Accreditation              

Certification by duly recognized body of the facilities, capability, objectivity, competence, and integrity of an agency, service, or operational group or individual to provide the specific service or operation needed. For example, the Registrar Accreditation Board accredits those organizations that register companies to the ISO 9000 series standards. 

Ad Valorem

In proportion to the value.

Agent (Agt.)     

A person authorized to transact business for, and in the name of, another person or company.   

Air Waybill

Documents used in the carriage of goods by air. See waybill.

AMS

Automated Manifest System. An application that expedites the clearance of cargo for the subsequent release of containers when imported to the U.S. through electronic submission of cargo manifests in lieu of bulk paper manifests.

Arrival Notice             

An advice that the carrier sends to the consignee advising of goods coming forward for delivery. Pertinent information such as BL number, container number and total charges due from consignee etc, are included and sent to consignee prior to vessel arrival. This is done gratuitously by the carrier to ensure smooth delivery but there is no obligation by the carrier to do so. The responsibility to monitor the transit and present himself to take timely delivery still rests with the consignee. 

Awkward Cargo

Cargo of irregular size that can either be containerized (packed in container) or non-containerized (without equipment associated with) during transportation. It requires prior approval on a case by case basis before confirmation of booking

Axle Load

Maximum load permitted to be carried on each axle of a motor vehicle.

Bare Boat Charter

The chartering of ships excluding the supply of crew.

Bay Plan

See stowage plan.

Berth

A space in a port or harbour where a vessel can be tied up.

Bill Of Lading (B/L)

Official legal document representing ownership of cargo, a negotiable document to receive cargo, and the contract for cargo between the shipper and the carrier.

Block Train

Railcars grouped in a train by destination so that segments (blocks) can be uncoupled and routed to different destinations as the train moves through various junctions. Eliminates the need to break up a train and sort individual railcars at each junction.          

Blocking or Bracing

Wood or metal supports to keep shipments in place or on railcars.

Bls.

Bales. A kind of customary packing unit.

Bobtail

Movement of a tractor, without trailer, over the highway.

Bona Fide

In good faith.

Booking Number

A reference number for bookings registered. It should be unique without duplication for a three-year period.

Bow

The front of a vessel.    

Box

Common term for an ocean going freight container.

Boxcar

A closed freight car. 

BPS

Business Process and Systems - section within ISD responsible for implementation of IRIS-2 and user support in system and business processes.

Break-Bulk Cargo

Goods shipped loose in the vessel's hold and not in a container.

British Thermal Unit (Btu)

The amount of heat required to produce a temperature change of one degree Fahrenheit in one pound of water.

Bulk Carriers              

A vessel carrying dry, liquid, grain, not packaged, bundled or bottled cargo, and is loaded without marks & number or count.

Bull Rings

Cargo-securing devices mounted in the floor of containers; allow lashing and securing of cargo.

Bunker Surcharge (BAF, BSC, FAF)

Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF), Bunker Surcharge (BSC) or Fuel Adjustment Factor (FAF), are surcharges assessed by the carrier to freight rates to reflect current cost of bunker.           

Bunkers

Heavy oil used as fuel for ocean vessels.

C&F

Stands for "Cost and Freight" which is a mercantile expression used in sale contracts denoting that goods have to be delivered by the shippers on board the vessel at a particular place and deliver to an agreed destination.

C.A.F.

Currency Adjustment Factor. Surcharge percentage applied to freight rates to reflect currency fluctuations.

C.B.M. (C.M.)

Cubic meter.

C.I.F

Stands for "Cost, Insurance and Freight" which is a mercantile expression used in sale contracts denoting that goods have to be delivered by the shippers on board the vessel at a particular place and deliver to an agreed destination including the insurance coverage.

C.K.D.              

Abbreviation for Cars Knocked Down. Automobile parts and subassemblies manufactured abroad and transported to a designated assembly plant.  A classification of Third Party International shippers. See Knocked Down.

C.O.D.

Collect (cash) on Delivery; Carried on Docket (pricing); Change of Destination.

Cargo Manifest

A manifest that lists only cargo, without freight and charges.

Carrier

Any individual, company or corporation engaged in transporting goods

Carrier's Owned Container (COC)

The container used for cargo shipment is owned by the carrier.

