Act of God
Accidents of a nature beyond human control such as flood, lightning or hurricane usually quoted as 'force majeure'.

Ad Valorem
In proportion to the value: A phrase applied to certain freight or customs duties levied on goods, property, etc. set as a percentage of their value.

Advice Note
A written piece of information e.g. about the status of the goods.

Agency Fee
Fee payable by a shipowner or ship operator to a port agent.

Allotment
A share of the capacity of a means of transport assigned to a certain party, e.g. a carrier or an agent, for the purpose of the booking of cargo for a specific voyage.

American Bureau of Shipping
Abbreviation: ABS
American classification society which has established rules and regulations for the classification of seagoing vessels or equipment.

Arbitration
The process of referring to an agreed person for judgement on issues of dispute, without requiring the use of courts.

Arrival Date
The date on which goods or a means of transport is due to arrive at the delivery site of the transport.

Arrival Notice
A notice sent by a carrier to a nominated notify party advising of the arrival of a certain shipment or consignment.

Assignment
The transfer of certain rights from one party to another.

Authorised Consignee / Consignor
A trader authorised by the European Commission (regulation 2454/93) to receive or despatch consignments under transit procedures without having to present goods and documents directly at the customs office.

Authorization
The commission to a certain person or body to act on behalf of another person or body. The person or body can be authorised e.g. to issue Bills of Lading or to collect freight.

Average
In marine insurance: a loss or damage to or in respect of goods or equipment 
The numerical result obtained by dividing the sum of two or more quantities by the number of quantities 

Average Adjusters
In general average affairs average adjusters are entrusted with the task of apportioning the loss and expenditure over the parties interested in the maritime venture and to determine which expenses are to be regarded as average or general average.

B/L
A particular article, stipulation or single proviso in a Bill of Lading. A clause can be standard and can be pre-printed on the B/L.

BSI Container Specification
British Standards Institution Specification for freight containers.

Bank Guarantee
An undertaking by a bank to be answerable for payment of a sum of money in the event of non performance by the party on whose behalf the guarantee is issued.

Bar Coding
A method of encoding data for fast and accurate electronic readability. Bar codes are a series of alternating bars and spaces printed or stamped on products, labels, or other media, representing encoded information which can be read by electronic readers, used to facilitate timely and accurate input of data to a computer system. Bar codes represent letters and/or numbers and special characters like +, /, -, etc.

Bay
A vertical division of a vessel from stem to stern, used as a part of the indication of a stowage place for containers. The numbers run from stem to stern; odd numbers indicate a 20 foot position, even numbers indicate a 40 foot position.

Bay Plan
A stowage plan which shows the locations of all the containers on the vessel.

Berth
A location in a port where a vessel can be moored often indicated by a code or name.

Bilateral Transport Agreement
Agreement between two nations concerning their transport relations.

Bill of Exchange
An unconditional order in writing to pay a certain sum of money to a named person.

Bill of Health
The Bill of Health is the certificate issued by local medical authorities indicating the general health conditions in the port of departure or in the ports of call. The Bill of Health must have been visaed before departure by the Consul of the country of destination.

When a vessel has free pratique, this means that the vessel has a clean Bill of Health certifying that there is no question of contagious disease and that all quarantine regulations have been complied with, so that people may embark and disembark.

Bill of Lading
Abbreviation: B/L, plural Bs/L
A document which evidences a contract of carriage by sea. 
The document has the following functions:

At the moment 3 different models are used:

Bill of Lading Clause
A particular article, stipulation or single proviso in a Bill of Lading. A clause can be standard and can be pre-printed on the B/L.

Bill of Material
A list of all parts, sub-assemblies and raw materials that constitute a particular assembly, showing the quantity of each required item.

Block Train
A number of railway wagons (loaded with containers), departing from a certain place and running straight to a place of destination, without marshalling, transhipping or any coupling or de-coupling of wagons.

Bona Fide
In good faith; without dishonesty, fraud or deceit.

Bonded
The storage of certain goods under charge of customs viz. customs seal until the import duties are paid or until the goods are taken out of the country.

Booking
The offering by a shipper of cargo for transport and the acceptance of the offering by the carrier or his agent.

Booking Reference Number
The number assigned to a certain booking by the carrier or his agent.

Break Bulk

Break Bulk Cargo
General cargo conventionally stowed as opposed to unitised, containerised and Roll On-Roll Off cargo.

Broker
Person who acts as an agent or intermediary in negotiating contracts.

Brussels Tariff Nomenclature
The old Customs Co-operation Council Nomenclature for the classification of goods. Now replaced by the Harmonised System.

Buffer Stock
A quantity of goods or articles kept in store to safeguard against unforeseen shortages or demands.

Bulk Cargo
Unpacked homogeneous cargo poured loose in a certain space of a vessel or container e.g. oil and grain.

Bulk Carrier
Single deck vessel designed to carry homogeneous unpacked dry cargoes such as grain, iron ore and coal.

Bulk Container
A container designed for the carriage of free-flowing dry cargoes, which are loaded through hatchways in the roof of the container and discharged through hatchways at one end of the container.

Bunker Adjustment Factor
Abbreviation: BAF
Adjustment applied by liner or liner conferences to offset the effect of fluctuations in the cost of bunkers.

Bunkers
Quantity of fuel on board a vessel.

Bureau Veritas
French classification society.

Business Process
A business process is the action taken to respond to particular events, convert inputs into outputs, and produce particular results. Business processes are what the enterprise must do to conduct its business successfully.

Business Process Model
The business process model provides a breakdown (process decomposition) of all levels of business processes within the scope of a business area. It also shows process dynamics, lower-level process interrelationships. In Summary it includes all diagrams related to a process definition that allows for understanding what the business process is doing (and not how).

Buyer
Party to which merchandise is sold.

