Shipping Glossary

ABS

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

ACEP

Abbreviation: ACEP
An agreement between the owners of the equipment and the responsible governmental body to allow continuous examination of the equipment (e.g. containers).

ADR

Abbreviation: ADR
A European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road.

AGVS

Automated guided vehicle system.

ASYCUDA

Automated System for Customs Data. This program dealing with customs declarations has been developed by UNCTAD and is presently used by some 75 countries.

Abeam

Alongside, near amidships.
For navigational purposes in the direction of a right angle to the ship's heading.

Absorption

Acceptance by the carrier of a portion of a joint rate or charge which is less than the amount which it would receive for the service in the absence of such joint rate or charge.

Acceptance of Goods

The process of receiving a consignment from a consignor, usually against the issue of a receipt. As from this moment and on this place the carrier's responsibility for the consignment begins.

Accommodation ladder

Movable steps arranged temporary alongside e.g. a quay to allow access on board for officials, crew or passengers.

Accompanied Transport

The transport of complete road vehicles by another means of transport (e.g. train, ferry accompanied by the driver).
Accord Relatif aux Transports Internationaux de Denrees Perissables et aux Engins Speciaux a Utiliser pour ces Transports
Abbreviation: ATP
Agreement on the international carriage of perishable foodstuffs and on the special equipment to be used for such carriage.

Acknowledgement of Receipt

A notification relating to the receipt of e.g. goods, messages and documents.

Act of God

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

Active Inventory

Covers raw material, work in progress, finished products, which will be used or sold within a given period without extra cost or loss. This term does not cover the so-called reserve inventory.

Actual Demand

Customer orders and often also the allocation of items, ingredients and/or raw materials to production or distribution.

Actual Voyage Number

A code for identification purposes of the voyage and vessel which actually transports the container/cargo.

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.

Added Value

The value attributed to products, and services as the result of a particular process (e.g. production process, storage, transport).

Advance Arrangement

An agreement between the shipper and the carrier, concerning contacts between those parties prior to tendering the consignment.

Advanced Amount

Quantity of cash or cash equivalents expressed in a monetary amount given to a driver to cover expenses during a trip.

Advanced Charge

A charge paid by a carrier to an agent or to another carrier, which the delivering carrier then collects from the consignee. Such charges are usually for agents' forwarding fees and incidental expenses paid out of pocket for account of the shipment by an agent or other carrier.

Advanced Interline

An interline carrier that picks up cargo from the shipper and delivers it to another carrier for shipment to the consignee.

Advice Note

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

Aeroquip System

Special accessories in a container consisting of among others the attachment rails on the inside walls to provide facilities for lashing and separation of the cargo.

Aft

At, near or towards the stern or rear of a vessel or an aircraft.

Agency Fee

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

Agent

A person or organisation authorised to act for or on behalf of another person or organisation or principal.

The following functions and responsibilities may apply to the activities of an agent.

Sales

Marketing, acquisition of cargo, issuing quotations, concluding contracts in co-ordination with the principal. Bookings
Booking of cargo in accordance with allotments assigned to the agent for a certain voyage by the principal.
Customs
Dealing with the national customs administration for cargo declarations, manifest alterations and cargo clearance on behalf of the principal.
Documentation
Responsible for timeliness and correctness of all documentation required, regarding the carriage of cargo.
Handling
Taking care of all procedures connected with physical handling of cargo.
Equipment control
Managing of all equipment stock in a particular area.
Issuing
Authorised to sign and issue Bills of Lading and other transport documents.
Collecting
Authorised to collect freight and charges on behalf of the principal.
Delivery
The agent who releases the cargo and is responsible for its delivery to the consignee.

Handling of cargo claims

Handling of cargo claims as per agency contract.

Husbanding

Handling non cargo related operations of a vessel as instructed by the master, owner or charterer.

Aggregate Inventory

The inventory for any group of items or products, involving multiple stock-keeping units.

Air Container

Any unit load device, primarily intended for transport by air, having an internal volume of 1 m3 or more, incorporating restraint provisions compatible with an aircraft restraint system, and an entirely flush base bottom to allow handling on roller-bed cargo handling systems.

Air Waybill

Abbreviation: AWB
A document made out by or on behalf of the carrier(s) confirming receipt of the goods by the carrier and evidencing the contract between the shipper and the carrier(s) for the carriage of goods as described therein.

Allocation

The process of assigning activities, costs or facilities e.g. space to a certain organisational units.

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.

Always Afloat (AA)

Provision in a charter party, that the vessel must remain afloat at all times when unloading and discharging.

American Bureau of Shipping

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

Amidships

At or in the middle of a vessel.

Anchor

Device for temporary securing a ship or floating structure to the seabed by means of a chain or cable and a weight with movable extensions (arms)

Apparel

A vessel's outfit, such as rigging, anchor and lifeboats.
The term used in distribution/transport of clothing for a single piece of clothing, a garment.

Approved Continuous Examination Program

Abbreviation: ACEP
An agreement between the owners of the equipment and the responsible governmental body to allow continuous examination of the equipment (e.g. containers).

Apron

The area on an airport where aircrafts are parked for embarkation and/or loading and discharging purposes (air cargo).

Arbitration

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

Area Code

A code for the area where a container is situated.

Area Off Hire Lease

Geographical area where a leased container becomes off hire.

Area Off Hire Sublease

Geographical area where a subleased container becomes off hire.

Area On Hire Lease

Geographical area where a leased container becomes on hire.

Area On Hire Sublease

Geographical area where a subleased container becomes on hire.

Area of Repair

Geographical area where a container is under repair.

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.

Articles Dangereux de Route

Abbreviation: ADR
A European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road.

Assembly

The stage of production in which components are put together into an end product appropriate to the process concerned.

Assignment

The transfer of certain rights from one party to another.

Astern

Behind a vessel or an aircraft.
Backward; in a reverse direction.

Athwartships

Across the vessel, that is, from side to side. Said of cargo stowed in this way, as opposed to length-wise.

Audit

A methodical examination and review of a situation or condition (as within a business enterprise) concluding with a detailed report of findings.

Audit Trail

A record of events, such as system access, network load, unsuccessful log-on attempts, that might have some significance for an investigation.

Authentication

Proof by means of a signature or otherwise that a certain document or certain data is of undisputed origin and genuine.

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.

Auto Container

Container equipped for the transportation of vehicles.

Automated Guided Vehicle System

Unmanned vehicles equipped with automatic guidance equipment which follow a prescribed path, stopping at each necessary station for automatic or manual loading or unloading.

Automatic Identification

A means of identifying an item e.g. a product, parcel or transport unit by a machine (device) entering the data automatically into a computer.
The most widely used technology at present is bar code; others include radio frequency, magnetic stripes and optical character recognition.

Automatic Identification Manufacturers

Abbreviation: AIM
International Organisation of companies and/or associations involved or interested in automatic identification.

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.

Aweigh

Description of the situation when the anchor has just been lifted from the seabed

Awning

Light structure with canvas or wooden covering rigged above an open space to provide protection from sun or rain.

B/L

Bill of Lading

BC Code

Safe working practice code for solid bulk cargo.

BSI Container Specification

British Standards Institution Specification for freight containers.

Back Haul

The return movement of a means of transport which has provided a transport service in one direction.

Back Letter

Back letters are drawn up in addition to a contract in order to lay down rights and/or obligations between both contracting parties, which, for some reason cannot be included in the original contract.
This expression is sometimes used for letters of indemnity, which are drawn up if the condition of the goods loaded gives rise to remarks and, nevertheless, the shipper insists upon receiving clean Bills of Lading. Letters of indemnity are only allowed in very exceptional circumstances.

Back Order

A customer order or commitment, which is unfilled due to insufficient stock.

Back Scheduling

A method of obtaining a production schedule by working backwards from the required due date in order to predict the latest start date consistent with meeting that due date.

Backlog

1. The quantity of goods still to be delivered, received, produced, issued, etc., for which the planned or agreed date has expired.
2. The total number of customer orders which have been received but not yet been shipped.

Balespace

The balespace of a vessel is the capacity of cargo spaces under deck (including hatchways but excluding void spaces behind cargo battens and beams) expressed in cubic meters or cubic feet.

Ballast

Materials solely carried to improve the trim and the stability of the vessel. In vessels usually water is carried as ballast in tanks, specially designed for that purpose.

Bank Guarantee

An undertaking by a ank 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.

Banking System

For marine purposes the practice of always keeping more than one piece of cargo on the quay or in the vessel ready for loading or discharging in order to avoid delays and to obtain optimal use of the loading gear.
Baplie
An EDI message to convey the Bayplan on occupied and empty slots in a certain vessel at a particular time.

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.

Bare Boat Charter

A charter whereby the charterer leases the bare ship and appoints the master and crew himself.

Barge

Flat bottomed inland cargo vessel for canals and rivers with or without own propulsion for the purpose of transporting goods.

Bars

Special devices mounted on container doors to provide a watertight locking.

Base

Home depot of container or trailer.

Basic Stock

Items of an inventory intended for issue against demand during the re-supply lead time.

Batch

A collection of products or data which is treated as one entity with respect to certain operations e.g. processing and production.

Batch Lot

A definite quantity of some product manufactured or produced under conditions which are presumed uniform and for production control purposes passing as a unit through the same series of operations.

Batch Production

The production process where products/components are produced in batches and where each separate batch consists of a number of the same products/components.

Battens

Members protruding from the inside walls of a vessel's hold or a (thermal) container to keep away the cargo from the walls to provide an air passage. They may be integral with the walls, fastened to the walls or added during cargo handling.

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.

Beh?ertragwagen

Abbreviation: B.T. Wagen
A container wagon of the German Railways.

Benchmarking

The measurement and comparison with a standard or others of efforts and results in the business process for e.g. input, output, reliability, quality and customer satisfaction.
Note: For Samsara Group it is the comparative search for the best practices (processes) that will lead to superior performance of the company.
It must be seen as a positive and pro-active process to make the company's operations lean and improve quality and productivity.

Bending-moment

Is the result of vertical forces acting on a ship as a result of local differences between weight and buoyancy.
The total of these forces should be zero, otherwise change of draft will occur.
At sea the bending moment will change as a result of wave impact which than periodically changes the buoyancy distribution.
Note: The maximum allowed bending moment of a vessel is restricted by the class bureau to certain limits, which are different under port and sea conditions.

Berne Gauge

The most restrictive loading gauge (standard measure) or the lowest common denominator of loading gauges on the railways of continental Europe.

Berth

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

Best Practice

The provision to a client of examples and constructive consultation for improved logistics processes in the delivery of goods and services.

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:
1. A receipt for goods, signed by a duly authorised person on behalf of the carriers.
2. A document of title to the goods described therein.
3. Evidence of the terms and conditions of carriage agreed upon between the two parties.
At the moment 3 different models are used:
1. A document for either Combined Transport or Port to Port shipments depending whether the relevant spaces for place of receipt and/or place of delivery are indicated on the face of the document.
2. A classic marine Bill of Lading in which the carrier is also responsible for the part of the transport actually performed by himself.
3. Sea Waybill: A non-negotiable document, which can only be made out to a named consignee. No surrender of the document by the consignee is required. 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.

Bimodal Trailer

1. A road semi-trailer with retractable running gear to allow mounting on a pair of rail boogies.
2. A trailer which is able to carry different types of standardised unit loads, (e.g. a chassis which is appropriate for the carriage of one FEU or two TEU's).

Binnacle

Support mounted on the bridge deck to hold the compass.

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.

Boat

A small open decked craft carried on board ships for a specific purpose e.g. lifeboat, workboat.

Boatman

Person who attends to the mooring and unmooring of vessels.

Bollard

Post, fixed to a quay or a vessel, for securing mooring ropes.

Bolster

See Container BolsterBona 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.
1. Bonded warehouse (place where goods can be placed under bond).
2. Bonded store (place on a vessel where goods are placed behind seal until the time that the vessel leaves the port or country again).
3. Bonded goods (dutiable goods upon which duties have not been paid i.e. goods in transit or warehoused pending customs clearance).

Booking

1. 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. Bordereau

Document used in road transport, listing the cargo carried on a road vehicle, often referring to appended copies of the road consignment note.

Bottleneck

A stage in a process which limits performance.
Note: Generally this is interpreted as a facility, function, department etc. that impedes performance, for example a warehouse or distribution centre where goods arrive at a faster rate than they can be transported or stored, thus causing stock-piling at improper moments or in unwanted areas.

