This transaction set documents the consolidation of multiple shipments into a single container for transport. A freight forwarder, consolidator, or shipping line sends the 325 to notify carriers, terminal operators, or receiving parties about goods being consolidated into a container. The message typically follows acceptance of shipments destined for the same geographic route or vessel. Key segments include the B12 (Beginning Segment for Consolidation), which initiates the consolidation record; the V1 (Vessel Identification) segment, which identifies the specific vessel carrying the consolidated container; and the R4 (Port or Terminal) segment, which specifies origin and destination ports involved in the consolidation.

For example, Global Trade Logistics consolidates shipments from three different suppliers (electronics, textiles, and industrial parts) all bound for Shanghai into a single 40-foot container. Global Trade sends the 325 to Pacific Shipping Lines, detailing the container number, vessel assignment (MV Orient Express), departure port (Los Angeles), and arrival port (Shanghai). Within the message, each supplier’s bill of lading and line items appear in separate MBL and LIN loops, allowing Pacific Shipping to track which goods belong to which shipper while treating them as a single consolidated unit for vessel planning, documentation, and delivery coordination.