CAD
Terms of payment: if the buyer of goods pays for the goods against transfer of the documents, entitling him to obtain delivery of the goods from the carrier.

CAF
Adjustment applied by P&O Nedlloyd lines or liner conferences on freight rates to offset losses or gains for carriers resulting from fluctuations in exchange rates of tariff currencies.

CENSA
Council of European and Japanese National Shipowner's Associations.

Cabotage

Call Sign
A code published by the International Telecommunication Union in its annual List of Ships' Stations to be used for the information interchange between vessels, port authorities and other relevant participants in international trade.
Note: The code structure is based on a three digit designation series assigned by the ITU and a one digit assigned by the country of registration.

Capacity

Cargo

Cargo Handling
All procedures necessary to enable the physical handling of goods.

Cargo Tracer
A document sent by the agent to all relevant parties, stating that certain cargo is either missing or over-landed.

Cargo Unit
A vehicle, container, pallet, flat, portable tank or any other entity or any part thereof which belongs to the ship but is not permanently attached to that ship.

Carriage
The process of transporting (conveying) cargo, from one point to another.

Carriage Paid To (...named place of destination)
Abbreviation: CPT

Carriage and Insurance Paid To (...named place of destination)
Abbreviation: CIP

Carrier
The party undertaking transport of goods from one point to another.

Carrier Haulage
The inland transport service, which is performed by the sea-carrier under the terms and conditions of the tariff and of the relevant transport document.

Carriers Bill of Lading Ports
Terminal, Pre-terminal port or Post-terminal Port as per tariff, indicated on the Bill of Lading and which is not the port physically called at by Carriers' ocean vessels.
Note: Under normal circumstances in the B/L only ports should be mentioned which are actually called at.

Carriers Lien
When the shipper ships goods 'collect', the carrier has a possessory claim on these goods, which means that the carrier can retain possession of the goods as security for the charges due.

Cartage
Abbreviation: CAD
Terms of payment: if the buyer of goods pays for the goods against transfer of the documents, entitling him to obtain delivery of the goods from the carrier.

Cash On Delivery
Abbreviation: COD
Terms of payment: if the carrier collects a payment from the consignee and remits the amount to the shipper (air cargo).

Caveat Emptor
Let the buyer beware, purchaser must ascertain the condition of the goods to be purchased prior to the purchase.

Cellular Vessel
A vessel, specially designed and equipped for the carriage of containers.

Certificate of Classification
A certificate, issued by the classification society and stating the class under which a vessel is registered.

Certificate of Origin
A certificate, showing the country of original production of goods. Frequently used by customs in ascertaining duties under preferential tariff programmes or in connection with regulating imports from specific sources.

Charge
An amount to be paid for carriage of goods based on the applicable rate of such carriage, or an amount to be paid for a special or incidental service in connection with the carriage of goods.

Charge Type
A separate, identifiable element of charges to be used in the pricing/rating of common services rendered to customers.

Charter Party

Charterer
The legal person who has signed a charter party with the owner of a vessel or an aircraft and thus hires or leases a vessel or an aircraft or a part of the capacity thereof.

Chassis

Claim
A charge made against a carrier for loss, damage or delay.

Classification
Arrangement according to a systematic division of a number of objects into groups, based on some likeness or some common traits.

Classification Society
An Organisation, whose main function is to carry out surveys of vessels, its purpose being to set and maintain standards of construction and upkeep for vessels, their engines and their safety equipment. A classification society also inspects and approves the construction of containers.

Clean Bill of Lading
A Bill of Lading which does not contain any qualification about the apparent order and condition of the goods to be transported (it bears no stamped clauses on the front of the B/L). It bears no superimposed clauses expressly declaring a defective condition of the goods or packaging (resolution of the ICS 1951).

Clean on Board
When goods are loaded on board and the document issued in respect to these goods is clean. 
Note: Through the usage of the UCP 500 rules the term has now become superfluous.

Client
A party with which a company has a commercial relationship concerning the transport of e.g. cargo or concerning certain services of the company concerned, either directly or through an agent.

Co-loading
The loading, on the way, of cargo from another shipper, having the same final destination as the cargo loaded earlier.

Combined Transport
Intermodal transport where the major part of the journey is by one mode such as rail, inland waterway or sea and any initial and/or final leg carried out by another mode such as road.

Combined Transport Document
Abbreviation: CTD
Negotiable or non-negotiable document evidencing a contract for the performance and/or procurement of performance of combined transport of goods.

Thus a combined transport document is a document issued by a Carrier who contracts as a principal with the Merchant to effect a combined transport often on a door-to-door basis.

Combined Transport Operator
Abbreviation: CTO
A party who undertakes to carry goods with different modes of transport.

Commercial Invoice
A document showing commercial values of the transaction between the buyer and seller.

Commodity
Indication of the type of goods. Commodities are coded according to the harmonised system.

Conditions

Conditions of Carriage
The general terms and conditions established by a carrier in respect of the carriage (air cargo).

Conditions of Contract
Terms and conditions shown on the Air Waybill (air cargo).

Conference
Accumulation of vessels at a port to the extent that vessels arriving to load or discharge are obliged to wait for a vacant berth.

Consignee
The party such as mentioned in the transport document by whom the goods, cargo or containers are to be received.

Consignment
A separate identifiable number of goods (available to be) transported from one consignor to one consignee via one or more than one modes of transport and specified in one single transport document.

Consignment Instructions
Instructions from either the seller/consignor or the buyer/consignee to a freight forwarder, carrier or his agent, or other provider of a service, enabling the movement of goods and associated activities. The following functions can be covered:

Consignment Note
A document prepared by the shipper and comprising a transport contract. It contains details of the consignment to be carried to the port of loading and it is signed by the inland carrier as proof of receipt.

Consignor
To group and stuff several shipments together in one container.

Consolidated Container
Container stuffed with several shipments (consignments) from different shippers for delivery to one or more consignees.