Bottom Fittings

Special conical shaped devices inserted between a container and the permanent floor on the deck of a vessel in order to avoid shifting of the container during the voyage of this vessel.

Bottom Lift

Handling of containers with equipment attached to the four bottom corner fittings (castings).

Bottomry

Money borrowed against a ship, or its equipment, repaid with interest upon the ship's arrival at port, and forfeited should the ship sink.

Bow-truster

Machine located towards the forward end of a ship below the waterline, which can produce a lateral trust mostly by means of a propeller.

Box

Colloquial name for container (e.g. Box-club)

Box Pallet

Pallet with at least three fixed, removable or collapsible, vertical sides.

Branch Warehouse

See Distribution CentreBreak Bulk
1. To commence discharge.
2. To strip unitised cargo.

Break Bulk Cargo

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

Break-even Weight

The weight at which it is cheaper to charge the lower rate for the next higher weight-break multiplied by the minimum weight indicated, than to charge the higher rate for the actual weight of the shipment.

Breakwater

A structure on board a ship, fixed to an open deck forward intended to deflect and disperse head seas shipped over the bow.

Broken Stowage

The cargo space which is unavoidably lost when stowing cargo. The percentage of wasted space depends upon e.g. the kind of cargo, the packing and the used spaces.

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.

Bulkhead

1. Upright partition dividing compartments on board a vessel. The functions of bulkheads are:
-- To increase the safety of a vessel by dividing it into compartments.
-- To separate the engine room from the cargo holds.
-- To increase the transverse strength of a vessel.
-- To reduce the risk of spreading fire to other compartments.
2. A vertically mounted board to provide front wall protection against shifting cargo and commonly seen on platform trailers (road cargo).
3. A partition in a container, providing a plenum chamber and/or air passage for either return or supply air. It may be an integral part of the appliance or a separate construction.
4. A vertically mounted wall separating the fore respectively aft compartment from the rest of the aircraft (air cargo).

Bull Rings

Rings for lashing the cargo in containers.

Bulletin

Specialised reports for specific activity related events.

Bunker

(Tank) spaces on board a vessel to store fuel.

Bunker Adjustment Factor

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

Bunkers

Quantity of fuel on board a vessel.

Buoyancy

The upward force extended by the vertical component of integrated pressure acting on the hull below the waterline; usually calculated as being equal to the weight of the water displaced by the hull.

Bureau Veritas

French classification society.

Business Analyses

The process of investigating and evaluating an organisation to clarify processes and procedures.

Business Data Repository (BDR)

The accumulation of business data taken from a system to reuse this data in other systems.

Business Function

An upper level business activity that is achieved via the performance of component activities. Examples: Manufacturing, Shipping

Business Logistics

1. Logistics within a business system.
2. The co-ordinating function of material management and physical distribution, which executes the integral control of the goods flow.

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).

Business Process Redesign (BPR)

The process of redesigning business practice models including the exchange of data and services amongst the stakeholders (i.e. finance, merchandising, production, distribution) involved in the lifecycle of a client's product.

Business Rule

A Business Rule is a business condition under which data items are created, related and maintained.

Buyer

Party to which merchandise is sold.

Buyer's Market

A 'buyer's market' is considered to exist when goods can easily be secured and when the economic forces of business tend to cause goods to be priced at the purchaser's estimate of value. In other words, a state of trade favourable to the buyer, with relatively large supply and low prices.

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 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

Transport of goods between two ports or places located in the same country
Transport of cargo in a country other than the country where the vehicle is registered road-cargo)
The carriage of a container from a surplus area to an area specified by the Owner of that container, in exchange of which and during which the operator can use this container

Call

The visit of a vessel to a port.

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

The ability, in a given time, of a resource measured in quality and quantity
The quantity of goods which can be stored in or loaded into a warehouse, store and/or loaded into a means of transport at a particular time

Cargo

Goods transported or to be transported, all goods carried on a ship covered by a B/L. Any goods, wares, merchandise, and articles of every kind whatsoever carried on a ship, other than mail, ship's stores, ship's spare parts, ship's equipment, stowage material, crew's effects and passengers' accompanied baggage (IMO) Any property carried on an aircraft, other than mail, stores and accompanied or mishandled baggage Also referred to as 'goods' (ICAO)

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

A contract in which the shipowner agrees to place his vessel or a part of it at the disposal of a third party, the charterer, for the carriage of goods for which he receives a freight per ton cargo, or to let his vessel for a definite period or trip for which a hire is paid
synonym: Charter Contract

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

A wheeled carriage onto which an ocean container is mounted for inland conveyance
The part of a motor vehicle that includes the engine, the frame, suspension system, wheels, steering mechanism etc., but not the body

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

Anything called for as requirements before the performance or completion of something else
Contractual stipulations which are printed on a document or provided separately
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:
Movement and handling of goods (shipping, forwarding and stowage)
Customs formalities
Distribution of documents
Allocation of documents (freight and charges for the connected operations)
Special instructions (insurance, dangerous goods, goods release, additional documents required)

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:
a permanent character and accordingly strong enough to be suitable for repeated use
specially designed to facilitate the carriage of goods, by one or more modes of transport without intermediate reloading
fitted with devices permitting its ready handling, particularly from one mode of transport to another
so designed as to be easy to fill and empty
having an internal volume of 1 m3 or more
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.

Damage Report
Form on which physical damage is recorded (e.g. containers).

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.

Data
A re-interpretable representation of information in a formalised manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing.

Data Carrier
Medium designed to carry records of data entries.

Data Plate
A metal identification plate affixed to a container, which displays among others the gross and tare weights and external dimensions.

Deadfreight
Slots paid for but not used.

Deadload
The difference between the actual and calculated ship's draft.

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.

Decision Support System
Abbreviation: DSS
An interactive computer-based system which generates a number of alternatives to solve an unstructured problem. These alternatives are being interpreted by the manager (decision- maker), whereafter he decides which alternative is to be used to solve the problem.

Deck
Any extended horizontal structure in a vessel or an aircraft, serving as a floor and structural support, covering, partially or fully, a portion of the vessel or aircraft.

Declaration of Origin
Appropriate statement as to the origin of the goods, made in connection with their exportation by the manufacturer, producer, supplier, exporter or other competent person on the commercial invoice or any document relating to goods.

Declared Value for Carriage
The value of the goods declared to the carrier by the shipper for the purpose of determining charges or of establishing the limit of the carrier's liability for loss, damage or delay. It is also the basis for possible applicable valuation charges (air cargo).

Decoupling Inventory
A stock retained to make the independent control of two successive operations possible.

Decoupling Point
The point in the supply chain which provides a buffer between differing input and output rates.

Dedicated Service
1. A service specially designed for the use by one or more particular customers.
2. A service (e.g. feeder) totally under control of the Principal Line

Deep Tank
Tank fitted and equipped for the carriage of vegetable oil (e.g. palm oil and coconut oil) and other liquids in bulk. By means of oil-tight bulkheads and/or decks it is possible to carry different kinds of liquid in adjacent tanks. Deep tanks may be equipped with heating facilities in order to carry and discharge oil at the required temperature.

Default Charge
A (standard) charge applicable for a trade, stretch or location.
In the absence of specifics (not otherwise specified/enumerated) a general amount has been set.

Degroupage
Splitting up shipments into small consignments.

Delay in Transit (DIT)
Delay of shipment at the customer?s request.

Delivered At Frontier (...named place)
Abbreviation: DAF
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.

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

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

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

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

Delivering Carrier
The carrier who delivers the consignment to the consignee or his agent (air cargo).

Delivery
The process of delivering the consignment to the consignee at the agreed place.

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
1. A carrier?s delivery order (negotiable document) is used for splitting a B/L (after surrender) in different parcels and have the same function as a B/L.
2. The authorisation of the entitled party for the shipment to a party other than the consignee showed on the Air Waybill (air cargo).

Delivery Party
The party to which goods are to be delivered.

Delivery Reliability
The proportion of total delivery occasions in which the time, place, quality and quantity of products delivered accords with the order.

Delivery Schedule
The required and/or agreed time of delivery of goods or services purchased for a future period.

Delivery Service
The carriage of inbound consignments from the airport of destination to the address of the consignee or his designated agent or to the custody of the appropriate custom department agency when required (air cargo).

Delivery Time
The time between order and delivery.

Demand
The quantity of goods required by the market to be delivered in a particular period or at a specific date.

Demise Charter
A contract whereby the shipowner leases his vessel to the charterer for a period of time during which the whole use and management of the vessel passes to the charterer, which involves that the charterer is to pay all expenses for the operation and maintenance of the vessel. Officers and crew will become servants of the charterer.
A demise charter whereby the charterer has the right to place his own master and crew on board of the vessel is also called 'bareboat charter'.

Demurrage
1. A variable fee charged to carriers and/or customers for the use of Unit Load Devices (ULD's) owned by a carrier beyond the free time of shipment.
2. Additional charge imposed for exceeding the free time, which is included in the rate and allowed for the use of certain equipment at the terminal.

Density of Commodity
The mass of a commodity to its volume.

Dependent Demand
A demand directly related to or derived from the demand for other items or end products. Dependent demands are therefore calculated, and need not and should not be forecast.

Depot
The place designated by the carrier where empty containers are kept in stock and received from or delivered to the container operators or merchants.

Depot Location
The geographical place where one or more depots are situated.

Derrick
Lifting equipment on board a conventional vessel for loading and discharging cargo, consisting of a post attached to the deck and an inclined spar.

Despatch
The process of sending goods.

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.

Despatch Days
The days gained if the free time included in the rate and allowed for the use of certain equipment is not fully used.

Despatch Note (for post parcels)
Document which, according to the agreement concerning postal parcels, is to accompany post parcels.

Destination
1. Place for which goods or a vehicle is bound.
2. The ultimate stopping place according to the contract of carriage (air cargo).

Det Norske Veritas
Norwegian classification society.

Detention
Keeping equipment beyond the time allowed.
1. A variable fee charged to carriers and/or customers for the use of Unit Load Devices (ULD's) owned by a carrier beyond the free time of shipment.
2. Additional charge imposed for exceeding the free time, which is included in the rate and allowed for the use of certain equipment at the terminal.

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

Deterioration
The downgrading of a product due to long storage, damage to packing or other external influences.

Devanning
The unloading of cargo out of a container.

Deviation from a Route
A divergence from the agreed or customary route.

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

Direct Delivery
1. The conveyance of goods directly from the vendor to the buyer. Frequently used if a third party acts as intermediary agent between vendor and buyer.
2. Direct discharge from vessel onto railroad car, road vehicle or barge with the purpose of immediate transport from the port area (usually occurs when ports lack adequate storage space or when ports are not equipped to handle a specific cargo).

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

Direct Product Profitability
Abbreviation: DPP
System employed mainly within the retail sector for calculating the profit from any given product in any given position within the supply chain, requiring transparency and management of all logistic costs.

Direct Route
The shortest operated route between two points.

Disbursement
Sums paid out by a ship's agent at a port and recovered from the carrier.

Discharge
1. The unloading of a vehicle, a vessel or an aircraft.
2. The landing of cargo.

Discrepancy
Difference between the particulars given and the particulars found.

Discrete Code
A bar code in which the spaces between characters (inter character gaps) are not part of the code as each character begins and ends with a bar. The spaces can therefore vary in width, specified tolerances.
An example is Code 39.

Dispatch
The process of sending goods.

Displacement
The weight of the quantity of water displaced by the vessel. The displacement of the vessel on her light draft represents the weight of the vessel ready for use including stores etc.

Disposable Pallet
Pallet intended to be discarded after a single cycle of use.

Disposal Chain
A sequence of events in a goods-flow which gets rid of a specific good. This may include removal, recycling, waste dumping etc.

Disposal of Goods
The act of getting rid of goods.

Dispositioning
All activities relating to the inland movement of empty and or full containers.

Distribution
The set of activities which ensure the availability of goods in the desired quality, quantity, place and time for the customer.
See also: Physical Distribution

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.

Distribution Requirements Planning
Abbreviation: DRP-I
The function of determining the need to replenish stock at branch warehouses.

Distribution Resource Planning
Abbreviation: DRP-II
The set of concepts, procedures and techniques, being an extension of DRP-I, for the effective planning and control of the physical distribution.

