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Shipping and Freight Forwarding Glossary

Find here the definitions to the most common shipping and freight forwarding terms you will encounter in international shipping.

Ocean
Air
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A
Abaft
Abaft the beam
Abandon
Abatement
Aboard
Above board
Absolute minimum charge
Absorption
Acceptance
Acceptance of goods
Acceptance of shipment
Accessibility
Accessorial charges
Accessorial service
Accountee
Accrual
Acknowledgment of receipt
Acquiescence
Act of God
Act of man
Active quote
Ad hoc charter
Ad valorem duty
Ad valorem freight
Adjustments
Advance
Advance against documents
Advanced charge
Advanced shipping notification
Advice of shipment
Advising bank
Advisory capacity
Affiliate
Affreight
Aft
Agent
Aggregate shipment
Aggregate tender rate
Agreed valuation
Agreed weight
Air cargo
Air cargo agent
Air cargo containers
Air carrier
Air express
Air freight
Air freight forwarder
Air waybill
Airbill
Airline terminal fee
Airport of discharge
Airway Bill
All commodity rate
All-cargo carrier
All-in
All-inclusive rate
Allowance
Alongside
Also notify party
Alternative rates
Amazon FBA
Ambient temperature
Amendment
American Terms
Amidships
Automated Manifest System
B
Beneficial cargo owner
Bill of lading
Blank sailing
Blind shipping
Bonded goods
Bonded shipment
Bonded warehouse
Breakbulk cargo
Bulk
Bulk cargo
Bunker
Bunker adjustment factor (BAF)
Bunkers
C
20-foot general purpose container
40-foot general purpose container
40-foot high cube container
CET hold
Cargo
Cargo Ship
Cargo receipt
Carriage Paid To (CPT)
Carriage and Insurance Paid to (CIP)
Carrier
Certificate of origin (COO)
Commerce control list (CCL)
Commercial goods
Commercial invoice
Consignee
Consignment
Consolidation
Consolidation fee
Container freight station (CFS)
Container yard
Continuous customs bond (CCB)
Contract of affreightment
Cost and Freight (CFR)
Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF)
Currency adjustment factor
Customs assigned importer number (CAIN)
Customs bond
Customs clearance
Customs exam
Customs release
D
Dangerous goods
Dangerous goods declaration
Dangerous goods note
Dangerous goods packing certificate
Deconsolidation
Delivered at Frontier (DAF)
Delivered at Place (DAP)
Demurrage
E
Emergency bunker surcharge
Ex Works (EXW)
Export customs clearance
Export license
Export packing list
Express Release Bill of Lading
Express bill of lading
F
Free on Board (FOB)
Freight
Full container load (FCL)
G
General average
General rate increase (GRI)
Golden week
H
HS
HS Code
HTS
HTS Code
Harmonized Code
Harmonized Schedule
Harmonized System
Harmonized System Code
Harmonized System of Codes
Harmonized Tariff Schedule
Harmonized Tariff Schedule Code
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)
Harmonized commodity description and coding system
Haulage
HazMat
Hazardous materials
I
Import customs clearance
Importer Security Filing (ISF)
Importer of record
In bond
Incoterm
Intensive Exam
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS)
K
Known shipper
L
Less than container load (LCL)
Letter of advice
Liftgate
M
Master Bill of Lading (MBL)
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
Modes of transportation
N
Negotiated rate agreement (NRA)
Non-Vessel Operating Common carrier (NVOCC)
Non-resident importer (NRA)
O
Ocean freight
P
Packing list
Palletization
Peak season
Peak season surcharge (PSS)
Port to port (PTP)
R
Refrigerated cargo
S
SME
SOLAS VGM
Sea waybill
Shipment
Shipper’s letter of instruction
Shipping agent
Straight Bill of Lading
Stuffing
T
Tariff
Third party fulfillment
Transit time
Twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU)
U
USDA exam
Unit load device
United States customs and border protection (USCBP)
V
Vessel operating common carrier (VOCC)
Vessel schedule
W
War risk
Warehouse
Wharfage
X
X-ray exam