Consolidation
The grouping together of smaller consignments of goods into a large consignment for carriage as a larger unit in order to obtain a reduced rate.

Consolidation Point
Location where consolidation of consignments takes place.

Consolidator
A firm or company which consolidates cargo.

Consortium
Consortium is a form of co-operation between two or more carriers to operate in a particular trade.

Container
An item of equipment as defined by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) for transport purposes. It must be of:

The term container includes neither vehicles nor conventional packing.

Container Check Digit
The 7th digit of the serial number of a container used to check whether prefix and serial number are correct.

Container Depot
Storage area for empty containers.

Container Freight Station
Abbreviation: CFS
A facility at which (export) LCL cargo is received from merchants for loading (stuffing) into containers or at which (import) LCL cargo is unloaded (stripped) from containers and delivered to merchants.

Container Lease
The contract by which the owner of containers (lessor) gives the use of containers to a lessee for a specified period of time and for fixed payments.

Container Load Plan (CLP)
A list of items loaded in a specific container and where appropriate their sequence of loading.

Container Manifest
The document specifying the contents of particular freight containers or other transport units, prepared by the party responsible for their loading into the container or unit.

Container Number
Identification number of a container consisting of prefix and serial number and check digit. (e.g. KNLU 123456-7)

Container Prefix
A four letter code that forms the first part of a container identification number indicating the owner of a container.

Container Size Code
An indication of 2 digits of the nominal length and nominal height.

Container Terminal
Place where loaded and/or empty containers are loaded or discharged into or from a means of transport.

Container Yard
Abbreviation: CY
A facility at which FCL traffic and empty containers are received from or delivered to the Merchant by or on behalf of the Carrier.
Note: Often this yard is used to receive goods on behalf of the merchant and pack these in containers for FCL traffic.

Containerised
Indication that goods have been stowed in a container.

Contraband
Goods forbidden by national law to be imported or exported.

Contract
An agreement enforceable by law between two or more parties stipulating their rights and obligations which are required by one or both parties to acts or forbearance by the other or both.

Conventional Cargo
General cargo conventionally stowed as opposed to unitised, containerised and Roll On-Roll Off cargo.

Cost and Freight (...named port of destination)
Abbreviation: CFR

Cost, Insurance and Freight (...named port of destination)
Abbreviation: CIF

Crew Member
Any person actually employed for duties on board during a voyage in the working or service of a ship and included in the crew list (IMO).

Cruise Ship
A ship on an international voyage carrying passengers participating in a group program and accommodated on board, for the purpose of making scheduled temporary tourist visits at one or more different ports, and which during the voyage does not normally: (a) embark or disembark any other passengers; (b) load or discharge any cargo.

Currency Adjustment Factor
Abbreviation: CAF
Adjustment applied by lines or liner conferences on freight rates to offset losses or gains for carriers resulting from fluctuations in exchange rates of tariff currencies.

Customs
The department of the Civil Service that deals with the levying of duties and taxes on imported goods from foreign countries and the control over the export and import of goods e.g. allowed quota prohibited goods.

Customs Broker
An authorised agent specialised in customs clearance procedures on account of importers/exporters.

Customs Clearance Agent
Customs broker or other agent of the consignee designated to perform customs clearance services for the consignee.

Customs Invoice
Document required by the customs in an importing country in which an exporter states the invoice or other price (e.g. selling price, price of identical goods), and specifies costs for freight, insurance and packing etc., terms of delivery and payment, for the purpose of determining the customs value in the importing country of goods consigned to that country.

Customs Value
The worth of an item or group of items expressed in a monetary amount, within a consignment declared to Customs for duty and statistical reasons.

Damaged Cargo Report
Written statement concerning established damages to cargo and/or equipment.

Dangerous Goods
Goods are to be considered dangerous if the transport of such goods might cause harm, risk, peril, or other evil to people, environment, equipment or any property whatsoever.

Dangerous Goods Declaration
Document issued by a consignor in accordance with applicable conventions or regulations, describing hazardous goods or materials for transport purposes, and stating that the latter have been packed and labelled in accordance with the provisions of the relevant conventions or regulations.

Dangerous Goods Packing Certificate
A document as part of the dangerous goods declaration in which the responsible party declares that the cargo has been stowed in accordance with the rules in a clean container in compliance with the IMDG regulations and properly secured.

Deadfreight
Slots paid for but not used.

Deadweight
Abbreviation: DWT
The total weight of cargo, cargo equipment, bunkers, provisions, water, stores and spare parts which a vessel can lift when loaded to her maximum draught as applicable under the circumstances. The dead-weight is expressed in tons.

Degroupage
Splitting up shipments into small consignments.

Delivered Duty Paid (...named place of destination)
Abbreviation: DDP

Delivered Duty Unpaid (...named place of destination)
Abbreviation: DDU

Delivered Ex Quay (...named port of destination)
Abbreviation: DEQ

Delivered Ex Ship (...named port of destination)
Abbreviation: DES

Delivery Instruction
Document issued by a buyer giving instructions regarding the details of the delivery of goods ordered.

Delivery Note
A document recording the delivery of products to a consignee (customer).

Delivery Order

Demurrage

Despatch Advice
Information send by shippers to the recipient of goods informing that specified goods are sent or ready to be sent advising the detailed contents of the consignment.

Destination

Detention
Keeping equipment beyond the time allowed.

Detention Charge
Charges levied on usage of equipment exceeding free time period as stipulated in the pertinent inland rules and conditions.

Devanning
See Stripping, UnpackingDeviation from a Route
A divergence from the agreed or customary route.

Dimensions
Measurements in length, width and height, regarding cargo.

Direct Delivery

Direct Interchange
Transfer of leased equipment from one lessee to another (container).

Direct Route
The shortest operated route between two points.

Discharge

Discrepancy
Difference between the particulars given and the particulars found.