Divider
A vertically mounted partition in a compartment on board of an aircraft.

Dock Bumpers
Cushioning devices (rubber, plastic, wood, etc.) mounted at the extreme rear of a chassis or trailer to take the impact when it backs into a loading dock or platform (road cargo).

Dock Receipt
Document issued by Liner acknowledging that goods are received for shipment.

Document
Anything printed, written, relied upon to record or prove something.

Document Holder
Usually fastened to the door on the front of a container. May contain e.g. a certificate of approval of the container.

Domestic Carriage
Carriage whereby the place of departure and the place of destination are situated within one country (air cargo).

Domestic Rate
Rate applicable within a country, and in most cases subject to special conditions other than those of IATA (air cargo).

Door Lock Bars
Special devices mounted on container doors to provide a watertight locking.

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 Banking
Two vessels moored alongside each other on a certain berth.

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

Double bottom
Construction of the bottom of a ship whereby a generally watertight space is formed between the shell and an inner bottom placed at a sufficient height above the baseline to allow access and to reduce risks due to grounding or colliding.

Double-deck Pallet
Flat pallet with a top and bottom deck.

Down Time
The period of time when a machine is not available for production due to a functional failure or maintenance.

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.

Draught
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
1. The hauling of a load by a cart with detachable sides (dray).
2. Road transportation between the nearest railway terminal and the stuffing place.

Drilling Rig
A structure, which drills wells in the bottom in order to search for oil.

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.

Dry Bulk Container
Container consisting of a cargo-carrying structure, firmly secured within a framework, for the carriage of dry solids in bulk without packaging.
Containers of this type have type codes 80 and 81.

Dry Cargo Container
Container which is designed for the carriage of goods other than liquids.

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.

Econometric Models
A system of simultaneous equations for forecasting, based on mutual dependency among the variables used.

Economic Speed
That speed of a means of transport which produces the best possible financial result for the owner. Such speed should not be in excess of the maximum or minimum output allowed for the engine(s).

Economy of Scale
A phenomenon which encourages the production of larger volumes of a commodity to reduce its unit cost by distributing fixed costs over a greater quantity.

Electronic Business
The process of transacting business electronically. This includes the sharing of unstructured of structured business information by any electronic means among suppliers, customers, governmental bodies, service providers and other parties in order to conduct and execute transactions in business, administrative and other activities.

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).

Elevator
Equipment used to discharge some bulk cargoes such as grain which is removed from the hold by a continuous line of buckets or by suction and carried on a conveyor belt to store.

Email (Electronic mail)
The sending of unstructured messages through the use of computer systems from one person to others.

Embargo
1. A government order prohibiting the entry or departure of commercial vessels or goods at its ports.
2. The refusal by a carrier, for a limited period, to accept for transport over any route or segment thereof, and to or from any area or point, of a connecting carrier, any commodity, type of class of cargo duly tendered (air cargo).

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

Encryption
A method of converting information into a form which can be transmitted over insecure channels such as phone lines so that confidentiality is preserved.

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.

Enquiry
Document issued by a party interested in the purchase of goods specified therein and indicating particular, desirable conditions regarding delivery terms, etc., addressed to a prospective supplier with a view to obtaining an offer.

Ensign
1. Flag declaring a ship's country of registry.
2. Commissioned officer, lowest rank.

Enterprise
An Organisation created to provide products and/or services to customers.

Entity
A tangible or abstract thing of relevance to business about which data may be kept. Example: Customer, Order.

Equipment
Material resources necessary to facilitate the transport and handling of cargo. Transport equipment does under the given circumstances not have the ability to move by its own propulsion (e.g. sea container, trailer, unit load device, pallet).

Equipment Damage Report
Abbreviation: EDR
Written statement concerning damage to equipment, based on a physical inspection.

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.

European Article Numbering Association
Abbreviation: EAN
An international body responsible for administering the European Article Numbering system.
It has affiliates in many countries such as: CCG in West Germany, DCC in Japan, ANA in the United Kingdom.
Note: The North American body responsible for the Uniform Product Code (UPC) coding is the Uniform Code Council. (UPC is considered a subset of EAN).

European Pallet Pool
Pool for the exchange of standard size pallets (the so-called Europallets) in European cargo traffic, formed in 1961 by a number of European rail administrators.

European Zone Charge
Abbreviation: EZC
A charge for inland haulage transport in case of carrier haulage in Europe.

Even Keel
Said of a vessel which is balanced in such a way that the draft forward and aft is the same as the draft in the midship of the vessel on both sides.

Event
An occurrence.

Evidence
Something which supports a claim or hypothesis.

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

Exceptions Clause
A clause in a contract, which relieves the carrier's responsibility for certain events.

Excess
Going over the prescribed amount or degree e.g. excess luggage is luggage of which the weight is over the weight for free carriage.

Excess Stock
That portion of stock on hand which is over and above the desired stock level.

Exchange Rate
The rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another, usually expressed as the value of the one in terms of the other.

Execution
The actual act of carrying out a task.

Exemption Clause
A clause in a contract, which relieves the carrier's responsibility for certain events.

Expected
Likely to occur or appear.

Expediting
The 'rushing' or 'chasing' of production or purchase orders which are needed in less than the normal lead time.

Expendable Pallet
Pallet intended to be discarded after a single cycle of use.

Expenses
Costs paid out in connection with booking of cargo and arranging transport (e.g. commission).

Expiration
Termination of a certain period.

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.

Export Packer
Company, packing goods for export.

Exporter
The party responsible for the export of goods.

Extract
Summary or copy of something written, e.g. used in connection with the log book.

FAL Facilitation Committee of the IMO.

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.

Fabrication
A term used to distinguish manufacturing operations for components as opposed to assembly operations.

Facilitation
The implementation of measures leading to the simplification, standardisation and harmonisation of the formalities, procedures, documents and operations inherent to international trade transactions.

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.

Fairway
A navigable channel for vessels, often the regular or prescribed track a vessel will follow in order to avoid dangerous circumstances.

Fashion Transport
Transport of clothing and/or garments including shoes, belts and handbags in dedicated means of transport.

Feed Back
The flow of information back into the control system so that actual performance can be compared with planned performance.

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.

Fender
An appliance made of rubber, timber and/or rope or other materials normally attached to a dock or quay used to prevent damage to the hull of a vessel especially during mooring and un-mooring operations.

Ferry
Ship carrying passengers and or vehicles engaged in regular short voyages, e.g. across a river or narrow body of water, between two or more places or ports.

Fifth Wheel
Circular or wheel-shaped bearing mechanism, secured on the rear of the chassis of a truck- tractor that engages the semi-trailer king pin with a spring lock device and supports the weight of the front end of the semi-trailer.

First Carrier
The carrier who actually performs the first part of the air transport (air cargo).

First In First Out
Abbreviation: FIFO
The method whereby the goods which have been longest in stock (first in) are used, delivered (sold) and/or consumed first (first out).

Five Freedoms
A collective term which depicts the five areas of 'rights' for the air-transportation of passengers or cargo, viz. (expressed in terms of an airline of country A):
Freedom 1 the right to overfly a foreign country.
Freedom 2 the right to make a non-traffic stop at a foreign country C en route to foreign country B.
Freedom 3 the right to set down (off loading) passengers or cargo in a foreign country B from home country A.
Freedom 4 the right to pick up (loading) passengers/ cargo from a foreign country B to country A.
Freedom 5 the right to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries.

Fixed Crane
A crane of which the principal structure is mounted on permanent or semi-permanent foundations.

Fixed Height Load-carrying Truck
Truck carrying its load on a non-elevating platform.

Fixed Platform Truck
Truck carrying its load on a non-elevating platform.

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
A container with two end walls and open sides.

Flat Bed Trailer
A wheeled trailer or a semi-trailer with a flat cargo carrying surface or deck and without any superstructure.

Flat Pack
Garments packed in cardboard boxes.

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.

Flexibility
The extent to which and the rate at which adjustments to changed circumstances are possible.

Flight Number
A combination of two letters, indicating the airline, and three or four digits indicating the number of the voyage.

Floating
Freely suspending in water of an object.

Floating Crane
A crane mounted on a barge or pontoon, which can be towed or is self-propelled.

Floating Dock
A floating structure which can be partially submerged to enable vessels to enter and to leave and which can be raised for use as a dry dock.

Floating Stock
The amount of goods in a pipeline: the sum of loading stock, goods in transit and receiving stock

Flotsam
Goods lost by shipwreck, found floating in the sea.

Flow Chart
A diagram, using symbols and depicting the sequence of events that should take place in a complex set of tasks.

Flow Control
A term often used to describe a specific production control system.

Flow Line
The direction of flow in which e.g. pallets have been positioned and stowed.

Flow of materials
The flow of materials and components which goes to and through the factory for the production process.

Fo'c's'le
Forward part of a vessel where stores, ropes and anchor chains are located.

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.

Fore and Aft Stowage
Stowage from the bow to the stern (lengthwise), as opposed to stowage athwartships.

Forecast
1. An estimation or calculation in advance; a prediction.
2. The amount of cargo expected to be booked for a certain sailing of a vessel.
3. The number of containers expected to be used in a certain area, for steering purposes.

Forecastle
Abbreviation: Fo'c's'le
Forward part of a vessel where stores, ropes and anchor chains are located.

Fork Lift Pockets
Openings or recesses in a side of a container for the entry of the forks of a fork lift truck.

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

Fork Pockets
Openings or recesses in a side of a container for the entry of the forks of a fork lift truck.

Formal Performance Evaluation
Evaluation of carrier's performance as per agreed contract.

Forms EDI
A screen presenting to a user the contents of an EDI message in a manner that is easy to use and interpret. The form may reside on a web site or the computer of the party viewing or completing the form. The form may be based on the UN Layout key (UNLK).

Formula of Camp
A mathematical formula on behalf of inventory management for calculating the optimum order quantity.

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

Forward
At, near or towards the bow or front of a vessel or an aircraft.

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.

Four Way Pallet
A pallet of which the frame permits the entry of forks of e.g. a fork lift truck at all four sides.

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.)

Gangway
Bridge laid from an opening in the railing or side of a vessel to the shore or to a platform with the purpose of giving access to and from the vessel.

Gantry Crane
A crane or hoisting machine mounted on a frame or structure spanning an intervening space, which often travels on rails.

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

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

Gen-set
Motor generator set as power source for, e.g., thermal containers.

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 Average Statement
This shows in detail all general average costs and expenses and the contribution of each interest in the general average in proportion to its value.

General Cargo
1. Cargo, consisting of goods, unpacked or packed, for example in cartons, crates, bags or bales, often palletised. General cargo can be shipped either in breakbulk or containerised.
2. Any consignment other than a consignment containing valuable cargo and charged for transport at general cargo rates (air cargo).

General Cargo Rate
Abbreviation: GCR
The rate for the carriage of cargo other than a class rate or specific commodity rate (air 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.

Germanischer Lloyd
German classification society.

Godown
A warehouse or cargo shed. This term is often used in the Far East.

Goods
1. Common term indicating movable property, merchandise or wares.
2. All materials which can be used to satisfy demands.
3. Whole or part of the cargo received from the shipper, including any equipment supplied by the shipper.

Goods Control Certificate
Document issued by a competent body evidencing the quality of goods described therein, in accordance with national or international standards, or conforming to legislation in the importing country, or as specified in the contract.

Goods Flow
The direction and path of the movement of goods and sequence of placement of those goods in a supply chain.

Goods Item
A separate identifiable quantity of products or articles of a single type.

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.

Gooseneck
1. Gooseneck shaped front end of a trailer or chassis.
2. Recess front bottom of a container to reduce the total height of the chassis plus container.

Green Equipment Availability
The availability of environmentally friendly equipment for transport.

Grid Number
An indication of the position of a container in a bay plan by means of a combination of page number, column and line. The page number often represents the bay number.

Gross Manifest
A manifest containing freight details without any appropriate disbursements.

Gross Tonnage
Abbreviation: GRT
The measure of the overall size of a vessel determined in accordance with the provisions of the international convention on measurement of vessels usually expressed in register ton.

Gross Weight
1. Weight (mass) of goods including packing, but excluding the carrier's equipment expressed in whole kilograms.
2. The weight of a shipment including materials necessary for blocking etc. (air cargo).

