  • LCL (Less than Container Load)

    LCL is a shipment too small to fill a container, so a forwarder or NVOCC consolidates it with other shippers' cargo at a container freight station (CFS).

  • Container Yard (CY)

    A container yard is the stacking area in a terminal where full and empty containers are stored before loading or after discharge.

  • Stuffing

    Stuffing is loading goods into a container, either at the shipper's premises for FCL or at a CFS for LCL.

  • Stripping (Unstuffing)

    Stripping, or unstuffing, is unloading goods from a container at the consignee's warehouse or at a CFS.

Covered in these guides

Export-import

LCL vs FCL: Cost, Transit Time, Risk and the Break-Even Point

What LCL and FCL mean, how W/M pricing works, the role of the CFS, cost components, a break-even example with hypothetical rates and when to choose each.

5 min read

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