Distribution Centre
A warehouse for the receipt, the storage and the dispersal of goods among customers.

Distribution Channel
The route by which a company distributes goods.

Door to Door Transport
The transport of cargo from the premises of the consignor to the premises of the consignee. 
Note: In the United States the term 'Point to Point Transport' is used instead of the term 'Door to Door Transport', because the term 'house' may mean 'customs house' or 'brokers house', which are usually located in the port.

Double Stack Train
A number of railway wagons, usually a block train, on which containers can be stacked two- high.

Draft
The draft of a vessel is the vertical distance between the waterline and the underside of the keel of the vessel. During the construction of a vessel the marks showing the draft are welded on each side of the vessel near the stem, the stern and amidships.

Drawback
Repayment of any part of customs or excise duties previously collected on imported goods, when those goods are exported again.

Drayage

Drop off Charge
Charge made by container owner and/or terminal operators for delivery of a leased, or pool container into depot stock. The drop-off charge may be a combination of actual handling and storage charges with surcharges.

Dunnage
Stowage material, mainly timber or board, used to prevent damage to cargo during carriage.

Duty Free Zone
An area where goods or cargo can be stored without paying import customs duties awaiting further transport or manufacturing.

EDI For Administration, Commerce and Transport
Abbreviation: UN/EDIFACT
The ISO application level syntax rules for the structuring of user data and of the associated service data in the interchange of messages in an open environment.

Electronic Data Interchange
Abbreviation: EDI
The transfer of structured data, by agreed standards from applications on the computer of one party to the applications on the computer of another party by electronic means.

Electronic Data Processing
Abbreviation: EDP
The computerised handling of information (e.g. business data).

Embargo

Emergency Medical Service
Abbreviation: EMS
Medical procedures in case of emergencies on board of vessels.

Endorsement
The transfer of the right to obtain delivery of the goods of the carrier by means of the consignee's signature on the reverse side of a bill of lading. If the name of the new consignee (transferee) is not stated, the endorsement is an open one which means that every holder of the document is entitled to obtain delivery of the goods.

Equipment Interchange Receipt
Abbreviation: EIR
Physical inspection and transfer receipt.

Estimated Time of Arrival
Abbreviation: ETA
The expected date and time of arrival in a certain (air)port.

Estimated Time of Departure
Abbreviation: ETD
The expected date and time when a certain (air)port is left.

Ex Works (...named place)
Abbreviation: EXW

Export
The process of carrying or sending goods to another country or countries, especially for purposes of use or sale in the country of destination. The sale of products to clients abroad.

Export Licence
Document granting permission to export as detailed within a specified time.

Exporter
The party responsible for the export of goods.

FMC
Federal Maritime Commission (Control of Shipping acts USA)

FTL
Full Truck Load, an indication for a truck transporting cargo directly from supplier to receiver.

Factory Delivery
The delivery of goods by a factory whereby the goods are put at the disposal of another (internal) party such as a commercial department.

Feeder
A vessel normally used for local or coastal transport (for carriage of cargo and/or containers) to and from ports not scheduled to be called by the main (ocean) vessel, directly connecting these ports to the main (ocean) vessel.

Flag
An indication of the country in which a means of transport is registered through a reference to the ensign of this country.

Flammable
Capable to be set on fire under given circumstances. (Amendment 25 IMO DGS).

Flash Point
The lowest temperature at which a good produces enough vapour to form a flammable mixture with air.

Flat Rack Container
A container with two end walls and open sides.

Fleet
Any group of means of transport acting together or under one control.

Force Majeure
Circumstance which is beyond the control of one of the parties to a contract and which may, according to the terms and conditions, relieve that party of liability for failing to execute the contract.

Fork Lift Truck
A three or four wheeled mechanical truck with forks at the front designed for lifting, carrying and stowing cargo.

Forty Foot Equivalent Unit
Abbreviation: FEU
Unit of measurement equivalent to one forty foot container.

Forwarder
The party arranging the carriage of goods including connected services and/or associated formalities on behalf of a shipper or consignee.

Forwarding Charge
Charges paid or to be paid for preliminary surface or air transport to the airport of departure by a forwarder, but not by a carrier under an Air Waybill (air cargo).

Forwarding Instruction
Document issued to a freight forwarder, giving instructions to the forwarder for the forwarding of goods described therein.

Gang
A number of workmen acting together especially for loading and/or discharging operations of a vessel in combination with the necessary gear. (On a vessel for instance 6 gangs can be ordered to discharge or load.)

Garments On Hangers
Clothes in containers on hangers and hung from rails during transit, reducing the handling required for the garments.

Gateway
A point at which cargo is interchanged between carriers or modes of transport 
A means of access, an entry 

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
Abbreviation: GATT
Major international agreement on trade and tariffs between many nations all over the world. The discussions are now held by the WTO.

General Average
Abbreviation: G/A
Intentional act or sacrifice which is carried out to safeguard vessel and cargo. When a vessel is in danger, the master has the right to sacrifice property and/or to incur reasonable expenditure. Measures taken for the sole benefit of any particular interest are not considered general average.

General Average Act (York-Antwerp Rules)
There is a general average act when, and only when any extraordinary sacrifice or expenditure is intentionally and reasonably made or incurred for the common safety for the purpose of preserving from peril the property involved in a common maritime adventure.

General Cargo

General Purpose Container
A container used for the carriage of general cargo without any special requirements for the transport and or the conditioning of the goods.

Goods

Goods Receipt
Document issued by a port, warehouse, shed, or terminal operator acknowledging receipt of goods specified therein on conditions stated or referred to in the document.

Goods in Transit
The goods which have departed from the initial loading point and not yet arrived at the final unloading point.

Groupage
The collection of several small consignments and the formation of one large shipment thereof (road cargo).

Hague Rules
International convention for the unification of certain rules, relating to Bills of Lading (1924). These Rules include the description of responsibilities of Shipping Lines.