Gross Weight of Container
Total weight of container including cargo (in kilograms).

Groundage
Charge for permission to anchor.

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

Groupage Centre
A location where groupage activities take place (road-cargo).

Guarantee for customs
An enforceable legal instrument with which a customs administration can recover duties and taxes which become payable in the event of irregularities during a transit movement.

Hague Protocol Amendment of the Warsaw convention at The Hague, September 28, 1955 (air 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.

Half Height Container
An open top container, fitted with or without soft or hard cover, 4'3" in height.

Halyard
Light rope or tackle fitted to a staff, spar or gaff used for flying flags.

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

Handling Instructions
Indication how cargo is to be handled.

Handling Service
Service concerning the physical handling of cargo.

Harbour
Place of shelter for vessels. Most of the time used as an indication for the geographical location.

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.

Hatch Cover
Watertight means of closing the hatchway of a vessel.

Hatch Way
Opening in the deck of a vessel through which cargo is loaded into, or discharged from the hold and which is closed by means of a hatch cover.

Haulage
The inland carriage of cargo or containers between named locations/points.
1. Merchant inspired Carrier Haulage or customer nominated Carrier Haulage or shipper preferred Carrier Haulage service performed by a sub-contractor of the merchant.
2. Carrier inspired Merchant Haulage means Haulage service performed by a sub- contractor of the Carrier

Haulier
Road carrier.

Header Board
See Bulkhead (road cargo)

Heated Container
Thermal container served by a heat producing appliance.

Heavy Lift
Single commodity exceeding the capacity of normal loading equipment and requiring special equipment and rigging methods for handling.

Heavy Lift Vessel
A vessel specially designed and equipped for the carriage of heavy cargo.

Hedging
Buying or selling earlier and more than really needed in order to protect the company against price increases or shortages of commodities or components to realise profits when prices fluctuate.

Heuristic
The process of solving problems by evaluating each step in the progress, searching for satisfactory solutions rather than optimal solutions. It comprises XE "A form of problem solving where the results are determined by ex" a form of problem solving where the results are determined by experience or intuition instead of by optimisation.

Hinterland
The inland area served by a certain port.

Hitchment Cargo
An amount of goods which is added to an original consignment as the owner and the destination are the same as those of the original consignment.

Hogged
Loading condition of a vessel in such a way that the centre of the vessel is slightly raised (arch-wise in the centre).

Hold
The space below the deck of a vessel, used to carry cargo.

Home Port
The port of registration of a vessel.

Hot Hatch
Sequenced on deck loading of containers to enable priority discharge at arrival port ? usually required for direct discharge to vehicle to meet a Just In Time delivery.

House Address
Place of receipt respectively delivery (name and address) in case of carrier haulage.

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.

Huckepack Carriage
The carriage of road vehicles and trailers on railway wagons.

Hull
Outer shell of a vessel, made of steel plates or other suitable material to keep water outside the vessel.

Husbanding
Taking care of a vessel's non cargo related operations as instructed by the master or owner of such vessel.

Goods
1. Common term indicating movable property, merchandise or wares.
2. All materials which can be used to satisfy demands.
3. Whole or part of the cargo received from the shipper, including any equipment supplied by the shipper.

Goods Control Certificate
Document issued by a competent body evidencing the quality of goods described therein, in accordance with national or international standards, or conforming to legislation in the importing country, or as specified in the contract.

Goods Flow
The direction and path of the movement of goods and sequence of placement of those goods in a supply chain.

Goods Item
A separate identifiable quantity of products or articles of a single type.

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.

Gooseneck
1. Gooseneck shaped front end of a trailer or chassis.
2. Recess front bottom of a container to reduce the total height of the chassis plus container.

Green Equipment Availability
The availability of environmentally friendly equipment for transport.

Grid Number
An indication of the position of a container in a bay plan by means of a combination of page number, column and line. The page number often represents the bay number.

Gross Manifest
A manifest containing freight details without any appropriate disbursements.

Gross Tonnage
Abbreviation: GRT
The measure of the overall size of a vessel determined in accordance with the provisions of the international convention on measurement of vessels usually expressed in register ton.

Gross Weight
1. Weight (mass) of goods including packing, but excluding the carrier's equipment expressed in whole kilograms.
2. The weight of a shipment including materials necessary for blocking etc. (air cargo).

Gross Weight of Container
Total weight of container including cargo (in kilograms).

Groundage
Charge for permission to anchor.

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

Groupage Centre
A location where groupage activities take place (road-cargo).

Guarantee for customs
An enforceable legal instrument with which a customs administration can recover duties and taxes which become payable in the event of irregularities during a transit movement.

Identification The unique data, e.g. name, number or code, determining a certain object or person.

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

Ignition
Setting on fire or catching fire.

Implants
Focal points of detached personnel situated within customers? premises to co-ordinate and advise on the customers? logistics activity, often replacing in-house functions and resource.

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.
See Inco Terms

Indemnification
Compensation for a loss and/or the expenses incurred.

Independent Demand
A demand which is unrelated to demand for other products. Demand for finished goods, parts required for destructive testing and service parts requirements are examples of independent demand.

Indirect Route
Any route other than the direct route.

Infrastructure
System of roads, waterways, airfields, ports and/or telecommunication networks in a certain area.

Inland Clearance Depot
Abbreviation: ICD
Inland location where cargo, particularly containerised cargo, may be cleared by customs.

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.

Insulated Container
Thermal container without the use of devices for cooling and/or heating.

Insulated Tank Container
Container frame holding one or more thermal insulated tanks for liquids.

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.

Integrated Logistics Support
The systematic approach applied to simultaneous management and acquisition of equipment and related logistics support, in order to provide the customer with a desired level of availability. Resulting in an optimum life cycle cost and to maintain this level through the entire life cycle.

Integrity
The prevention of unauthorised modification of information.

Interchange
Reciprocal exchange of e.g. information between two or more parties.

Intercoastal
As opposite to coastal water operations, intercoastal refers to water transport carried out between coasts (e.g. between Pacific and Atlantic coasts).

Intercontainer
A co-operative formed by 19 European Railways, for the management of international rail container traffic in Europe.

Interline
Two or more road transport companies joining operations to bring cargo to a certain destination.

Interline Carrier
A carrier with whom another carrier has an interline agreement.

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 Carriage
Carriage whereby the place of departure and any place of landing are situated in more than one country.

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 Civil Aviation Organization
Abbreviation: ICAO
An international organisation of governments, dealing with search and rescue in distress, weather information, telecommunications and navigational requirements.

International Labour Organization
Abbreviation: ILO
An United Nations agency, dealing with employment rights and working conditions, covering work at sea and in ports.

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).

International Medical Guide for Ships
Abbreviation: IMGS
'The doctor at sea'.

International Organization for Standardization
Abbreviation: ISO
A world-wide federation of national standards institutes (ISO member bodies).

International Safety Management Code
This international standard for the safe management and operation of ships prescribes rules for the organisation of a shipping company management in the context of safety and pollution prevention and requires the development and implementation of a safety management system.

Inventory
1. A detailed list of goods located in a certain space or belonging to a specified object.
2. Goods available for satisfying certain demands. Inventories may consist of finished goods ready for sale, they may be parts or intermediate items, they may be work in process, or they may be raw materials.

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

Issuing Carrier
The carrier whose Air Waybill is issued (air cargo).

Item
Separate article or unit.

Itinerary
The route of a means of transport, indicated by the names of the ports of call or other locations, often including estimated arrival and departure dates.

Goods
1. Common term indicating movable property, merchandise or wares.
2. All materials which can be used to satisfy demands.
3. Whole or part of the cargo received from the shipper, including any equipment supplied by the shipper.

Goods Control Certificate
Document issued by a competent body evidencing the quality of goods described therein, in accordance with national or international standards, or conforming to legislation in the importing country, or as specified in the contract.

Goods Flow
The direction and path of the movement of goods and sequence of placement of those goods in a supply chain.

Goods Item
A separate identifiable quantity of products or articles of a single type.

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.

Gooseneck
1. Gooseneck shaped front end of a trailer or chassis.
2. Recess front bottom of a container to reduce the total height of the chassis plus container.

Green Equipment Availability
The availability of environmentally friendly equipment for transport.

Grid Number
An indication of the position of a container in a bay plan by means of a combination of page number, column and line. The page number often represents the bay number.

Gross Manifest
A manifest containing freight details without any appropriate disbursements.

Gross Tonnage
Abbreviation: GRT
The measure of the overall size of a vessel determined in accordance with the provisions of the international convention on measurement of vessels usually expressed in register ton.

Gross Weight
1. Weight (mass) of goods including packing, but excluding the carrier's equipment expressed in whole kilograms.
2. The weight of a shipment including materials necessary for blocking etc. (air cargo).

Gross Weight of Container
Total weight of container including cargo (in kilograms).

Groundage
Charge for permission to anchor.

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

Groupage Centre
A location where groupage activities take place (road-cargo).

Guarantee for customs
An enforceable legal instrument with which a customs administration can recover duties and taxes which become payable in the event of irregularities during a transit movement.

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
1. Projecting arm of a crane.
2. Attachment connected to the top of a crane boom.

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.

Kanban
A method which during storage uses standard units or lot sizes with a single card attached to each.

A pull system used at a stock point in which a supply batch is ordered only when a previous batch is withdrawn.

Note: Kanban in Japanese means loosely translated 'card or sign'.

Keel
Longitudinal girder at the lowest point of a vessel from which the framework is built.

Kimbal Tag
A label containing bar coded information about product size, colour etc.

Kind of Packing
Description of the packaging material used for goods to be transported.

King Pin
The coupling pin, welded or bolted in the centre of the front underside of a semi-trailer chassis, which couples to the fifth wheel of the towing tractor or dolly convertor.

Knot
Unit of measurement for the speed (of a vessel) equal to a nautical mile (= 1852 metres) per hour.

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.

Laden Vessel
Vessel where cargo has been put on board.

Land Bridge
Overland transport between following and/or preceding sea transport of goods and/or containers.

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

Lashing Point
Point on a means of transport to which wires, chains, ropes or straps, which are used to hold goods in position, are attached.

Last Carrier
The participating airline over which air routes the last section of carriage under the Air Waybill is undertaken or performed (air cargo).

Last In First Out
Abbreviation: LIFO
A method of which the assumption is that the most recently received (last in) is the first to be used or sold (first out).

Lateral and Front Stacking Truck
High-lift stacking truck capable of stacking and retrieving loads ahead and on either or both sides of the driving direction.

Latitude
The angular distance of a position on its meridian north or south from the equator, measured in degrees ('a vessel at 25 degrees north latitude').

Lay Days
The number of days allowed in a charter party for the loading and discharging of cargo. Lay days may be indicated in different ways e.g. consecutive days, working days, weather working days.

Lay Up a Vessel
Temporary cessation of trading of a vessel by the shipowner.

Layout Key
Abbreviation: UNLK
A standard (ISO6422) which lays down the basic principles for the design of the image area on documents for use in international trade.

Lazaretto
Place where goods are fumigated, or where a person under quarantine is quartered.

Lead Time
1. The amount of time between the request of a service and the actual provision of this service.
2. A span of time required to perform an activity. In a logistics context, the time between the initiation of a process and its completion.

Lease
A contract by which one party gives to another party the use of property or equipment, e.g. containers, for a specified time against fixed payments.

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

Leasing Contract
A contract for the leasing of property or equipment.

Less than Container Load
Abbreviation: LCL
1. A general reference for identifying cargo in any quantity intended for carriage in a container, where the Carrier is responsible for packing and/or unpacking the container.
2. For operational purposes a LCL (Less than full container load) container is considered a container in which multiple consignments or parts thereof are shipped.

Less than Truck Load
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.

Levant
Eastern end of the Mediterranean.

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.

Life Cycle Cost
Encompasses all costs associated with the product's life cycle. These include all costs involved in acquisition (research & development, design, production & construction, and phase-in), operation, support and disposal of the product.

Lift-On Lift-Off Vessel
Abbreviation: LOLO
Vessel of which the loading and discharging operations are carried out by cranes and derricks.

Lighter
Flat bottomed inland cargo vessel for canals and rivers with or without own propulsion for the purpose of transporting goods.

Lighter Aboard Ship
Abbreviation: Lash
A vessel which carries barges.

