Container Freight Station (CFS)
What Is a Container Freight Station?
A Container Freight Station (CFS) is a warehouse near the port where LCL (less than container load) cargo is handled before and after the ocean leg. At origin, the CFS receives loose cargo from several shippers, sorts it, and stuffs it into shared containers. At destination, it receives the container, unpacks it, and releases each consignment to its receiver.
FCL containers skip the CFS entirely — a full container moves directly between the vessel, the terminal yard, and the consignee. The CFS exists because shared containers need a place where many small shipments can be received, grouped, and separated.
Devanning, sorting and release at destination usually add 2–5 days after vessel arrival, which is why LCL door-to-door transit runs longer than FCL on the same lane.
What Is the CFS Charge?
The CFS charge is the fee for this warehouse handling: receiving the loose cargo, sorting it, stuffing it into the container at origin, and devanning and releasing it at destination. It is billed on cargo volume or chargeable weight, not per container — usually $15–40 per CBM at the destination end, with a minimum charge of 1 CBM on small shipments.
Origin CFS handling is normally folded into the LCL freight rate. The destination CFS charge is billed separately, so check whether your LCL quote includes it. This is different from port-level handling: the shared container still pays one THC at the terminal, but that cost is simply divided among the shipments inside. You will not see it billed as a separate per-CBM line item.
When you compare LCL quotes, confirm three things: the per-CBM rate, the destination CFS charge, and the 1 CBM minimum. With those three numbers in writing, the landed cost of a small shipment stays predictable.
Quote UsFrom CFS to Doorstep, Fully Itemized
We handle consolidation, deconsolidation and every handling fee in between — the number you see is the number you pay.
Get a Free Quote