Hague-Visby Rules
Set of rules, published in 1968, amending the Hague Rules.

Hamburg Rules
United Nations Convention on the carriage of goods by sea of 1978 adopted in 1992.

Harmonized System
Abbreviation: HS
It is a numeric multi purpose system, the international convention on the HS was established under auspices of the World Customs Organisation in 1983, for the classification of goods with its six digits covering about 5000 descriptions of the products or groups of products most commonly produced and traded. It is designed for customs services, but can also be used for statistics, transport purposes, export, import and manufacturing.

Haulage
The inland carriage of cargo or containers between named locations/points.

Haulier
Road carrier.

House to House Transport
The transport of cargo from the premises of the consignor to the premises of the consignee. 
Note: In the United States the term 'Point to Point Transport' is used instead of the term 'Door to Door Transport', because the term 'house' may mean 'customs house' or 'brokers house', which are usually located in the port.

Hub
The central transhipment point in a transport structure, serving a number of consignees and/or consignors by means of spokes. The stretches between hubs mutually are referred to as trunks.

Idle Time
The amount of ineffective time whereby the available resources are not used e.g. a container in a yard.

In Transit
The status of goods or persons between the outwards customs clearance and inwards customs clearance.

Inco terms
Trade terms in coded form as established by the International Chamber of Commerce in 1953, whereafter they have been regularly updated. (Last update 2000). The terms represent a set of international rules for the interpretation of the principal terms of delivery used in trade contracts.

Inland Waterways Bill of Lading
Transport document made out to a named person, to order or to bearer, signed by the carrier and handed to the sender after receipt of the goods.

Insurance
A system of protection against loss under which a party agrees to pay a certain sum (premiums) for a guarantee that they will be compensated under certain conditions for loss or damage.

Insurance Certificate
Proof of an insurance contract.

Insurance Company
The party covering the risks of the issued goods and/or services that are insured.

Intermodal Transport
The movement of goods (containers) in one and the same loading unit or vehicle which uses successively several modes of transport without handling of the goods themselves in changing modes.

International Air Transport Association
Abbreviation: IATA
An international organisation of airlines, founded in 1945, with the aim of promoting the commercial air traffic. Parties should achieve this by co-operation between the parties concerned and by performance of certain rules, procedures and tariffs, regarding both cargo and passengers.

International Association of Classification Societies
Abbreviation: IACS
An organisation in which the major classification societies, among others American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's Register of Shipping and Germanischer Lloyd, are joined, whose principal aim is the improvement of standards concerning safety at sea.

International Chamber of Shipping
Abbreviation: ICS
A voluntary organisation of national shipowner' associations with the objective to promote interests of its members, primarily in the technical and legal fields of shipping operations.

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
Abbreviation: IMDG Code
A code, representing the classification of dangerous goods as defined by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in compliance with international legal requirements.

International Maritime Organisation
Abbreviation: IMO
An United Nations agency concerned with safety at sea. Its work includes codes and rules relating to tonnage measurement of vessels, load lines, pollution and the carriage of dangerous goods.
Its previous name was the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO).

Invoice
An account from the supplier, for goods and/or services supplied by him.

Jetsam
Goods thrown or lost. 

Jettison
The act of intentionally throwing cargo overboard e.g. with the objective of lightening a vessel, which has run aground, such for the common good of all interests: vessel, crew and remaining cargo.

Jetty
A mole or breakwater, running out into the sea to protect harbours or coasts. It is sometimes used as a landing-pier.

Jib

Job
That work which is undertaken to meet a customer or production order and, for production control purposes, has a unique identification.

Joint Venture
A joint activity of two or more companies usually performed under a common name.

Journey
A voyage from one place, port or country to another one, in case of a round trip, to the same one.

Jurisprudence
Juridical decisions used for explanation and meaning of law.

Just In Time
Abbreviation: JIT
The movement of material/goods at the necessary place at the necessary time. 
The implication is that each operation is closely synchronised with the subsequent ones to make that possible.
A method of inventory control that brings stock into the production process, warehouse or to the customer just in time to be used, thus reducing stock piling.

Kyoto Convention
The convention for the International Customs Co-operation Council held in Kyoto in 1974 for the simplification and harmonisation of national customs procedures.

On 25th of June 1999 the updated and restructured International Convention on the simplification and harmonisation of Customs Procedures (Kyoto Convention) was unanimously adopted by 114 customs administrations.

This convention was restructured to deal with computerised controls and to ensure better co- operation between customs authorities mutually and with trade in general.

Label
A slip of e.g. paper or metal attached to an object to indicate the nature, ownership, destination, contents and/or other particulars of the object.

Lash
To hold goods in position by the use of, e.g., wires, ropes, chains and straps.

ShipLeasing Company
The company from which property or equipment is taken on lease.

Less than Container Load
Abbreviation: LCL

Abbreviation: LTL
A term used if the quantity or volume of one or more consignment(s) does not fill a standard truck.

Lessee
The party to whom the possession of specified property has been conveyed for a period of time in return for rental payments.

Lessor
The party who conveys specified property to another for a period of time in return for the receipt of rent.

Letter of Credit
Abbreviation: L/C
A written undertaking by a bank (issuing bank) given to the seller (beneficiary) at the request, and on the instructions of the buyer (applicant) to pay at sight or at a determinable future date up to a stated sum of money, within a prescribed time limit and against stipulated documents.

Letter of Indemnity
Written statement in which one party undertakes to compensate another for the costs and consequences of carrying out a certain act. The issue of a letter of indemnity is sometimes used for cases when a shipper likes receiving a clean Bill of Lading while a carrier is not allowed to do so.

Liability
Legal responsibility for the consequences of certain acts or omissions.

Lien
A legal claim upon real or personal property to pay a debt or duty.