Lighterage
The carriage of goods within a port area by a barge, e.g. from a vessel to a quay.

Lightweight
Weight of an empty vessel including equipment and outfit, spare parts required by the regulatory bodies, machinery in working condition and liquids in the systems, but excluding liquids in the storage tanks, stores and crew.

Line Item
Each line on a customer's purchase order. An order line always contains one Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) only, but the number may vary.

Line Number
A combination of two letters, indicating the airline, and three or four digits indicating the number of the voyage

Linear Programming
A mathematical procedure for minimising or maximising a linear function of several variables, subject to a finite number of linear restrictions on these variables.

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 Service
The connection through vessels between ports within a trade.

Liner Shipping Company
A company transporting goods over sea in a regular service.

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

List
Inclination of a ship to port or starboard caused by eccentric weights such as cargo or ballast.

Live Stock
Cargo consisting of live animals, such as horses, cows, sheep and chickens.

Lloyd's Register of Shipping
British classification society.

Load
Quantity or nature of what is being carried. This term normally refers to transport by truck.

Load Factor Management
The process of maximising the utilisation of the (slot) capacity of vessels and or other means of transport.

Loaden Vessel
Vessel where cargo has been put on board.

Loading
The process of bringing cargo into a means of transport or equipment.

Loading Platform
A flat surface to facilitate loading usually alongside a warehouse.

Loadmaster
A load-calculator designed for a vessel approved by a classification bureau for the calculation of the vessels stability.

Local Charge
The charge which applies to carriage over the lines of a single carrier.

Local Rate
The charge which applies to carriage over the lines of a single carrier.

Locating Pin
Devices for facilitating the loading, positioning and lashing of containers. The cones insert into the bottom castings of the container.

Location
1. Any named geographical place, recognised by a competent national body, with permanent facilities used for goods movements associated with international trade, and used frequently for these purposes.
2. Geographical place such as a port, an airport, an inland freight terminal, a container freight station, a container yard, a container depot, a terminal or any other place where customs clearance and/or regular receipt or delivery of goods can take place.
3. An area (e.g. in a warehouse) marked off or designated for a specific purpose.

Lock
For marine purposes: A space, enclosed at the sides by walls and at each end by gates, by which a vessel can be floated up or down to a different level.

Locker
A compartment, in a shed or on board of a vessel, used as a safekeeping place to stow valuable goods, which can be secured by means of a lock.

Log Book
The daily report, authenticated by the master of all events and other relevant particulars of a vessel, attested by the proper authorities as a true record.

Logistics (CEN)
The planning, execution and control
• of the movement and placement of people and/or goods
• and of the supporting activities related to such movement and placement within a system organised to achieve specific objectives.

Logistics Chain
All successive links involved in the logistic process.

Longitude
The angular distance of a position on the equator east or west of the standard Greenwich meridian up to 180o east or west.

Lorry
Motor truck used for transport of goods.
Note: Motor truck is an American term. British synonym for motor truck is Heavy Goods Vehicle. This British term means any vehicle exceeding 7.5 metric tons maximum laden weight.

Luffing Crane
A crane with which the load can be moved to or from the crane horizontally.

Luggage
Travellers' baggage, suitcases, boxes etc., normally accompanied by a passenger.

Lump-sum
An agreed sum of money, which is paid in full settlement at one time. This term is often used in connection with charter parties.

Lump-sum Charter
A voyage charter whereby the shipowner agrees to place the whole or a part of the vessel's capacity at the charterer's disposal for which a lump-sum freight is being paid.

Mafi Trailer German brand name of a roll trailer used for RoRo purposes.

Maiden Trip
First voyage of a vessel or aircraft after delivery from new-building to her owner(s).

Main Carriage
The primary stage in the movement of cargo from the point of origin to the intended final destination.
EDIFACT el.8051

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.

Maintenance Chain
A sequence of events in a goods flow which preserves and/or restores the value of a specific good. This may include repairs.

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 Samsara a manifest represents a cumulation of Bills of Lading for official and administrative purposes.

Manufacturers Plate
A plate indicating the name and address of the container manufacturer and particulars of the container.

Manufacturing Process
The producing of goods or wares by manual labour or machinery, often on a large scale and with division of labour.

Manufacturing Resource Planning
Abbreviation: MRP-II
A method for the effective planning of a manufacturing company, being a direct out-growth and extension of MRP-I.

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

Market Analysis
Systematic investigation of the growth and the composition of a market.

Marketing
The process of organising and directing all the company activities which relate to determining the market demand and converting the customers buying power into an effective demand for a service and bringing that service to the customer.

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.

Master Data
The set of data that is needed to establish sufficient reference material to support the maximum use of pre-coded, pre-agreed information enabling more efficient transaction messaging.

Master Production Schedule
Abbreviation: MPS
A realistic, detailed, manufacturing plan for which all possible demands upon the manufacturing facilities (such as available personnel, working hours, (management) policy and goals) have been considered and are visualised. The MPS is a statement of what the company expects to produce and purchase expressed in selected items, specific quantities and dates.

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.

Material Requirements Planning
Abbreviation: MRP-I
An inventory and purchasing planning system that integrates product components, lead times and deadlines.

Materials Handling
The activities of loading, unloading, placing and manipulating material and of in-process movement.

Materials Management
The planning and control of the activities related to the materials flow from the suppliers up to the end of the conversion/production process.

Means of Transport
Type of vehicle used for the transport of goods (e.g. aircraft, barge, truck, vessel or train).

Measurement Ton
A ton of one cubic metre water.

Mechanics Lien
The legal enforceable claim, which a person who has performed work or provided materials is, permitted to make against title to the property or as a preferential person in the event the estate or business is liquidated.

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

Memo Bill
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:
• Name of Carrier on whose behalf the original document (Way Bill, Bill of Lading, etc.) was issued.
• The original document number. The agent who issued the original document and his opponent at the discharging side.
• The number of packages, weight and measurement, marks and numbers and goods description.
• Further mandatory details in case of special cargo.
No freight details will be mentioned and the Memo Bill is not a contract of carriage.

Merchant
For cargo carried under the terms and conditions of the Carrier's Bill of Lading and of a tariff, it means any trader or persons (e.g. Shipper, Consignee) and including anyone acting on their behalf, owning or entitled to possession of the 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.

Meta-centric Height
The distance between the centre of gravity of a vessel and a fictitious point. If the metra- centric height is zero or negative, the vessel will heel or capsize.

Minimum Charge
The lowest amount which applies to the transport of a consignment, irrespective of weight or volume.

Minimum Inventory
The planned minimum allowable inventory for an independent demand item.

Minor Unit
Unit of recorded value (i.e. as recorded by banks) which is a division of the respective unit of currency.
Examples are the cent being a one hundredth part of the US Dollar.
Note: Some countries have minor units that are used in low-value coinage within a country or locality, but which are not used by the international banking system in making formal records of value. Examples: Belgium, Greece and Spain.

Mixed Consignment
A consignment of different commodities, articles or goods, packed or tied together or contained in separate packages.

Mode of Transport
Method of transport used for the conveyance of goods, (e.g. by rail, by road, by sea).

Model
A representation of a process or system that attempts to relate the most important variables in the system in such a way that analysis of the model leads to insights into the system.

Module
A separate and distinct unit of hardware or software that may be used as a component in a system.

Movement
The act or process of changing the position of an object and or people.

Movement Inventory
The inventory during a production process caused by the time required to move goods from one place to another.

Multi Purpose Carrier
Vessel designed for the carriage of different types of cargo: general, bulk, heavy and/or containerised cargo.

Multi Purpose Vessel
Vessel designed for the carriage of different types of cargo: general, bulk, heavy and/or containerised cargo.

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

Multimodal 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.

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.

Multiple Sourcing
Selecting of and working with more than two equivalent suppliers for a certain product.

Navigation The act of determining position, location and course to the destination of an aircraft or a vessel.

Negligence
Imprudent action or omission which may cause injury, damage or loss.

Negotiable
In terms of documents, 'negotiable' means that e.g. a Bill of Lading is handed over/transferred in the right manner (viz. proper endorsement) to another person either endorsed in blank or endorsed to a person and that person acquires, by this transfer certain rights vis-?is the goods e.g. is entitled to take possession of the goods.

Net Manifest
A manifest containing all freight details including negotiated disbursements.

Net Weight
The weight of the goods, excluding all packing.

Network Planning System
A technique for making a time schedule for the implementation of a project.

New Computerised Transit System
Abbreviation: NCTS
A concept for custom authorities to manage European Community and common transit, based on the use of computer systems and EDI techniques.

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.

Normal Charge
The specified general cargo rate without any quantity discount (air cargo).

Normal General Cargo Rate
The under 45 kgs rate or, if no under 45 kgs rate exists, the under 100 kgs rate (air cargo).

Normal Rate
The under 45 kgs rate or, if no under 45 kgs rate exists, the under 100 kgs rate (air cargo).

Notice of Readiness
1. Written document or telex issued by the master of a vessel to the charterer?s advising them the moment when a vessel is ready to load or discharge.
2. Document advising a consignee or his agent that cargo has arrived and is ready for delivery.

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.

Object
A tangible of abstract thing of relevance to business.

Object Oriented Approach
The development of classes of business objects may support and have an impact on the developments in the area of simplification of EDI and its standards. A business object is a true representation of a tangible concept stemming from real business usage.

Obsolete Stock
The products or materials that cannot be or is unlikely to be used in future processes and which is to be sold or disposed of through the usual outlets.

Offshore
Contracting work carried out at sea (e.g. drilling for oil).

Oil Bulk Ore Vessel
Abbreviation: OBO-Vessel
A vessel designed for the carriage of either dry or liquid bulk cargo.

On-line Charge
The charge which applies to carriage over the lines of a single carrier.

On-line Rate
The charge which applies to carriage over the lines of a single carrier.

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.

One Way Pallet
Note: The addition 'One Way' has nothing to do with the number of pallet sides in which the forks of e.g. a fork lift can enter, as opposed to the two and four way pallets.
See Disposable Pallet

Open Order
1. The quantity of goods still to be delivered, received, produced, issued, etc., for which the planned or agreed date has expired.
2. The total number of customer orders which have been received but not yet been shipped.

Open Sided Container
Container with frames with wire-mesh at the sides covered by means of a tarpaulin, which can be dropped down to, give unrestricted access to the sides of the container for loading or discharging.

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.

Operating Efficiency
A ratio of the actual output of a piece of equipment, department, or plant as compared to the planned or standard output.

Operations Research
The development and application of quantitative techniques to the solution of problems. More specifically, theory and methodology in mathematics, statistics, and computing are adapted and applied to the identification, formulation, solution, validation, implementation, and control of decision making problems.

Operator
The party responsible for the day to day operational management of certain premises such as ware-houses, terminals and vessels.

Optimal Trim
The best calculated TRIM related to speed engine capacity, fuel consumption for a specific sailing condition.

Optimization
Achieving the best possible solution to a problem in terms of a specified objective function.

Option
One of a limited range of choices or features that is offered to a customer when purchasing an otherwise basic standard product and that has to be an integral part of the product (used in commercial trading).

Optional Cargo
Cargo of which the final destination is not known at the moment of booking but will be indicated during the transport.

Optional Port
A port of which it is not known whether or not a vessel during a voyage will make a call.

Order
A request to deliver specified quantities of goods or to render specific services.

Order Line
Each line on a customer's purchase order. An order line always contains one Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) only, but the number may vary.

Organisation
An identifiable social unit with a particular responsibility which endeavour to achieve multiple goals by co-ordinated activities and relationships between members and objects.

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.

Outsider
A carrier, which operates on a route served by a liner conference but which is not a member of that conference.

Outsourcing
Subcontracting of activities.

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.

Outward Handling
The operations to be performed on outgoing goods from a production unit, both administrative and physical, starting at the moment forwarding orders can be executed to the moment of actual departure of the goods.

Over Pivot Rate
The rate per kilogram to be charged for the over pivot weight (air cargo).

Over Pivot Weight
The weight in excess of the pivot weight (air cargo).

Overcarrier
A carrier within a consortium who carries cargo beyond the allotment distributed to him.

Overheight Cargo
Cargo, exceeding the standard height.

Overlength Cargo
Cargo, exceeding the standard length.

