Consolidated Freight (CBSA Shipment Type)
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🔖 This article is part of the BorderConnect ACI eManifest Guide and the Shipment Release Types Guide |
Consolidated Freight (Canada/CBSA)
A guide to reporting grouped shipments (Consolidation) and tracking Deconsolidation notices in ACI eManifest.
Overview
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 movement of the truck, while separate House Bills cover the individual shipments inside.
The Golden Rule: When you mark a shipment as "Consolidated," the Customs Broker cannot clear your CCN. They must clear the House Bills filed by the Freight Forwarder.
📦 Key Concepts
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Primary CCN (Master) | The single shipment number filed by the Carrier on the ACI eManifest. It represents the physical cargo on the truck. |
| House Bill | The shipment numbers filed by the Freight Forwarder. These represent the actual goods and their owners. |
| Deconsolidation | The electronic process where CBSA links the Master CCN to the House Bills, transferring control to the Forwarder/Warehouse. |
Carrier's Role: Declaring in ACI
How to File a Consolidated Load
As the carrier, you do not file the House Bills. You only file the Master load.
- Start New Shipment: In BorderConnect, create a standard ACI shipment.
- Show Uncommon Fields: Click Show All Fields in the top-right corner.
- Set Indicator: Locate Consolidated Freight Indicator and set it to Yes.
- Add Sublocation Code: You must also enter a valid 4-digit Sublocation Code, which depends entirely on where the freight is being released:
- Clearing Inland (In-Bond): Enter the specific CBSA-assigned sufferance warehouse sublocation code where the cargo will be delivered for deconsolidation and inspection.
- Clearing at the Border (FPOA): If the consolidated freight is being fully released at the First Port of Arrival, you must enter the port's sublocation code. This is created by adding a "9" prefix to the 3-digit port code (e.g., use 9453 for Windsor, ON where the port code is 453).
- Transmit: Send the manifest to CBSA at least 1 hour prior to arrival.[1]
Tracking Status Notices (D4-ACI)
Once you transmit a consolidated shipment, you must wait for the House Bills to be linked. BorderConnect displays these status messages (D4 Notices) in your shipment history.
❌ Not Ready
Status: Document Not On File
You have filed the Master, but the Freight Forwarder has not filed their House Bills yet. Do not cross the border.
✅ Ready to Cross (FPOA Only)
Status: Document Package Complete
The Forwarder has filed the House Bills, AND the Broker has filed the entries. Everything is linked and released. The driver may proceed.
Note: This status only applies if the consolidated freight is being fully released at the First Port of Arrival. If the freight is moving in-bond to a sufferance warehouse, you must wait for a "Cargo Complete" notice instead.
🏭 In-Bond / Warehouse Move
Status: Cargo Complete
When consolidated freight is moving inland to be released at a sufferance warehouse, you will receive a message indicating that the House Bill is marked as Cargo Complete. This authorizes the transfer of control, meaning the truck is authorized to proceed inland to the designated warehouse for deconsolidation.[2]
🏢 Deconsolidation Complete
Status: Deconsolidated
Once the freight arrives at the destination sufferance warehouse, the warehouse operator will electronically arrive the cargo. You will then receive a Deconsolidated notice. This confirms CBSA has officially separated the Master CCN into the individual House Bills, transferring full liability to the Freight Forwarder and completing your role as the highway carrier.
Deconsolidation Search Tool
Monitoring Multiple Consolidations
If you handle many consolidated loads, use the dedicated search tool to track them all at once.
- Navigate to: ACI eManifests → Deconsolidation Notices.
- Function: Shows a list of all House Bills linked to your carrier code and their current status (Open, Closed, Released).
References
- ↑ CBSA Memorandum D3-4-2 — Highway Pre-Arrival and Reporting Requirements https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d3/d3-4-2-eng.html
- ↑ Customs Notice 16-20 — Deconsolidation Notice https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/cn-ad/cn16-20-eng.html