Liner Conference
A group of two or more vessel-operating carriers, which provides international liner services for the carriage of cargo on a particular trade route and which has an agreement or arrangement to operate under uniform or common freight rates and any other agreed conditions (e.g. FEFC = Far Eastern Freight Conference).

Liner In Free Out
Abbreviation: LIFO
Transport condition denoting that the freight rate is inclusive of the sea carriage and the cost of loading, the latter as per the custom of the port. It excludes the cost of discharging.

Liner Terms
Condition of carriage denoting that costs for loading and unloading are borne by the carrier subject the custom of the port concerned.

Lloyd's Register of Shipping
British classification society.

Main-line Operator
Abbreviation: MLO
A carrier employing vessel(s) in the main or principal routes in a trade but not participating within a consortium.

Manifest
Document, which lists the specifications of goods, loaded in a means of transport or equipment for transportation purposes. 
As a rule cargo the agents in the place of loading draw up manifests.
Note: For P&O Nedlloyd a manifest represents a cumulation of Bills of Lading for official and administrative purposes.

Marine Insurance Policy
An insurance policy protecting the insured against loss or damage to his goods occurred during ocean transport.

Mate's Receipt
A document signed by the chief officer of a vessel acknowledging the receipt of a certain consignment on board of that vessel. On this document, remarks can be made as to the order and condition of the consignment.

Medical First Aid Guide
Abbreviation: MFAG
Instructions to be consulted in case of accidents involving dangerous goods.

Merchant Haulage
Inland transport of cargo in containers arranged by the Merchant. 
It includes empty container-moves to and from hand-over points in respect of containers released by the Carrier to Merchants.
Note: Carrier's responsibility under the Bill of Lading does not include the inland transport stretch under Merchant Haulage.

Multimodal Transport
The carriage of goods (containers) by at least two different modes of transport.

Multimodal Transport Document
Negotiable or non-negotiable document evidencing a contract for the performance and/or procurement of performance of combined transport of goods. 
Thus a combined transport document is a document issued by a Carrier who contracts as a principal with the Merchant to effect a combined transport often on a door-to-door basis.

Multimodal Transport Operator/Carrier
Abbreviation: MTO/Carrier
The person on whose behalf the transport document or any document evidencing a contract of multimodal carriage of goods is issued and who is responsible for the carriage of goods pursuant to the contract of carriage.

Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier
Abbreviation: NVOCC
A party who undertakes to carry goods and issues in his own name a Bill of Lading for such carriage, without having the availability of any own means of transport.

Notify Address
Address of the party other than the consignee to be advised of the arrival of the goods.

Notify Party
The party to be notified of arrival of goods.

Oncarriage
The carriage of goods (containers) by any mode of transport to the place of delivery after discharge from the ocean vessel (main means of transport) at the port (place) of discharge.

One Stop Shop
An organisation, which provides all needed requirements in one location.

Open Top Container
A freight container similar in all respects to a general purpose container except that it has no rigid roof but may have a flexible and movable or removable cover, for example one made of canvas or plastic or reinforced plastic material normally supported on movable or removable roof bows.

Out of Gauge Cargo
Cargo which dimensions are exceeding the normal dimensions of a 20 or 40 feet container, e.g. overlength, overwidth, overheight, or combinations thereof.

Outturn Report
Written statement by a stevedoring company in which the condition of cargo discharged from a vessel is noted along with any discrepancies in the quantity compared with the vessel's manifest.

Overheight Cargo
Cargo, exceeding the standard height.

Overlength Cargo
Cargo, exceeding the standard length.

Overwidth Cargo
Cargo, exceeding the standard width.

Owner
The legal owner of cargo, equipment or means of transport.

P & I Club
A mutual association of shipowners who provide protection against liabilities by means of contributions.

Packaging
Materials used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods and the activities of placing and securing goods in those materials.

Packing Instruction
Document issued within an enterprise giving instructions on how goods are to be packed.

Packing List
Document specifying the contents of each individual package.

Pallet
A platform on which goods can be stacked in order to facilitate the movement by a fork lift or sling.

Panamax Size
The maximum measurements and dimensions of a vessel capable to pass the Panama Canal.

Payload
The revenue-producing load carried by a means of transport.

Payment Against Documents
Instructions given by a seller to a bank to the effect that the buyer may collect the documents necessary to obtain delivery of the goods only upon actual payment of the invoice.

Physical Distribution
Those activities related to the flow of goods from the end of conversion to the customer.

Pier
That part of a wharf which is intended for the mooring of vessels.

Pilferage
Petty stealing of goods from a ship's hold, cargo shed or warehouse.

Place of Acceptance
The location where a consignment (shipment) is received by the carrier from the shipper viz. the place where the carrier's liability for transport venture commences.

Place of Delivery
The location where a consignment (shipment) is delivered to the consignee viz. the place where the carrier's liability ends for the transport venture.

Place of Despatch
Name and address specifying where goods are collected or taken over by the carrier (i.e. if other than consignor).

Place of Receipt
The location where a consignment (shipment) is received by the carrier from the shipper viz. the place where the carrier's liability for transport venture commences.

Port of Call
Place where a vessel actually drops anchor or moors during a certain voyage.

Port of Discharge
The port where the cargo is actually discharged (unloaded) from the sea (ocean) going vessel.

Port of Loading
The port where the cargo is actually loaded on board the sea (ocean) going vessel.

Precarriage
The carriage of goods (containers) by any mode of transport from the place of receipt to the port (place) of loading into the ocean vessel (main means of transport).

Precarrier
The carrier by which the goods are moved prior to the main transport.

Preshipment Inspection
Abbreviation: PSI
The checking of goods before shipment for the purpose of determining the quantity and/or quality of said goods by an independent surveyor (inspection company) for phytosanitary, sanitary and veterinary controls.
Presently there is a tendency by developing countries to use the inspection also for the purpose of determining whether the price charged for certain goods is correct.

