CY vs CFS
Container yard and container freight station describe where cargo changes hands — and the terms show up right on your bill of lading. Here’s what CY/CY, CFS/CFS, and the mixed combinations actually mean.
01CY and CFS: the core difference
CY (Container Yard) is where cargo is handed over as a full, sealed container. FCL cargo is loaded and sealed by the shipper, then delivered to the CY intact — the carrier receives it as one unit, without opening it.
CFS (Container Freight Station) is a warehouse where cargo is handed over piece by piece. LCL cargo arrives here, gets consolidated with other shippers’ goods, and is loaded into a shared container by the warehouse operator.
| CY | Unit of handover: full container / for FCL cargo / shipper loads (vanning) / stays sealed through to loading |
|---|---|
| CFS | Unit of handover: individual cargo / for LCL cargo / warehouse loads (vanning) / consolidated with other shippers’ cargo |
02Reading “CY/CY” on a B/L
Bills of lading show the handover method as a pair — origin first, destination second.
| CY / CY | Container-unit handover at both ends — the standard notation for FCL |
|---|---|
| CFS / CFS | Piece-unit handover at both ends — the standard notation for LCL |
| CY / CFS | Shipper loads a full container, which is then broken down and split among multiple consignees at destination |
| CFS / CY | Cargo from multiple shippers is consolidated at origin, then handed to a single consignee as one container at destination |
This notation marks where the carrier’s responsibility for the cargo’s condition begins and ends. Under CY handover, the carrier isn’t responsible for how the container was packed inside, because the shipper packed and sealed it.
03What to watch at gate-in
CY gate-in has a cutoff, and cargo arriving after it rolls to the next sailing. The documentation cutoff — for the paperwork behind the shipment — is set even earlier as standard practice.
Under the SOLAS Convention’s container weight verification requirement, the shipper must provide the container’s Verified Gross Mass (VGM) before it’s loaded — a container without a VGM on file can’t be loaded onto the vessel. See our guide on the booking-to-B/L process for where VGM fits into the timeline.
FAQFrequently Asked Questions
Can I inspect the contents after CY gate-in?
Generally no, once it’s sealed. Breaking the seal changes the seal number and creates a mismatch with your documents. Confirm the cargo before sealing, not after.
Can an LCL shipment still use CY handover?
The origin side has to be CFS by definition, since it involves consolidation. But at destination, if a single consignee is taking the whole container, a CFS/CY arrangement is possible.
Can I choose which CY my cargo goes to?
It’s fixed by the carrier’s service — each shipping line uses a specific terminal. A single port can have several terminals, so always confirm the gate-in location on your booking confirmation.
About this guide
This guide is written and edited by the OCEAN FREIGHT JAPAN (SK.inc) editorial team, based on hands-on freight-forwarding experience and primary official sources. Content reflects information current as of the publication date — for the latest regulations, please check official sources directly.
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