The consolidator or
groupage operator hires a container from a shipping line and then sells that
space to his clients/exporters. The benefit for the exporter is that small
quantities which, would not fill a full container load, can be shipped by sea
freight in a shipping container as an alternative to air freighting the goods.
The consolidator would charge per metric ton or cubic metre, which ever yields
the greatest.
Example: US Dollar 89.00 Weight or Measure.
The shipping line
would have a contract of carriage with the consolidator and in turn the
consolidator would have a contract of carriage with the exporter. The
consolidator would be issued with an combined through bill of lading from the
shipping line and then present the exporter with a house bill of lading.