Consolidated Freight (CBSA Shipment Type)

This article is part of the BorderConnect ACI eManifest Guide and the Shipment Release Types Guide

A Consolidated Shipment is a movement where multiple individual shipments, often from different shippers, are grouped together under a single Cargo Control Number (CCN) for transport.

From a CBSA perspective, this single master CCN covers the highway carrier's movement, while separate house bills cover the individual shipments inside the consolidation.

When an ACI shipment is marked as consolidated, the customs broker does not clear the carrier's master CCN directly. Instead, release is tied to the house bills filed by the freight forwarder.

Video Tutorial

Video tutorial

Key Concepts

Term	Definition
Primary CCN / Master CCN	The single shipment number filed by the highway carrier on the ACI eManifest. It represents the physical cargo moving on the truck.
House Bill	The shipment number filed by the freight forwarder. House bills represent the individual shipments, goods, and shipment parties inside the consolidation.
Deconsolidation	The electronic process where CBSA links the master CCN to the house bills and transfers control from the highway carrier movement to the freight forwarder or warehouse process.
Sublocation Code	A CBSA-assigned warehouse or port sublocation code used to identify where consolidated freight will be released, arrived, or deconsolidated.

Carrier's Role

As the highway carrier, you normally file the master load in ACI. The freight forwarder is responsible for filing the house bills that are linked to the consolidated shipment.

The carrier should confirm the shipment is being reported as consolidated, confirm the correct sublocation code, and wait for the appropriate CBSA status before crossing or proceeding inland.

Filing a Consolidated Load

To file a consolidated load in BorderConnect:

Start a new ACI shipment in BorderConnect.
Complete the standard shipment fields for the carrier's master CCN.
Click Show All Fields in the top-right corner if uncommon shipment fields are hidden.
Locate Consolidated Freight Indicator and set it to Yes.
Enter the correct 4-digit Sublocation Code.
Add the shipment to the ACI eManifest.
Transmit the manifest to CBSA at least 1 hour before arrival.

The sublocation code depends on where the freight is being released or deconsolidated:

Scenario	Sublocation Code Requirement
Clearing Inland / In-Bond	Enter the CBSA-assigned sufferance warehouse sublocation code where the cargo will be delivered for deconsolidation and inspection.
Clearing at the Border / FPOA	Enter the port sublocation code. This is commonly created by adding a 9 prefix to the 3-digit port code, such as 9453 for Windsor, ON when the port code is 453.

Tracking Status Notices

After a consolidated shipment is transmitted, the carrier must wait for the house bills to be filed and linked. BorderConnect displays these D4 notices in the shipment history so users can monitor whether the load is ready to move.

The required status depends on whether the freight is being released at the First Port of Arrival or moving inland to a sufferance warehouse.

Common Statuses

Status	Meaning	Carrier Action
Document Not On File	The carrier has filed the master CCN, but the freight forwarder has not filed the house bills yet.	Do not cross the border until the required documents are on file and the correct ready status is received.
Document Package Complete	The freight forwarder has filed the house bills and the broker has filed the release entries. The documents are linked and ready for an FPOA release.	The driver may proceed if the consolidated freight is being fully released at the First Port of Arrival.
Cargo Complete	The house bill has been filed and marked cargo complete for an inland or warehouse move.	The truck may proceed inland to the designated sufferance warehouse for deconsolidation.
Deconsolidated	The warehouse operator has arrived the cargo and CBSA has separated the master CCN into the related house bills.	The highway carrier's role for the consolidated movement is complete.

FPOA Release

For consolidated freight being fully released at the First Port of Arrival, the carrier should wait for a Document Package Complete status before the driver proceeds.

This status indicates that the freight forwarder has filed the house bills and the broker has filed the required release entries. If the shipment remains at Document Not On File, the load is not ready to cross.

Inland Warehouse Move

For consolidated freight moving inland to a sufferance warehouse, the carrier should wait for a Cargo Complete notice before proceeding inland.

Cargo Complete indicates that the house bill information is on file and linked for the warehouse movement. The driver can then proceed to the designated sufferance warehouse listed by the sublocation code.

Deconsolidation Complete

Once the freight arrives at the destination sufferance warehouse, the warehouse operator electronically arrives the cargo.

The carrier then receives a Deconsolidated notice. This confirms CBSA has separated the master CCN into the individual house bills and that the carrier's role in the consolidated movement is complete.

Deconsolidation Search Tool

BorderConnect includes a dedicated tool for monitoring deconsolidation notices.

To access it, go to ACI eManifests and select Deconsolidation Notices.

This tool is useful for carriers that handle multiple consolidated loads because it displays house bills linked to the carrier code and their current status, such as open, closed, or released.

Best Practices

Confirm whether the load is consolidated before creating the ACI shipment. If the load is consolidated, make sure the Consolidated Freight Indicator is set to Yes and the correct sublocation code is entered.

Do not rely only on the carrier's master CCN for release confirmation. For consolidated shipments, the house bills must also be filed and linked before the load is considered ready.

For inland warehouse moves, confirm the destination sufferance warehouse and sublocation code with the freight forwarder, broker, or warehouse before transmitting the ACI eManifest.