A
B C
D E
F G
H I
J K L
M N
O P
Q R S
T U
V W X Y
Z
Air
Waybill
The Air Way bill is a non-negotiable Bill
of Lading, and is used as a receipt for
cargo and a contract for transportation
between shipper and air carrier. Unlike
an ocean carrier with a "to order"
Ocean Bill of Lading, the air carrier must
deliver the shipment to the consignee named
on the non-negotiable Air Waybill. International
air waybills or "airline air waybills,"
are used by the air carriers; "House
air waybills, " are used as receipts
by Freight Forwarders who then consolidate
them with the air carriers international
air waybills.
Air cargo Agent
An agent appointed by an airline to solicit
and process international airfreight shipments.
Airport Code
A three letter code assigned to all airport
locations worldwide.
Arrival notice
A notice from the ocean carrier to the "notify
party" indicating the vessel's estimated
arrival date; identifying shipment details
such as number of packages, weight, and
container number, and indicating when free
time expires. Often includes a freight invoice.

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BAF
Bunker Adjustment Factor.
Barge To Ship
When cargo is loaded directly from the barge
to the ocean carrier, therefore avoiding
delivery to the wharf.
Bonded Warehouse
Goods that must be held until duties are
paid are normally put in a bonded warehouse.
Warehouses must be approved by the U.S.
Treasury Department and must be under bond
or guarantee of compliance with revenue
laws.
Break Bulk
The movement by ocean of packaged goods
that are not containerized.
BSC
Bunker Surcharge.

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C/
Consignee.
C/Y
Container yard.
CAF
Credit Approval form.
Carnet
Customs document, issued under the terms
of a convention, that permits the holder
to carry or send merchandise temporarily
into foreign countries ( for display, demonstration,
or similar purpose) without paying duty
or posting bond. Examples are ATA (Admission
Temporaire) and TIR ( Transport International
Routier). Violation of any of the privileges
of CARNET will result in assessment of duty
and charges for damage.
Carrier Certificate
and Release Order
Used to advise Customs of the shipment's
details. By means of this document, the
carrier certifies that the firm or individual
named in the certificate is the owner or
consignee of the cargo.
CBM
Cubic Meter (35.314 cubic Feet = 1 CBM).
Certificate of Origin
The document certifies that goods were manufactured
in the United States. It is signed by the
shipper and may also be a certified by a
local Chamber of Commerce, notarized, and
even visaed by a resident foreign consul.
A Certificate of Origin may be required
by a foreign government for control purposes,
or by the foreign importer to ensure that
he receives U.S. goods. Specific C/Os are
required for duty reductions with Canada
(U.S./Canada Free Trade Agreement) and Israel
(U.S./Israel Free trade Area).
CFS
Container Freight Station.
CFS/CFS
Container Freight Station to Container Freight
Station. A type of steamship line service
in which cargo is transported between container
freight stations, where containers may be
stuffed, stripped, or consolidated. Usually
used for less-than-container load shipments.
CFT
Cubic Feet.
Chargeable
Weight
The shipment weight used in determining
air freight charges. The chargeable weight
may be the dimensional weight or for container
shipments, the gross weight of the shipment
less the tare weight of the container.
Charterparty
A Charterparty is a contract signed between
a ship owner and a charter who hires the
vessel for a period of time (Time Charter)
or for a particular voyage (Voyage Charter).
There are many types of Charterparties,
most codified by various shipping associations.
Clean
On-Board B/L
A Bill of Lading issued without exceptions.
COD
Collect on Delivery: cost of goods and freight.
COFC
Container on Flat Car
COL
Collect Charges.
Collect
Freight
Freight payable to the carrier at the port
of discharge or ultimate destination. The
consignee need not pay if the cargo does
not arrive at destination.
Collection
Letter
A collection is the procedure whereby the
exporter entrusts the movement of his commercial
documents to a remitting bank for further
processing through a collection bank for
settlement from the buyer. A Collection
Letter is the document used by the remitting
bank to relay complete and precise instructions
to the collecting bank.
Commercial
Invoice
A commercial invoice is the basic statement
of the seller to the buyer for payment of
the goods shipped. It must conform to any
Letter of Credit requirements, foreign government
requirements, and U.S. export control requirements
regarding destination statements. It is
used as one of the primary documents in
the collection process, and is the main
document used by foreign Customs for control,
valuation of the goods, pricing, terms of
sale, payment and delivery, credit numbers,
import license numbers, shipper and consignee
names, and shipping marks and numbers. Commercial
invoices are usually signed by the exporter.
Commercial
Value
Assessment of monetary value of manufactured
goods including production costs, packaging,
shipping, overhead and profit margin; used
to determine duty.
Commodity
Control List
List of commodities subject to U.S. Department
of Commerce export controls.
Commodity
Any article or goods of commerce.
Conference
Rates
Published rates which are applied equally
by all the lines belonging to that particular
conference for a specific commodity.
Consignee
The receiver of the shipment.
Consular
Invoice
Prepared from the information on the commercial
invoice by the buyer's consulate or embassy
in the shipper's country, these documents
are usually stamped with an official seal.
They may be specific forms required by the
destination country's government or simply
copies of the Commercial Invoice. Consular
Invoices are required for control of certain
commodities and to ensure valuation control.
Consularizaiton
A document certified by the Consular of
some foreign countries verifying the value,
quantity and nature of a shipment.
Country
of Transshipment
The country through which a shipment must
pass and be re-sorted to reach its ultimate
destination.
Country
of Ultimate Destination
Final country, as known by an exporter,
where goods are scheduled to arrive.
Courier
A term used to connote fast, expedited,
personalized package and document handling.
CSC
Container Service Charge.
Customs
Broker
A firm that represents importers in dealings
with Customs. Normally responsible for obtaining
and submitting all documents for clearing
merchandise through Customs, arranging inland
transport, and paying all charges related
to these functions.
Customs
Clearance
International procedure of declaring goods
at the Customs Office to gain authorized
entry of those goods into a country.
Customs
Invoice
Certain countries require special invoices
containing specific information for the
Customs clearance and valuation of imported
shipments. These documents contain most
of the elements of the Commercial Invoice,
and are usually in the language of the importing
country. The Canadian Customs Invoice is
the most popular of this type.
Customs
Value
The value of a shipment as declared by the
shipper or appraised by Customs to enable
determination of accurate import duties.
CY/CY
Container Yard to Container Yard. A type
of steamship line service in which freight
is transported from origin container yard
to destination container yard.
Dangerous Goods
Articles or substances which are capable
of posing a significant risk to health,
safety or property when transported by air
and which are classified according to subsections
3.1 through 2.10 in IATA. This includes
cargo labeled as flammable, corrosive, radioactive,
etc.