Overpack
A unit used by a single shipper to contain one or more packages and to form one handling unit for convenience of handling and stowage. Dangerous goods packages contained in the overpack must be properly packed, marked, labelled and in proper condition as required by the Regulations regarding dangerous goods (air cargo).

Overtime
Work beyond normal established working hours which usually requires a premium to be paid to the employees concerned.

Overwidth Cargo
Cargo, exceeding the standard width.

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

Owner's Container Code
A four letter code that forms the first part of a container identification number indicating the owner of a container.

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

Package
1. Any physical piece of cargo in relation to transport consisting of the contents and its packing for the purpose of ease of handling by manual or mechanical means.
2. The final product of the packing operation consisting of the packing and its contents to facilitate manual or mechanical handling.

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
Any container or other covering in which goods are packed.

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.

Packing Unit
A type of package where a standard quantity of products of a specific product type can be packed and that requires no additional packaging for storage and shipment.

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

Pallet Convertor
Superstructure which can be applied to a pallet to convert it into either a box or post pallet.

Pallet Rack
A skeleton framework, of fixed or adjustable design, to support a number of individual pallet loads.

Pallet Truck
Pedestrian- or rider-controlled non-stacking lift truck fitted with forks.

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

Parcel
1. Any physical piece of cargo in relation to transport consisting of the contents and its packing for the purpose of ease of handling by manual or mechanical means.
2. The final product of the packing operation consisting of the packing and its contents to facilitate manual or mechanical handling.

Participating Carrier
A carrier participating in a tariff and who therefore applies the rates, charges, routing and regulations of the tariff.
A carrier over whose air routes one or more sections of carriage under the Air Waybill is undertaken or performed (air cargo).

Particular Average
A fortuitous partial loss to the subject matter insured, proximately caused by an insured peril but which is not a general average loss. Particular average only relates to damage and/or expenses which are exclusively borne by the owners of a vessel which has sustained damage as a result of e.g. heavy weather or by the owners of the cargo, which has been damaged in transit.

Partition
A vertically mounted partition in a compartment on board of an aircraft.

Partnership
An ongoing relationship between two organisations which involves a commitment over an extended time period and a mutual sharing of the risks and rewards of the relationship.

Payee
A party to whom a payment is made or owed.

Payer
A party who pays or is to pay.

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

Payment
That which discharges a debt.

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.

Performance Indicator
A variable indicating the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a process.

Performance Measurement
The comparison of the results of business processes with each other or with standards in order to know the effectiveness of these processes and/or the supportive actions.

Permeability
Ratio expressed as a percentage assumed for the volume of a compartment which can be flooded by water after damage, to the total volume of that compartment; respectively the actual calculated value of that ratio.
Phased Delivery
The delivery of parts of the shipment.

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

Physical Distribution Management
The planning execution and control of those activities which are related to the flow of goods from the end of conversion to the customer.

Pick Order
An order to pick certain quantities of goods out of a stock.

Pick Up Service
The carriage of outbound consignments from the point of pick up to the airport of departure (air cargo).

Pick Up and Delivery
A service concerning the collection of cargo from the premises of the consignor and the delivery to the premises of the consignee.

Pick and Pack
Taking goods out of a stock and packing them according to customer conditions.

Picking
Taking products or components out of a stock.

Picking List
A list used to collect items from stores needed to fulfil an order.

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

Piggyback
The carriage of road vehicles and trailers on railway wagons.

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

Pilot
Local expert advising a vessel's captain on safe navigation in those areas where the captain is ignorant of local circumstances or where it is obligatory to take a pilot.
A person qualified to operate the controls of an aircraft.

Pilot In Command
The pilot responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight time.

Pipeline
A line of pipes for conveying liquids and gasses.
The physical goods flow from a supplying organisation to a receiving organisation.

Pipeline Inventory
The amount of goods in a pipeline: the sum of loading stock, goods in transit and receiving stock.

Pivot Weight
Minimum chargeable weight of a Unit Load Device.

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.

Placement
The activity of positioning an object or goods in a chosen location or position.

Planning
The setting of goals over a certain time and the determination of how to achieve these goals and with what resource.

Planning Horizon
The period of time to which a certain particular plan relates.

Platform
The area on an airport where aircrafts are parked for embarkation and/or loading and discharging purposes (air cargo).

Platform Body
A truck or trailer without ends, sides or top but with only a floor.

Plimsoll Mark
A mark, welded on both sides of the vessel, which gives the limit to which a vessel may be loaded, depending on the specific gravity of the water in which the vessel is situated.

Point Value
The point value can be seen as the relative value of an empty container of a certain size type in a depot location. The system serves to quantify the imbalance costs resulting from a full container move and are the result of empty optimisation calculations.
Point values are created on forecasted container flows between depot locations.

They are calculated taking into account a.o. the forecasted imbalances plus repositioning, storage and container costs for empty moves and expressed in USD.

Note: In the various computer systems point values are used to calculate the imbalance charge or credit for a particular container flow. This charge or credit is the difference in point values between start and end depot location.

Point to Point 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.

Pontoon
A floating flat structure used for work alongside the ship, to facilitate embarkation or disembarkation of persons, or to move cargo alongside.

Pool
The shared use of e.g. equipment by a number of companies, which make together the investments in the equipment mentioned.

Poop
Aft part of a vessel where the steering engine is located.

Port
Harbour having facilities for vessels to moor and load or discharge.
Left side of a vessel when facing towards the front or forward end.

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.

Portal Crane
A type of gantry crane with vertical legs of sufficient height and width to permit vehicles or railroad equipment to pass between the legs.

Portlog
A statement concerning a vessel containing the actual arrival and departure time used tugs, draft, dead-weight, quantity of discharged and loaded goods/containers and any other important particulars.

Positioning
The transport of empty equipment from a depot to shipper's premises or from consignee's premises back to a depot as the empty leg of a carrier haulage transport.

Postal Code
A national code maintained by the Postal Authorities designed to indicate areas and accumulated addresses to facilitate sorting and the delivery of mail and other goods.
Note: The coding system is different in the various countries throughout the world. In the Netherlands the code consists of 4 figures and 2 characters.

Practice
That what has become customary as a result of repeated acts.

Pre-slinging
The act of placing goods in slings which are left in position and used for loading into and discharging from a conventional vessel.

Pre-trip Inspection
Abbreviation: PTI
A technical inspection of Reefer containers prior to positioning for stuffing.

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.

Principal Carrier
1. The carrier liable under the terms of a consortium Bill of Lading.
2. Carrier responsible for the transport of goods as indicated in the transport document.

Principal Corporate Body
The company that owns the various subsidiary companies or branches acting as customers on their own and is registered as the corporate customer for statistical purposes.

Priority Order
An order which is identified as taking precedence over other orders to ensure its completion in the minimum time.

Private Warehouse
A warehouse operated by the owner of the goods stored there.

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.

Procedure
Steps to be followed in order to comply with a formality, including the timing, format and transmission method for the submission of required information.

Process Mapping
A diagrammatically break down of a supply chain.

Procurement
The activities which ensure the availability of the material and or services in the desired quantity, quality, place and time from the supplier.

Procurement Logistics
Control of the flow of materials up to the manufacturing process.

Product
A result, end items or output from a certain process.

Product Chain
All phases in the transformation- or production process of one product.

Product Life Cycle
The period of time between the introduction date and end date of a product in the market.
Note: Phases are introduction, growth, maturity, saturation, decline & end.

Production
The conversion of materials and or assembly of components to manufacture goods, products or services.
The total quantity of goods manufactured or to be manufactured in a particular period of time expressed in quantitative or financial terms. (The term manufacturing is often used specifically for physical operations resulting in a product).

Productivity
Relative measure of output of labour hour or machine hour.

Profit Centre
An organisational unit which will be held responsible for its own profits and losses.

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

Project Management
Managing a transport project, which involves the design and implementation of logistics solutions including resource planning, costing and profits.

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.

Protocol
A statement drawn up to attest certain events.

Public Authorities
The agencies or officials in a state responsible for the application and enforcement of the laws and regulations of that state. Source: IMO.

Public Warehouse
A warehouse which is available to all companies and persons who wish to make use of the services offered.

Published Charge
A charge, the amount of which is specifically set forth in the carrier's rates tariff.

Published Rate
A charge, the amount of which is specifically set forth in the carrier's rates tariff.

Pull Distribution System
A system to provide warehouses with new stock on request of the warehouse management.

Purchase Order
A definite order for one or more deliveries by the supplier to the customer of a specific quantity of goods, materials, services or products under agreed terms of delivery and prices.

Purchase Order Management
Supply chain management to purchase order article level.

Push Distribution System
A system to provide warehouses with new stock upon decision of the supplier of the goods.

Qualifier
A data element whose value shall be expressed as a code that gives specific meaning to the function of another data element or a segment.

Quality (ISO8402)
The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.
Note: The ISO9000 standards on quality management and quality assurance consists of 4 standards: 9000 guidelines for selection and use, 9001 model for quality assurance in design/development 9002 model for quality assurance in production and installation, 9003 model for quality assurance in final inspection and test, and 9004 guidelines for quality management and quality system elements, part 2 are guidelines for services.

Quality Assurance (ISO8402)
All those planned and systematic actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements for quality.

Quality Control (ISO8402)
The operational techniques and activities that are used to fulfil requirements for quality.

Quantity Charge
The unit rate which is lower than the normal rate and applies to shipments meeting specific weight requirements (air cargo).

Quantity Discount
A proportional reduction of a rate based on quantity (air cargo).

Quarantine
The period during which an arriving vessel, including its equipment, cargo, crew or passengers, suspected to carry or carrying a contagious disease is detained in strict isolation to prevent the spread of such a disease.

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

Queue
A stored arrangement of computer data, programs or messages, waiting to be processed in the order in which they were submitted.

Quoin
Timber wedge used to secure drums against movement.

Quotas
A system of controlling imports, exports or production by specifying a certain limitation.

Quotation
Amount stated as the price according to tariff for certain services to be provided or issued to a customer with specification on conditions for carriage.

Quotation Expiration Date
The date as from which a quotation price is no longer valid.

Rail Car
A wheeled wagon used for the carriage of cargo by rail.

Rail Consignment Note
A document evidencing a contract for the transport of goods by rail.

Ramp
An artificial inclined path, road or track along which wheeled vehicles, cargo and trailers may pass for the purpose of changing their elevation and facilitating the loading and unloading operation (e.g. an entrance way into a Roll-on Roll-off vessel

Ramp Handling
See Platform Handling

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

Rate of Calculation
A factor for the calculation of an amount.

Rate of Turn
The figure indicating the speed of a change of course of a means of transport expressed in degrees per minute.

Rating
A class to which an article is assigned.

Re-invoicing
The procedure whereby goods shipped directly from a supplier to the customer are invoiced in two stages: at first by the supplier to an intermediary and subsequently by the intermediary to the customer.

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

Receipt
A written acknowledgement, that something has been received.

Receiving Carrier
The carrier receiving a consignment on behalf of a carrier, agent or shipper for onward transport.

Receiving Stock
The stock comprising all the goods that have arrived at the door of the receiving organisation and which is not yet available in the stock of that organisation.

Reconditioning
All activities connected with restoring and or adjusting the packaging of a product. In such manner that it can be presented to the customer in the requested form.

Reconditioning of Garments
The act or process of bringing garments after transport in shop's condition.

Redelivery
Return of a shipment to the party who originally delivered it to the carrier (air cargo).
Return of a charter vessel to the owners.

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.

Refund
The repayment to the purchaser of the total charge or a portion of that charge for unused carriage.

Region
Specified geographical area for operational purposes.

Register Ton
The unit of measurement for the internal capacity of a vessel whereby one register ton equals 100 cubic feet (2.83 cubic meter). The gross (bruto) tonnage comprises all spaces below the main (tonnage) deck and the enclosed spaces above the main (tonnage) deck less exempted spaces.
The net tonnage consists of the gross tonnage less exemptions like ballast tanks, engine room, living quarters etc. The register tonnage is mentioned on the tonnage certificate.

Registration Authority (Key Management)
Registration Authority is used as an entry point for users to set-up links by using some existing trusted means such as registered letters of personal enrolment. This registration will also form the legal basis for the use of digital signatures by the user, if required, although this aspect in itself is not key management. Once this registration has been established, the user credentials and his public key are passed on the Certification Authority with a request for certification.

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

Rejection
Non-acceptance of e.g. cargo.