Principal
Person for whom another acts as agent.

Pro Forma Invoice
Draft invoice sent to an importer by the exporter prior to order confirmation and shipment to assist in matters relating to obtaining import licences or foreign exchange allocations, or simply to advise the value of a consignment so that letters of credit can be opened.

Project Cargo
Quantity of goods connected to the same project and often carried on different moments and from various places.

Proof of Delivery
The receipt signed by the consignee upon delivery.

Proper Shipping Name
A name to be used to describe particular goods on all documents and notifications and, if appropriate, on the goods. basis (air cargo).

Protection and Indemnity Club
Abbreviation: P & I club
A mutual association of shipowners who provide protection against liabilities by means of contributions.

Rate
The price of a transport service 
Quantity, amount or degree measured or applied

Rebate
That part of a transport charge which the carrier agrees to return.

Receipt
A written acknowledgement, that something has been received.

Reefer Cargo
Cargo requiring temperature control.

Reefer Container
A thermal container with refrigerating appliances (mechanical compressor unit, absorption unit etc.) to control the temperature of cargo.

Regroupage
The process of splitting up shipments into various consignments (degroupage) and combining these small consignments into other shipments (groupage).

Release Order
A document issued by or on behalf of the carrier authorising the release of import cargo identified thereon and manifested under a single Bill of Lading.

Roll-on Roll-off
Abbreviation: RoRo
System of loading and discharging a vessel whereby the cargo is driven on and off by means of a ramp.

Route
The track along which goods are (to be) transported.

Routing

Said to Contain
Abbreviation: STC
Term in a Bill of Lading signifying that the master and the carrier are unaware of the nature or quantity of the contents of e.g. a carton, crate, container or bundle and are relying on the description furnished by the shipper.

Salvage
The saving or rescue of a vessel and/or the cargo from loss and/or damage at sea.

Schedule
A timetable including arrival/departure times of ocean- and feeder vessels and also inland transportation. It refers to named ports in a specific voyage (journey) within a certain trade indicating the voyage number(s). In general: The plan of times for starting and/or finishing activities.

Seal
A device used for containers, lockers, trucks or lorries to proof relevant parties that they have remained closed during transport.

Seaworthiness
Fitness of a vessel to travel in open sea mostly related to a particular voyage with a particular cargo.

Seller
Party selling merchandise to a buyer.

Sender 
A service Bill (of Lading) is a contract of carriage issued by one carrier to another for documentary and internal control purposes

For internal documentary and control purposes a so-called participating agent in a consortium uses some kind of document which, depending on the trade, is referred to as 'Memo Bill' which will among others state:

No freight details will be mentioned and the Memo Bill is not a contract of carriage. 
Acts as intermediary between shipowners or carriers by sea on the one hand and cargo interests on the other. The functions are to act as forwarding agent or custom broker, fixing of charters, and acting as chartering agent.

Ship Operator
A ship operator is either the shipowner or the (legal) person responsible for the actual management of the vessel and its crew.

Ship's Protest
Statement of the master of a vessel before (in the presence of) competent authorities, concerning exceptional events which occurred during a voyage.

Shipment
A separately identifiable collection of goods to be carried. 
Note: In the United States of America the word shipment is used instead of the word consignment.

The (legal) person officially registered as such in the certificate of registry where the following particulars are contained:

Shipper's Export Declaration
Abbreviation: SED
A United States customs form to be completed for all exports to assist the government in compiling export statistics.

Shipper's Letter of Instruction
Abbreviation: SLI
A document containing instructions given by the shipper or the shipper's agent for preparing documents and forwarding (air cargo).

Shipping Note
Document provided by the shipper or his agent to the carrier, multimodal transport operator, terminal or other receiving authority, giving information about export consignments offered for transport, and providing for the necessary receipts and declarations of liability.

Shipping Documents
Documents required for the carriage of goods.

Shipping Instruction
Document advising details of cargo and exporter's requirements of its physical movement.

Shipping Label
A label attached to a unit, containing certain data.

Shipping Marks
The identification shown on individual packages in order to help in moving it without delay or confusion to its final destination and to enable the checking of cargo against documents.

Shortage
The negative difference between actual available or delivered quantity and the required quantity.

Shrink Wrapping
Heat treatment that shrinks an envelope of polyethylene or similar substance around several units, thus forming one unit. It is used e.g. to secure packages on a pallet.

Slot
The space on board a vessel, required by one TEU, mainly used for administrative purposes.

Slot Charter
A voyage charter whereby the shipowner agrees to place a certain number of container slots (TEU and/or FEU) at the charterer's disposal.

Special Drawing Rights
Abbreviation: SDR
Unit of account from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), i.a. used to express the amount of the limitations of a carrier's liability.

Special Rate
A rate other than a normal rate.

Stability
The capacity of a vessel to return to its original position after having been displaced by external forces. The stability of a vessel depends on the meta-centric height.

Stack
An identifiable amount of containers stowed in a orderly way in one specified place on an (ocean) terminal, container freight station, container yard or depot.

Storage
The activity of placing goods into a store or the state of being in store (e.g. a warehouse).

Storage Charge
The fee for keeping goods in a warehouse.

Stowage
The placing and securing of cargo or containers on board a vessel or an aircraft or of cargo in a container.

Stowage Factor
Ratio of a cargo's cubic measurement to its weight, expressed in cubic feet to the ton or cubic metres to the tonne, used in order to determine the total quantity of cargo which can be loaded in a certain space.

Stowage Instructions
Imperative details about the way certain cargo is to be stowed, given by the shipper or his agent.

Stowage Plan
A plan indicating the locations on the vessel of all the consignments for the benefit of stevedores and vessel's officers.

Stripping
The unloading of cargo out of a container.

Stuffing
The loading of cargo into a container.