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DDC
Destination Delivery Charge.
Declared
Value
The value of a shipment as declared by the
shipper, used to determine the value for
duty and carrier liability.
Delivery
Instructions
Also called delivery Orders, these documents
provide specific information to a carrier
regarding delivery to a specific port, pier,
terminal, airport, or steamship line. They
show the shipping carrier, delivery deadlines,
name and address of consignee, and the contact
name and telephone number of the shipper
n case of delivery problems.
Delivery
Order
Document issued by the Customs broker to
the ocean carrier as authority to release
the cargo to the inland carrier.
Delivery
Service
Bringing goods to a destination on behalf
of a shipper for a fee.
Demurrage
A charge for storage of incoming merchandise
beyond the free time allotted by the shipping
company. Also applies to carrier owned or
leased equipment, such as containers and
chassis.
Destination
The location to which a shipment is being
delivered.
DG
Dangerous Goods.
Dimensional
Weight
The weight calculated by measuring the length
x width x height of a package: used when
calculating the rate of oversized pieces.
Dock
Receipt
The Dock Receipt provides the exporter with
a receipt indicating that the ocean terminal
operator has taken custody of the
shipment on behalf of the ocean carrier.
It is basically a proof of delivery of the
goods from the exporter to the pier.
Draft
Sometimes called a Bank Drafter Bill of
Exchange, the Draft is a negotiable instrument
which contains an order to pay. It must
be signed by the drawer (seller) and be
payable at sight or by a certain time. The
Draft must contain an unconditional order
to pay a certain sum of money to the drawee
(buyer). Drafts are used in both collection
and Letter of Credit methods of payment.
DTD
Door To Door.
DTP
Door to Port.
Dutiable
Those goods which are subject to duty as
per each nation's Customs regulation.
Duty
Drawback
A refund of duty paid on imported merchandise
when it is later exported.
Duty
A tax imposed by a government on merchandise
imported from another country. There are
several types of duty, including: A) Ad
valorem duty ("According to the value")
- an assessment based on of the actual value
of an article. B) Specific duty - an assessment
based on the weight or quantity of an article
without reference to its monetary value
or market price.
Embargo
The prohibition of accepting freight at
origin because of a crisis at the point
of destination.

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ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival.
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure.
EX
DEC
Shipper's Export Declaration.
Export
Airbill
A non-negotiable document prepared by the
shipper which includes pertinent information.
For example, Shipper and consignee name
and address, Account Number, brief description
of goods, etc.
Export
Broker
An individual or organization that unites
buyer and broker for a fee.
Export
License
A Government authorization which allows
a shipper to export specified goods to designated
countries.
Export
Trading Company
A firm that buys domestic products for sale
overseas. A trading company takes title
to the goods; an export-management company
usually does not.
Exporter
The person sending goods produced in one
country to another country.
Export
Management Company
A private firm that serves as the export
department for several manufacturers, soliciting
and transacting export business on behalf
of it s clients in return for a commission,
salary, or retainer plus commission.
Express
B/L
Ocean Bill of Lading issued by the steamship
line when cargo is consigned directly to
the customer. Cargo is automatically released.
No originals are issued.

