For your convenience, below is a list of common shipping and logistics terminology.
Aircraft Pallet
A stressed pallet capable of supporting and restraining a rated load. It is specifically designed for tie-down in an aircraft.
Air Freight
Air freight delivery is the shipment of goods via an air carrier, which can be charter or commercial. Air Freight shipments travel in and out of commercial and passenger aviation gateways to anywhere planes can fly and land.
Air Freight Forwarder
A freight forwarder who specializes in air cargo.Air freight forwarders are essential for international airlines. Air freight forwarders book cargo space on planes more than any other supply chain partner.
Air Waybill (AWB)
This is a type of bill of lading that accompanies goods shipped by international air courier services to provide details about the shipment. During the shipment process, a copy of this bill is provided to every party involved so that they can document and track the shipment.
Bill of Lading
A legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper that details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being carried. A bill of lading also serves as a shipment receipt when the carrier delivers the goods at a predetermined destination.
Broker
An individual or company that is contracted by a shipper to be a liaison between the shipper and a motor carrier to facilitate the movement of goods from origin to destination by utilizing its network of carrier relationships.
Cargo
Goods or merchandise transported by airplane, ship or vehicle.
Carrier
Any individual or firm who, through a contract of carriage, transports goods by rail, road, sea, air, waterway, or a combination of modes.
Clearance
The undertaking of customs entry requirements for the purpose of the release of goods from customs authority to the importer.
Commercial Invoice
A document which identifies the transaction between a seller and buyer. The commercial invoice should list the invoice number, date, shipping date, the mode of transport, delivery and payment terms, description of goods and the quantity. The government uses the commercial invoice to determine the true value of goods for assessing custom duties and preparing proper documentation.
Consignee
The person or company listed on the bill of lading to whom goods have been consigned or delivered.
Container
A reusable, rigid exterior shipping box that is used to ship goods by ship, truck or rail.
Container Yard (CY)
The land and premises at a container terminal where shipping containers are received, stored and delivered for direct loading onto and discharge from container vessels.
Cubic Foot
The unit of volume measurement that is equal to 1,728 cubic inches.
Customs
The designated government authority that regulates the flow of goods to/from a country and collects duties charged by a country on imports and exports.
Customs Clearance
The procedure for getting cargo released by customs through designated procedures such as presenting import license/permit, payment of import duties and other required documentation.
Customs Duty
A tax imposed and government collection by custom officials of duties that is imposed by law on imports.
Demurrage
A penalty for exceeding free time allowed for loading or unloading at a pier or freight terminal.
ETA
Acronym for Estimated Time of Arrival of a carrier.
Export
To transport goods out of one country for sale to another country.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Federal Aviation Agency was created in 1958 and appointed with the responsibility of making known of the operational standards and procedures for all classes of aviation in the United States. The FAA monitors any/all dangerous goods (HAZMAT) for air cargo transportation.
A federal agency responsible for regulating interstate and international communications by television, radio, telephone, telegraph, as well as broadcasting standards and cable television operations. Customs clearance may rely on FCC approval regarding the nature of the cargo.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The United States agency responsible for regulation of biotechnology food products. Customs clearance may rely on FCC approval regarding the nature of the cargo.
Freight Forwarder
An independent business that dispatches shipments for exporters for a fee. Transportation can include shipping by land, air, or sea, or other resources. Usually it handles all the services connected with an export shipment, including full preparation of documents arranging for shipping, warehousing, delivery and export clearance.
Full Container Load (FCL)
A delivery of cargo that fills a given container either by bulk or maximum weight.
Full Truck Load (FTL)
A shipment of cargo that fills a given tractor trailer either by bulk or maximum weight.
Goods
Merchandise, supplies, raw materials, commodities and finished product. All things are treated as moveable and indicated as sold to a particular buyer.
Gross Weight
The full weight of a shipment, including containers and packaging materials.
Harmonize Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS or HTSUS)
An organized listing of goods and their duty rates which is used as the basis for classifying imported products and identifying the rates of duty to be charged. The tariff schedule is divided into a variety of sections and chapters dealing independently with merchandise in wide-ranging product categories. The U.S. International Trade Commission is responsible for publishing the information.
Importer
The individual firm or legal entity that brings goods from a foreign source into a customs territory during the course of trade.
Inland Port
Sites located away from traditional borders where international trade is processed and value-added services are available.
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
A trade organization of airlines that works together offers the highest possible standards to passengers and cargo shippers.
Less Than Container Load (LCL)
Freight is combined with other freight from other shippers. A container can be loaded with LCL cargo at a container freight station for LCL delivery.
Less Than Truckload (LTL)
Freight from several shippers loaded onto an individual trailer. The shipment is based upon a separate rate than truckload rate. LTL is in contrast to TL, which is only one shipment from one shipper that is loaded on a tractor-trailer.
Master Air Waybill (MAWB)
The air waybill of lading that provides data on a consolidated shipment of goods. The consolidator is shown as the shipper.
Net Weight
The total weight of a shipment less the weight of pallets, containers or straps.
Non-vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)
A carrier who issues bills of lading for carriage of goods on vessels that are not owned or operated by them.
Packing List
A document prepared by the shipper that lists the kinds and quantities of merchandise in a particular shipment. A copy is generally sent to the consignee to aid in checking the shipment when received.
Pallet
A portable platform for storing or transporting freight.
Proof Of Delivery (POD)
A receipt with the signature of the recipient.
Port
A harbor where ships may anchor and unload or receive cargo.
Shipment
Except as otherwise provided, the transportation of goods from one location to another, by one shipper, on one bill of lading, from one delivery location, for one consignee to one delivery.
Shipper
The company or person who tenders goods to a carrier for transportation.
Storage
Holding a shipment in a carrier’s warehouse, pending further transportation. Additional charges may be applicable.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
On November 19, 2001 Congress enacted the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) creating the Transportation Security Administration. The ATSA transferred all FAA rules governing civil aviation security, including IAC’s to the TSA. The TSA deals with all modes of transportation: air, highway, rail, & sea.
Truck Load (TL)
A shipment of freight that is loaded to a trailers maximum capacity either by bulk or maximum weight.