Cells

The construction system employed in container vessels; permits below ship containers to be stowed in a vertical line with each container supporting the one above it.

Cellular Vessel

A vessel designed with internal ribbing to permit the support of stacked containers.

Certificate of Origin

Document certifying the country of origin of goods that is normally issued or signed by a Chamber of Commerce or Embassy.

CFC's (Chlorofluorocarbons)

Chemical compounds containing mixtures of carbon, chlorine and fluorine molecules. Because of their stability, lack of flammability and ability to absorb and give up heat readily, CFC's have in the past been popular refrigerants. However, CFC's have been found to contribute to the deterioration of the ozone layer of the upper atmosphere, which is a condition believed to be hazardous to global health. These compounds should not be released into the atmosphere, but should be carefully collected for recycling. Production of CFC's is being phased out by an international convention, the Montreal Protocol.

CFS/CFS

A kind of cargo movement by container. Delivered loose at origin point with vanning by carrier, devanned by carrier at destination, and picked up loose at destination. 

Chassis

A wheeled flat bed or a trailer constructed to accommodate containers moved over the road.

Closing Date

Last day on which export cargo can be accepted for a nominated sailing. 

Consignee

The recipient for whom the owners of a ship agree to carry goods to a specified destination and at a specified price. The conditions under which the transportation is effected are stipulated in the bill of lading.

Consolidated Cargo

Cargo containing shipments of two or more shippers, usually shipped by a firm called a consolidator. The consolidator takes advantage of lower F.C.L. rates, and savings are passed on to shippers.

Consolidation

The combination of many small shipments into one container.

Consolidator

A person or firm performing a consolidation service for others.

Consortium

Group of carriers pooling resources in a trade lane to maximize their resources efficiently.

Container

A receptacle designed to transport cargo of many types in continuous transportation.

Container Freight Station (CFS, C.F.S.)

Consolidation depots where parcels of cargo are grouped and loaded into containers.

Container Gross Weight

Please refer to Gross Weight.

Container Load Plan (CLP)

A document prepared to show all details of cargo loaded in a container, e.g. weight (individual and total), measurement, markings, shippers, consignees, the origin & destination of goods, and location of cargo within the container.         

Container Number

The unique identification of a container.

Container Seal Number

The number of high security seals provided by the carrier.

Container Size

The length of a container i.e. 20'', 40'' and 45'' (feet).

Container Terminal

Also referred to as a Container Yard (CY). A facility that receives full export containers from one shipper to loading the vessel and delivers full import containers to the consignee after; it is the same location where ocean vessels are loaded & unloaded.        

Container Type

The purpose of a container of which the code is to be adhered to ISO standard.

Containership

An ocean vessel specifically designed to carry ocean cargo containers. It is fitted with vertical cells for maximum capacity.

Controlled Atmosphere (CA)

An atmosphere in which oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen concentrations are regulated, as well as temperature and humidity.

Cu.

Cubic. A unit of volume measurement.

Cubic Foot

1,728 cubic inches.

Custom House

A country Treasury Department office where duties, etc., on foreign shipments are handled.

Customs Bonded Warehouse

A public or privately owned warehouse where dutiable goods are stored pending payment of duty or removal under bond. The storage or delivery of goods are under the supervision of customs officers and if the warehouse is privately owned the keeper has to enter into a bond as indemnity in respect of the goods deposited, which may not be delivered without a release from the customs.

Cut-off Time  

Latest possible time the cargo may be delivered to the vessel or designated point.

Cwt.

Hundredweight (U.S.A., 100 pounds; United Kingdom, 112 pounds).

CY      

Container Yard. See "Container Terminal".        

CY/CFS

Cargo loaded in a full container by a shipper at origin, delivered to pier facility at destination, and then devanned by the carrier for loose pick up.

CY/CY

Cargo loaded by the shipper in a full container at origin and delivered to the carrier's terminal at destination for pick up intact by consignee.      

D & H

Dangerous and Hazardous. (Also see "Dangerous Goods")

D.W.

Dead Weight. The number of tons a ship can transport of cargo, stores and bunker fuel. (Also see "Deadweight Tonnage")

Dangerous Goods

The term used by I.M.C.O. for hazardous materials that are capable of posing a significant risk to health, safety or property while being transported.

