Photo: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, 2005.
Since Shenzhen is a large manufacturing cluster, its export-oriented economy generates volumes of outbound containerized cargo. This cargo can be brought to a container freight station (CFS) where it can be consolidated into container loads. Empty containers are collected from the nearby port terminal (Yantian), brought to the CFS, filled with cargo, and then delivered to the container yard to be exported.
Most container freight stations have a specialization towards outbound or inbound cargo and can be located within a container port terminal, adjacent or in proximity. For inbound cargo, the CFS will be stripping containers into loads to be placed into domestic modes such as truckloads. Then, empty containers can be brought back to the container yard or an empty container depot to be made available for exports or to be repositioned.