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.
Reliability of Delivery
The reliability of a supplier concerning the agreed terms of delivery with regard to the quality, quantity, delivery time, conditions and price.

Replacement
Indicating that a subject is interchangeable with another subject, but which differs physically from the original subject in that the installation of the replacement subject requires extra machining or provisions in addition to the normal application and methods of attachment.

Replenishment
Completion of stock.

Repudiation
The denial by a user of having participated in part or all of a communication.

Rerouting
The route to be followed as altered from the one originally specified in the transport document.

Reservation
Allotment in advance of space or weight capacity. Also referred to as 'booking'.

Reserve Inventory
1. In general, a quantity of stock planned to be in inventory to protect against fluctuations in demand and/or supply.
2. In the context of master production scheduling, safety stock can refer to additional inventory and/or capacity planned as protection against forecast errors and/or short terms changes in the backlog. Also referred to as 'overplanning' or a 'market hedge'.

Resources
Organisations, People or Computer systems carrying out the activities.

Responsible Carrier
1. The carrier liable under the terms of a consortium Bill of Lading.
2. Carrier responsible for the transport of goods as indicated in the transport document.

Returns
Goods returned to their place of acceptance.

Revenue
Amounts of income stemming from the provision of transport services.

Reverse Distribution
The collection of used, damaged, or outdated products and/or packaging from end-users.

Rinacertificate
Certificate issued by the Italian Government for carrying dangerous goods in Italian Waters.

Road Carrier
Party undertaking transport by road of goods from one point to another such as indicated in the contract.

Road Vehicle
A means of transport capable and allowed to move over public roads and other landways.

Roll Trailer
Special trailer for terminal haulage and stowage on board of Roll-on Roll-off vessels.
Also referred to as Mafi Trailer.

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.

Rolling Resistance
The total frictional force that a tire, a set of tires or all the tires on a vehicle is developing with the road.

Rotation
Sequence in which a vessel calls at the ports on her itinerary.

Round Trip
A voyage, a journey etc. to a certain place, port or country and back again.

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

Routing
1. The determination of the most efficient route(s) that people, goods, materials and or means of transport have to follow.
2. The process of determining how a shipment will be moved between consignor and consignee or between place of acceptance by the carrier and place of delivery to the consignee.
3. The process of aiding a vessel's navigation by supplying long range weather forecasts and indicating the most economic and save sailing route.

Row
A vertical division of a vessel from starboard to portside, used as a part of the indication of a stowage place for containers. The numbers run from midships to both sides.

SITPRO
National organisation for the Simplification of International Trade Procedures in the United Kingdom (e.g. in The Netherlands SITPRO is called 'Sitproneth', in France 'Simprofrance' and in Japan 'Jastpro').

Safe Working Load
Abbreviation: SWL
The maximum load any lifting appliance may handle.

Safety Stock
1. In general, a quantity of stock planned to be in inventory to protect against fluctuations in demand and/or supply.
2. In the context of master production scheduling, safety stock can refer to additional inventory and/or capacity planned as protection against forecast errors and/or short terms changes in the backlog. Also referred to as 'overplanning' or a 'market hedge'.

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.

Scale Ton
Freighting measurement used in certain trades for various commodities.

Scenario
A formal specification of a group of business activities that may take place between parties to achieve a particular objective.

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.

Seal Log
A document used to record seal numbers.

Seasonal Inventory
Inventory built up in anticipation of a seasonal peak of demand in order to smooth production.

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

Sectional Rate
The rate established by scheduled air carrier(s) for a section of a through route (air cargo).

Segregation
Distance required by the rules of IMDG or BC codes between the various commodities of dangerous and or bulk cargoes.

Seller
Party selling merchandise to a buyer.

Seller's Market
A 'seller's market' is considered to exist when goods cannot easily be secured and when the economic forces of business tend to be priced at the vendor's estimate of value. In other words, a state of trade favourable to the seller, with relatively great demand and high prices of something for sale.

Semi Trailer
A vehicle without motive power and with one or more axles designed to be drawn by a truck tractor and constructed in such way that a portion of its weight and that of its load rest upon e.g. the fifth wheel of the towing vehicle.

Sender
The merchant (person) by whom, in whose name or on whose behalf a contract of carriage of goods has been concluded with a carrier or any party by whom, in whose name or on whose behalf the goods are actually delivered to the carrier in relation to the contract of carriage.

Sequenced Delivery
The synchronised delivery of trucks to co-ordinate with production schedules or local delivery vehicles.

Service Based Pricing
Pricing structured to service packages provided, related to activity based costing including bought in costs.

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

Service Level
A measure for the extent to which the customer orders can be executed at delivery conditions normally accepted in the market.

Service Level Agreement
Abbreviation: SLA
An arrangement between a service provider and an organisation specifying details about the services to be provided.

Setting/Air Delivery Temperature
An indication in the documents (B/L) stating the air supply temperature to the container.
Note: No other details than this temperature shall be included in the Bill of Lading.

Settlement Office
The institution to issue billing to and receive remittances from agents and to distribute the monies to CASS airlines, Billing Participants and Part Participants (air cargo).
Shed
A building specially designed for receipt, storage and handling of goods.

Shelf Life
The specified length of time prior to use for which items which are inherently subject to deterioration are deemed to remain fit for use under prescribed conditions.

Shift
Part of the work-program of a stevedoring company (a working day can have up to 3 shifts (24 hours)).

Ship
1. A floating structure designed for the transport of cargo and/or passengers.
2. Boiler, drum.

Ship Broker
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.

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.

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

Name of vessel and port of registry. Details contained in surveyors certificate. The particulars respecting the origin stated in the declaration of ownership. The name and description of the registered owner, if more than one owner the proportionate share of each.

Shipper
The merchant (person) by whom, in whose name or on whose behalf a contract of carriage of goods has been concluded with a carrier or any party by whom, in whose name or on whose behalf the goods are actually delivered to the carrier in relation to the contract of carriage.

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 container 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.

Shuttle Service
The carriage back and forth over an often short route between two points.

Siding
A short railroad track connected with a main track by a switch to serve a warehouse or an industrial area.

Simplification
The limiting of formalities, procedures, documents, information, and operations to the minimum essential requirements, steps, data and tasks acceptable by all parties concerned.

Simplification Toolkit
Collection of tools to enable simplified implementations of structured electronic commerce techniques such as, electronic data interchange, electronic funds transfer, automatic data capture, bar-code technology and unique goods/product/service/party identification schemes.

Simulation
The imitation of the reality for studying the effect of changing parameters in a model as a means of preparing a decision.

Single Administrative Document
Abbreviation: SAD
A set of documents, replacing the various (national) forms for customs declaration within European Community, implemented on January 1st, 1988. The introduction of the SAD constitutes an intermediate stage in the abolition of all administrative documentation in intra European Community trade in goods between member states.

Skeleton Trailer
Road trailer consisting of a frame and wheels specially designed to carry containers.
1. A wheeled carriage onto which an ocean container is mounted for inland conveyance
2. The part of a motor vehicle that includes the engine, the frame, suspension system, wheels, steering mechanism etc., but not the body.

Skids
Battens fitted underneath frames, boxes or packages to raise them off the floor and allow easy access for fork lift trucks, slings or other handling equipment.

Sliding Tandem
An undercarriage with a subframe having provision for convenient fore and aft adjustment of its position on the chassis/semi-trailer. The purpose being to be able to shift part of the load to either the king pin or the suspension to maximise legally permitted axle loads (road cargo).

Sling
Special chain, wire rope, synthetic fibre strap or ropes used for cargo handling purposes.

Slip Sheeting
Hard plastic sheeting used to stack cartons, optimising container space.

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.

Snake Loading
Loading products into a container in the sequence with which the goods will be unloaded and stored in at destination.

Space Charter
A voyage charter whereby the shipowner agrees to place part of the vessels capacity at the charterers 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.

Specific Commodity Rate
Abbreviation: SCR
A rate applicable to carriage of specifically designated commodities.

Split Shipment
In case of indirect delivery through consolidation and if split shipment conditions occur then each split part of the shipment will be delivered in a different consignment but all consignments identified by the same unique original shipment id.

Spoke
The stretch between a hub and one of the group of consignees and/or consignors being served by the hub.

Spontaneous Ignition Temperature
The lowest temperature at which a substance will start burning spontaneously without an external source of ignition.

Spreader
1. Device used for lifting containers and unitised cargo.
2. Beam or frame that holds the slings vertical when hoisting a load, to prevent damage to cargo.

Spring
Mooring rope rigged from the forward or aft to a quayside bollard amidships to prevent the ship from surging forward or aft when alongside.

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.
Two or more containers, one placed above the other, forming a vertical column.

Stacking
To pile boxes, bags, containers etc. on top of each other.

Stackweight
The total weight of the containers and cargo in a certain row.

Standard Costs
A carefully prepared estimate of the cost of performing a given operation under specified conditions.
Note: A standard work order describes a standard operation for which a standard cost is to be established.

Note: A standard work order describes a standard operation for which a standard cost is to be established.

Standard Industrial Classification
Abbreviation: SIC
A method, used in the United States, to categorise companies into different industrial groupings.

Standard Product Module
Abbreviation: SPM
The building blocks used by business management to define services (shipment products) which can be offered to customers. They describe a more or less isolated set of activities with a standard cost attached to it. For operations management each module defines a combination of standard operations that needs to be carried out for a customer.
Note: SPM's can be regarded as the interface between business and operations management.

Standardisation
The development of agreements whose purpose is to align formalities, procedures, documents, information, and operations. At a national level, this would be alignment with acceptable commercial norms and practices, at an international level it would alignment with identified "best" and/or most accepted practices.

Starboard
Right side of a vessel when facing towards the front or forward end.

State of Origin
The state in the territory in which the cargo was first loaded.

Steering of Containers
The function, with the aid of specific software for tracking and forecasting, to direct empty containers to demanding areas at minimum costs.

Stem
The foremost part of a vessel.

Stern
The aftermost part of a vessel.

Stevedore
A party running a business of which the functions are loading, stowing and discharging vessels.

Stock
The materials in a supply chain or in a segment of a supply chain, expressed in quantities, locations and or values. UK.

Stock Control
The systematic administration of stock levels with respect to quantity at all times.

Stock Keeping Unit
The description of the unit of measurement by which the stock items are recorded on the stock record.

Stock Locator System
A system in which all places within a warehouse are named or numbered.

Stock Point
A point in the supply chain meant to keep materials available.

Stock Record
A record of the quantity of stock of a single item, often containing a history of recent transactions and information for controlling the replenishment of stock.

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.

Stores
Provisions and supplies on board required for running a vessel.

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.

Stowaway
An unwanted person who hides on board of a vessel or an aircraft to get free passage, to evade port officials.
IMO definition: A person who is secreted on a ship or in cargo which is subsequently loaded on the ship, without the consent of the shipowner or the master or any other responsible person who is detected on board after the ship has departed from a port and reported as a stowaway by the master.

Straddle Carrier
Wheeled vehicle designed to lift and carry containers within its own framework. It is used for moving, and sometimes stacking, P&O Nedlloyd containers at a container terminal.

Straddle Crane
A crane usually running on rails and spanning an open area such as rail-tracks or roadways.

Strap
A band of metal, plastic or other flexible material used to hold cargo or cases together.

Stretch
1. Part of the total transport chain (trade route) including overland transport identified by place of receipt, ports of call and place of delivery i.e. it has one location or an address as a starting and or ending point.
2. The leg between two points.

Stripping
The unloading of cargo out of a container.

Stuffing
The loading of cargo into a container.

Suboptimizing
Striving for optimum performance in one element of an organisation disregarding the effects this may cause to the performance of the other elements. In other words, a solution for a problem that is best from a narrow point of view but not from a higher or overall company point of view.

Substretch
Part of a stretch. This term is used if it is necessary to distinguish between a stretch and a part thereof.

Supercargo
Experienced person (officer) assigned by the charterer of a vessel to advise the management of the vessel and protect the interests of the charterer.

Supply Chain
A sequence of events in a goods flow which adds to the value of a specific good. These events may include:
- conversion
- assembling and/or disassembling
- movements and placements

Supply Chain Definition
A sequence of events, which may include conversion, movement or placement, which adds value to goods, products, or services.

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.