DDC

Destination Delivery Charges. A charge assessed by the carrier for handling positioning of a full container.

DDP

Destination Duty Paid

DDU

Destination Duty Unpaid

Dead Space

Space in a car, truck, vessel, etc., that is not utilized.

Deadweight Tonnage (D/W)

The number of total weight tons that a vessel can transport of cargo, stores and bunker fuel. It is the difference between the number of tons of water a vessel displaces "light" and the number of tons it displaces when submerged to the "load line." 

Dedicated Unit Train

An unit train operated by various railroads for exclusive usage.

Delivery Order

A document authorizing delivery to a nominated party of goods in the care of a third party. Can be issued by a carrier on surrender of a bill of lading and then used by the merchant to transfer title by endorsement.

Depot Container

Container freight station or a designated area where empty containers can be picked up or dropped off.

Destination

The place where the carrier actually turns over the cargo to consignee or his agent.

Detention

Charges raised for detaining container/ trailer at customer's premises for longer period than provided in Tariff.

Detention Charge      

See "Detention".           .

Devanning

The removal of cargo from a container. Also known as unstuffing, unloading or stripping

DFG

Dynamic Flow Guidelines -- which is used to control the on-land stock level of each region taking into account of the traffic pattern and local vanning/devanning dwell time. The shortest the dwell time, the lowest the DFG and the more efficient the equipment utilization will be.     

Differential Rate

An amount added or deducted from base rate to make a rate to or from some other point or via another route.

Direct Delivery

See ship-side delivery.

Diversion

A change made in the route of a shipment in transit.

Divert

The route of a shipment changed in transit from that shown on the original billing. Used interchangeably with reconsign.

Dock

(a) The water alongside a pier or wharf. (b) Loading or unloading platform at an industrial location or carrier terminal.

Dock Receipt

A form used to acknowledge receipt of cargo at a steamship pier. When delivery of a foreign shipment is completed, the dock receipt is surrendered to the vessel operator or the operator's agent and serves as basis for preparation of the ocean bill of lading.

Door-To-Door

Through transportation of a container and its contents from consignor's premises to consignee's premises.

Double-Deck Load

A second tier of cargo placed on top of the first tier.

Dray

A truck or other equipment designed to haul heavy loads.

Drayage

Charge made for local hauling by dray or truck.

Dry Cargo

Cargo that does not require temperature control.

Dry Dock

An enclosed basin into which a ship is taken for underwater cleaning and repairing. It is fitted with watertight entrance gates which when closed permit the dock to be pumped dry.

Dry-Bulk Container

A container constructed to carry grain, powder and other free flowing solids in bulk.

DST

Double Stack Train. Rail or train capable of carrying two 40' containers, one on top of the other.

Dunnage (Dge.)

Lumber or other material used to brace material in carrier's equipment.

Dwell Time

It is expressed in term of no. of day that a container changed from one status to another e.g. from under inbound load (UIL) to empty available (MTA) to under outbound load (UOL). The shorter the dwell time, the more efficient the container utilization will be.

ECU

European Currency Units. A financial unit used for EC accounting.

E.I.R.

Equipment Interchange Receipt.

En Route

Along the route of movement.

ETA

Estimated time of arrival.

ETD

Estimated time of departure.

Ex Work

An INCOTERMS term of sale applicable to all modes of transport. Also known as Ex Factory.

Export

Shipment of goods to another country.

Export Declaration  

A government document permitting designated goods to be shipped out of the country.

F.A.K.

Freight All Kind. System whereby freight is charged per container, irrespective of the nature of the goods, and not according to a Tariff.

F.A.S.

Free Alongside Ship.

F.C.L.

Full Container Load. Arrangement whereby shipper utilizes all the space in a container which he packs himself.

F.I.O.

Free In and Out.

F.O.B.

Stands for Free On Board which is a mercantile expression used in sale contracts denoting that goods have to be delivered by the shippers on board the vessel at a particular place, free of charge.

FCL/FCL

See CY/CY.

FCL/LCL

See CY/CFS.

Feeder Vessel

Vessel employed in normally short sea routes to fetch or carry goods and containers to and from ocean going vessels.

FEU

Forty-foot Equivalent Unit (40'' or 2 TEUs)