Unit 14 General features of consolidation

一）基本要求
　　了解： Meaning of Consolidation
　　熟悉： Status of Consolidator
　　掌握：Advantages of consolidation
二）考试内容：
　　1. Meaning of consolidation
　　2. Status of consolidator
　　As a consolidator, the freight forwarder will provide the service in his own name and issue a house bill of lading. To the individual consignors, the consolidator is the carrier, while in his relationship with the actual carrier, he is the consignor. The individual consignors and consignees do not deal directly with the actual carrier.
　　3. Advantages of consolidation
　　Consolidation can benefit all concerned, e.g. exporters and shippers, carrier and forwarder. The national economy can also benefit.
　　For exporters and shippers, they get the benefit of a rate lower than they would have normally paid to the carrier. It is particularly beneficial to small shippers who are not well established in their trade and who do not have enough bargaining strength to negotiate rates with the shipping or air lines.
　　And shippers find it advantageous to deal through a freight forwarder who provides consolidation services to a wide range of destinations instead of approaching several shipping lines, each of which may be offering services only on routes which they operate.Ｗww.KaＯ8.C
　　Besides, consolidation can also benefit a carrier.
　　The carrier does not have to handle individual consignments and this results in considerable savings in paperwork and time. there is more intensive utilization of his carrying capacity as the consolidator offers his FCL cargoes.
　　The carrier also saves on the expenditure which he would have otherwise incurred in maintaining freight handling equipment and in employing workers to handle LCL shipments, and he does not have to take the risk of freight payments by the individual shippers as this is taken care of by the freight forwarder.