Swop Body
Separate unit without wheels to carry cargo via road sometimes equipped with legs to be used to carry cargo intermodal within Europe.
The advantage being that this unit can be left behind to load or discharge whilst the driver with the truck/chassis can change to another unit.

These units are not used for sea transport.

Synergy
The simultaneous joint action of separate parties, which, together, have greater total effect than the sum of their individual effects.

System
A whole body of connected elements, which influence each other and have specific relations with the environment.

TARif Int¿¿ommunautaire (TARIC)

The integrated customs tariff of the community.

TIR

Transport International des Merchandises par la Route.

TOFC

Carriage of piggyback highway trailers on specially equipped railway wagons.

Tallyman

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 Mass of Container

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

Tare Weight of Container

Same as above explanation.

Tariffr

The schedule of rates, charges and related transport conditions.

Tarpaulin

Waterproof material, e.g. canvas, to spread over cargo to protect it from getting wet.

Tender

- A small boat used to carry persons from shore to ship and back - Colloquial term used to describe the condition of a ship having marginal stability - To present for acceptance an offer (to tender a bit)

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.

Terms of Freight

All the conditions agreed upon between a carrier and a merchant about the type of freight and charges due to the carrier and whether these are prepaid or are to be collected. Note: The so-called Combi terms based on the INCO terms do make a distinction what of the freight and related costs is to be paid by the seller and what by the buyer. In the UN recommendation 23 a coding system is recommended to recognise the various items.

Thermal Container

A container built with insulating walls, doors, floor and roof by which heat exchange with the environment is minimised thus limiting temperature variations of the cargo.

Third Party Logistics

Supply of logistics related operations between traders by an independent organisation.

Through Charge

The total rate from point of departure to point of destination. It may be a joint rate or a combination of rates (air cargo).

Through Rate

Same as above explanation.

Through Route

The total route from point of departure to point of destination.

Tier

A horizontal division of a vessel from bottom to top. The numbers run from bottom to deck and from deck upwards and are used as a part of the indication of a stowage place for containers.

Tilt Transport

Road transport whereby the cargo area is protected against the elements by means of a tilt made of canvas or other pliable material.

Time Charter

A contract whereby a vessel is let to a charterer for a stipulated period of time or voyage, for a remuneration known as hire, generally a monthly rate per ton deadweight or a daily rate. The charterer is free to employ the vessel as he thinks fit within the terms as agreed, but the shipowner continues to manage his own vessel through the master and crew who remain his servants.

Time Sheet

Statement, drawn-up by the ship's agent at the loading and discharging ports, which details the time worked in loading and discharging the cargo together with the amount of laytime used.

Ton

1) Unit of weight measurement: 1000 kilograms (metric ton) or 2,240 lbs (long ton).
2) Unit of cubic measurement, mainly used to express the cubic capacity of a vessel.
3) Unit of weight or measurement used as a basis for the calculation of freights (freight ton).

Tonnage

1) Cubic capacity of a merchant vessel.
2) Total weight or amount of cargo expressed in tons.

Tracing

The action of retrieving information concerning the whereabouts of cargo, cargo items, consignments or equipment.

Track & Trace

The pro-active tracking of the product along the supply chain, and the paper information flow relating to the order.

Tracking

The power to grip or hold to a surface while moving without slipping.

Trade

1. A trade is a liner service (e.g. NEFES) or a cargo flow between two individual markets (e.g. North Atlantic Trade) 2. a) b) The exchange of goods, funds, services or information with value to the parties involved. This value is either previously agreed or established during business. A commercial connection between two or more individual markets.

Traffic

The number of passengers, quantity of cargo etc. carried over a certain route.

Trailer

A vehicle without motive power, designed for the carriage of cargo and to be towed by a motor vehicle.

Trailer on Flat Car

Abbreviation: TOFC
Carriage of piggyback highway trailers on specially equipped railway wagons.

Tramp Vessel

A vessel not operating under a regular schedule.

Trans Siberian Landbridge

Overland route from Europe to the Far East via the Trans Siberian Railway (TSR).

Transfer Cargo

Cargo arriving at a point by one flight and continuing there-from by another flight (air cargo).

Transhipment

1. A shipment under one Bill of Lading, whereby sea (ocean) transport is 'broken' into two or more parts. The port where the sea (ocean) transport is 'broken' is the transhipment port.
2. Transfer of cargo from one means of transport to another for on-carriage during the course of one transport operation.
3. Customs: Customs procedure under which goods are transferred under customs control from the importing means of transport to the exporting means of transport within the area of one customs office which is the office of both importation and exportation.

Transit Cargo

1. Cargo between outwards customs clearance and inwards customs clearance.
2. Cargo arriving at a point and departing there-from by the same through flight (air cargo).

Transit Country

One of the States signatory to the Convention on Common Transit (currently, the 18 States of the European Union and the European Free Trade Association, plus San Marino).

Transponderl

A device (chip) used for identification, which automatically transmits certain coded data when actuated by a special signal from an interrogator.

Transport

The assisted movement of people and or goods. Note: Transport is often used as a generic term for various means of transport, and is distinguished from 'movement' in that it requires such means./p> Transport Document

Document evidencing a contract of carriage between a shipowner and a consignor, such as bill of lading, seawaybill or a multimodal transport document. (IMO) Documents required for the carriage of goods.

Transport International by Road

Abbreviation: TIR
A set of rules following a customs convention to facilitate the international, European transport of goods by road with minimal interference under cover of TIR-carnets.

Transport Unit

A physical unit, e.g. container or ckd uniquely identified (for instance by license plate) that has been provided by the original shipper for transportation and that should not be split during the transportation process. A transport handling unit can contain different packages. (automotive industry)

Trip

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

Truck

Class of automotive vehicles of various sizes and designs for transporting goods.

Trunk

The stretch between two hubs mutually.

Trusted Third Party (TTP)Services

A trusted party is a party which at least two other parties trust. TTP¿s may provide some additional services such as time-stamping, etc. The TTP services relevant to Electronic Business include:
- Independent time-stamping
- Attribute certificates
- Notary functions
- Document repository
- Non-repudiation of submission/delivery
- Translation/validation of certificates

Tugmaster

Brand name of tractor unit used in ports to pull trailers. They are equipped with a fifth wheel or a gooseneck type of coupling.

Tweendeck

Cargo carrying surface below the main deck dividing a hold horizontally in an upper and a lower compartment.

Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit

Abbreviation: TEU
Unit of measurement equivalent to one twenty foot container.

Twistlock

Device which has to be inserted into the corner fittings of a container and is turned or twisted, thus locking the container for the purpose of securing or lifting.

Two Way Pallet

A pallet of which the frame permits the entry of forks of (e.g. a fork lift at two opposite sides).

Type of Cargo

An indication of the sort of cargo to be transported, (e.g. Break Bulk, Containerised, RoRo).

Type of Equipment

A vessel not operating under a regular schedule.

Type of Load Indicator

A general reference or a classification of loads of cargo like 'FCL', 'LCL', 'unpacked' and even ship's convenience container, though this is rarely used nowadays.

Type of Means of Transport

The type of vehicle used in the transport process, e.g. wide-body aircraft, tank truck or passenger vessel.

Type of Movement

Description of the service for movement of containers. Note: The following type of movement can be indicated on B/L and Manifest all combinations of FCL and LCL and break bulk and RoRo. Whilst only on the manifest combinations of House, Yard and CFS can be mentioned.

Type of Packing

Description of the packaging material used to wrap, contain and protect goods to be transported.

Type of Transport

The indication whether the carrier or the merchant effects and bears the responsibility for inland transport of cargo in containers i.e. a differentiation between the logistical and legal responsibility.
Note: Values are Carrier haulage and Merchant haulage, whilst in this context special cases are carrier-nominated merchant haulage, and merchant nominated carrier haulage.

Type of Vessel

The sort of vessel used in the transport process e.g. Container, RoRo, or Multi Purpose.

Ullage

Free space above a liquid contained in a tank, drum or tank-container, expressed as a percentage of the total capacity. Ullage is often used to leave room for possible expansion of the liquid.

Ultimate Consignee

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

Ultra Large Crude Carrier

Abbreviation: ULCC
A vessel designed for the carriage of liquid cargo in bulk with a loading capacity from 250.000 till 500.000 DWT.

Unaccompanied Baggage

Luggage not accompanied by a passenger.

Undercarriage

A supporting frame or structure of a wheeled vehicle.The landing gear of an aircraft.

Undercarrier

A carrier in a conference or consortium who carries less cargo than the allotment distributed to him.

Uniform

The in 1993 revised rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) governing a letter of credit issued in respect of goods shipped applicable as from 1-1-1994.

Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer

Abbreviation: UIC
International railway union, in which most of the European national railway companies are united.

Unit Load

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

Unit Load Device

Abbreviation: ULD
Any type of container or pallet, in which a consignment can be transported by air whether or not such a container is considered aircraft equipment. Any type of air freight container, aircraft container, aircraft pallet with a net, or aircraft pallet with a net over an igloo.

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.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Abbreviation: UN/ECE
The UN/ECE is one of a number of Economic and Social Commissions established by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Despite its name it embraces both Europe and North America. The UN/ECE comprises twenty nine core member states, as well as any country which is a member of the United Nations and which applies under Article 11 of the United Nations constitution for delegate status. The aim is to advance the economic development of Europe and associated countries through trade facilitation and common agreements.

United Nations Layout Key

Abbreviation: UNLKD
A standard (ISO6422) which lays down the basic principles for the design of the image area on documents for use in international trade.

United Nations Standard Message

Abbreviation: UNSM
A collection of structured data that is exchanged to convey information related to a specific transaction between partners engaged in electronic data interchange. Messages are composed of logically grouped segments required for the type of message transaction covered. Note: A set of segments in the order specified in a message directory starting with the message header and ending with the message trailer (ISO9735).

Utilisation Rate

The quotient of used capacity and available capacity.

Vacuum Packing

A packaging technique that sucks all the air and moisture from a product, packing the goods in a vacuum. This reduces the size of the product, allowing more goods to be packed.

Validation Rule

The validation rules are a subset of the business rules defining constraints on the logical data model. They are expressed in the definitions of entities, domains and attributes.

Valuable Cargo

A consignment which contains one or more valuable articles.

Valuation Charge

Transport charges for certain goods, based on the value declared for the carriage of such goods.

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.

Value Chain Management Definition

Maximising total performance and added value across an entire process by reviewing each internal and external operation, and the links between these operations. The process will be reviewed in a systematic and standard way in order to optimise speed, certainty, and cost effectiveness for the parties involved. The process review can be achieved through established procedures and existing techniques such as value chain analysis and activity based costing.

Vanning

The loading of cargo into a container.

Vendee

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

A floating structure designed for the transport of cargo and/or passengers. Boiler, drum.

Volatility Allowance

The largest difference in container availability taking into account past peaks in net demand after having removed the trend in container demand during the repositioning trade-off period.

Volume

Size or measure of anything in three dimensions.

Volume Charge

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

Voucher

A receipt, entry or another document which establishes the accounts.

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.

Waiting Time

The period of time between the moment at which one is ready for an activity to start and the moment at which this activity can actually begin.

Waiver Clause

Clause in a marine insurance policy stating that no acts of the insurer or insured in recovering, saving or preserving the property insured, shall be considered a dismissal from or acceptance of abandonment.

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 Keeper

Party who takes responsibility for goods entered into a warehouse.

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).

Waste Disposal

Processing and or removal to final resting place or transfer to a place for re-use or recovering of waste.

Waste Logistics

The collection of used, damaged, or outdated products and or packaging from designated users.

Waybill

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

Wear and Tear

Loss or deterioration resulting from ordinary use.

Weight Charge

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

Weight Ton

A ton of 1000 kilos.

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.

Wholesaler

An intermediary between manufacturers and retailers in various activities such as promotion, warehousing, and the arranging of transport and or distribution.

Work Load

The quantity of work ahead assigned to a certain facility such as a work station, capacity group or a department respectively staff-member.

World Health Organization

Abbreviation: WHO
The global agency linked with the United Nations and co-operating with other technical agencies relating to health matters at sea and on land.

World Meteorological Organisation

Abbreviation: WMO
The United Nations agency dealing with meteorological issues.

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.

Yawl

1. A vessel's small boat moved by one oar.
2. A small sailboat rigged fore-and-aft, with a short mizzenmast astern of the cockpit - distinguished from ketch.

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.