Supply Chain
A sequence of events in a goods flow which adds to the value of a specific good. These events may include:

Supply Vessel
Vessel which carries stock and stores to offshore drilling rigs, platforms.

Surcharge
An additional charge added to the usual or customary freight.

Survey
An inspection of a certain item or object by a recognised specialist.

Surveyor
A specialist who carries out surveys. 
Note: A surveyor is often representing a classification bureau or a governmental body.

Tallyman / Clerk
A person who records the number of cargo items together with the condition thereof at the time it is loaded into or discharged from a vessel.

Tank Container
A tank, surrounded by a framework with the overall dimensions of a container for the transport of liquids or gasses in bulk.

Tanker
A vessel designed for the carriage of liquid cargo in bulk.

Tare Weight of Container
Mass of an empty container including all fittings and appliances associated with that particular type of container on its normal operating condition.

Tariff
The schedule of rates, charges and related transport conditions.

Terminal
A location on either end of a transportation line including servicing and handling facilities.

Terms of Delivery
All the conditions agreed upon between trading partners regarding the delivery of goods and the related services.
Note: Under normal circumstances the INCO terms are used to prevent any misunderstandings.

Ultimate Consignee
Party who has been designated on the invoice or packing list as the final recipient of the stated merchandise.

Unaccompanied Baggage
Luggage not accompanied by a passenger.

Unit Load
A number of individual packages bonded, palletised or strapped together to form a single unit for more efficient handling by mechanical equipment.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Abbreviation: UNCTAD
A United Nations agency whose work in Shipping includes the liner code involving the sharing of cargoes between the Shipping lines of the importing and exporting countries and third countries in the ratio 40:40:20.

United Nations Dangerous Goods Number
Abbreviation: UNDG Number
The four-digit number assigned by the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods to classify a substance or a particular groups of substances. 
Note: The prefix 'UN' must always be used in conjunction with these numbers.

Valuable Cargo
A consignment which contains one or more valuable articles.

Value Added Tax
Abbreviation: VAT
A form of indirect sales tax paid on products and services at each stage of production or distribution, based on the value added at that stage and included in the cost to the ultimate customer.

Vanning 
Buyer.

Vendor
Seller.

Very Large Crude Carrier
Abbreviation: VLCC
A vessel designed for the carriage of liquid cargo in bulk with a loading capacity from 50.000 till 250.000 DWT.

Vessel

Volume
Size or measure of anything in three dimensions.

Volume Charge
A charge for carriage of goods based on their volume (air cargo).

Voyage
A journey by sea from one port or country to another one or, in case of a round trip, to the same port.

Voyage Charter
A contract under which the shipowner agrees to carry an agreed quantity of cargo from a specified port or ports to another port or ports for a remuneration called freight, which is calculated according to the quantity of cargo loaded, or sometimes at a lumpsum freight.

Voyage Number
Reference number assigned by the carrier or his agent to the voyage of the vessel.

War Risk
Perils of war or warlike operations, such as capture, seizure, arrests, restraints of kings, princesses and people, hostilities, civil war, mines, torpedo's. War risks are not covered under a policy for marine perils and must therefore be covered under a separate policy for war risks.

Warehouse
A building specially designed for receipt, storage and handling of goods.

Warehouse Receipt
Receipt for products deposited in a warehouse.

Warehousing
Those activities of holding and handling goods in a warehouse (store).

Warsaw Convention
The Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air, signed at Warsaw, 12 October 1929, or that Convention as amended by the Hague Protocol, 1955, stipulating obligations or parties and limitations and/or exonerations of carriers (air cargo).

Waybill
Non-negotiable document evidencing the contract for the transport of cargo.

Weight Charge
The charge for carriage of goods based on their weight (air cargo).

Wharf
A place for berthing vessels to facilitate loading and discharging of cargo.

Wharfage
The fee charged for the use of a wharf for mooring, loading or discharging a vessel or for storing goods.

X-ray
High frequency electromagnetic ray of short wave-length, capable of penetrating most solid substances.

X.25
International standard of the CCITT for packet switching.

X.400
A CCITT recommendation designed to facilitate international message and information exchange between subscribers of computer based store-and-forward services and office information systems in association with public and private data networks.

X.500
The CCITT now ITU recommendations (ISO9594) for the structure of directories for the maintenance of addresses used in electronic mail.

XML
Extensible mark-up language is an official recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium as a successor of HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up language) it can be used to convey documents layout and contents from one computer application to another. XML is a subset of SGML.

XML/EDI
The exchange of structured information over the Internet using XML as the syntax.

Yard
Fenced off, outdoor storage and repair area.

Yaw
Variation of the course of a ship to port or starboard caused by the action of waves or wind.

Yield Bucket
The remaining slot capacity for a trade/voyage in a certain port of loading after deduction of the allowance for specific contracts.

Yield Management
The process of maximising the contribution of every slot, vessel, trade and network. Basically it should be seen as the process of allocating the right type of capacity to the right kind of customer at the right price as to maximise revenue or yield. 
The concept should be used in combination with load factor management.

York - Antwerp Rules
There is a general average act when, and only when any extraordinary sacrifice or expenditure is intentionally and reasonably made or incurred for the common safety for the purpose of preserving from peril the property involved in a common maritime adventure.

Zodiac
A rubber dinghy. An inflatable craft for the transport of people.

Zone
Area, belt or district extending about a certain point defined for transport and/or charge purpose.

Zone Haulage Rate
The rate for which the carrier will undertake the haulage of goods or containers between either the place of delivery and the carrier's appropriate terminal. Such haulage will be undertaken only subject to the terms and conditions of the tariff and of the carrier's Combined Transport Bill of Lading.

Zone Improvement Plan
Abbreviation: ZIP
System to simplify sorting and delivery of mail, consisting of a number of five digits (the so-called ZIP-code) for identification of the state, city or district, and the postal zone in the U.S.A. delivery areas.