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F.O.B. (Free
on Board)
The price including cost of loading the
goods for transportation at a specified
place.
Facsimile
The transmission of an exact copy of a document
by wire or radio.
FAF
Fuel Adjustment Factor.
FCL
Full Container Load.
Federal
Maritime Commission (FMC)
Regulatory agency responsible for rates
and practices of ocean carriers shipping
to and from the United States.
FEU
40 foot equivalent unit.
Flat
Bed
A type of truck with no side panels on to
which cargo is usually strapped, chained
or otherwise attached.
Flat
Rack
Usually a wheel-less piece of equipment
to which a piece of cargo is attached, strapped,
or otherwise secured. Standard size is 20'
or 40' long.
40
Footer
A container which is 40 feet in length.
Forwarder's
Receipt
Receipt issued by the appointed forwarder
that goods have been received without exception
for export. Could be used in case of Letter
of Credit shipment under Ex-Works terms
of sale.
Forwarding
To ensure and facilitate the passage of
goods from an origin to a destination.
Free
Trade Zone
A port designated by the government of a
country for duty-free entry of any non-prohibited
goods. Merchandise may be sorted, displayed,
used for manufacturing, etc., within the
zone and re-exported without duties being
paid. Duties are imposed on the merchandise
(or items manufactured from the merchandise)
only when the goods pass from the zone into
an area of the country subject to the Customs
authority.
Freight
Forwarder
A firm that represents shippers by arranging
transport and completing documentation required
for international shipping. Some freight
forwarders also act as cargo consolidators.
Freight
Payable at Destination
When the ocean freight of a shipment is
paid at the time of delivery at the foreign
port.
Full
Set Off B/L's
Usually means the issuance of the three
original's and three copies of the ocean
Bill of Lading. This term is generally accepted
by banks and shippers.
FVD
Full Value Declared.

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Gateway City
Key cities of entry/departure for international
shipments, strategically located for the
most efficient movement of goods.
General
Order (G.O.)
A Customs term referring to a warehouse
where merchandise not entered within five
working days after the carrier's arrival
is stored at the risk and expense of the
importer.
Gondola
Cars
Special type of railroad equipment. Car
usually shaped like a gondola (long with
no top). Usually carries grain, ore, or
other bulk cargo.
Gross
Weight
The total weight of a shipment including
the goods and packaging. (Compare with Tare
Weight.)
Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding
System ("Harmonized Code")
An international classification system that
assigns identification numbers to specific
products. The coding system ensures that
all parties in international trade use a
consistent classification for the purposes
of documentation, statistical control, and
duty assessment.

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HBL
House Bill of Lading.
House
to House Rates
This rate usually applied from the Shipper's
Warehouse to the Consignee's Warehouse.
Also known as Warehouse to Warehouse
IATA (International Air Transport Association)
International Air Transport Association.
The trade and service organization representing
international airlines from more than 100
countries.

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ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization.
A United Nations agency organized to ensure
orderly worldwide technical development
of civil aviation.
IMO
International Maritime Organization. A United
Nations affiliated organization representing
all maritime countries in matters affecting
maritime transportation, including the movement
of dangerous goods. The organization also
is involved in deliberations on marine environmental
pollution.
Import
License
Many countries have currency exchange controls
which serve to limit the amount of currency
available for the purchase of foreign merchandise.
The import license is used to control orders
sent to foreign exporters. It is important
for exporters to understand their foreign
buyer's licensing requirements as payment
negotiations are made prior to any exportation.
Import
License
A document issued by a carrier required
and issued by some national governments
authorizing the importation of goods into
their individual countries.
In
Bond
A term applied to the status of merchandise
admitted provisionally to a country without
payment of duties, either for storage in
a bonded warehouse or for transshipment
to another point, where duties eventually
will be paid.
Inland
Bill of Lading
The Inland Bill of Lading, usually a non-negotiable
document, evidences the receipt of goods
by an inland carrier for transport from
the point of origin to the point of export.
These bills of lading include the following
export information: "for export,"
marks and number, "freight prepaid,"
and special delivery/notification instructions.
Inspection
Certificate
To protect themselves, many foreign firms
request a Certificate of Inspection. This
may be an affidavit by the shipper, or by
an independent inspection firm hired by
the buyer, certifying the quality, quantity,
and conformity of the goods to the purchase
order.
Insurance
Certificate
An Insurance Certificate gives evidence
of risk coverage for merchandise shipped.
It is sent to the bank with other collection
documents, and normally is used only when
required by Letter of Credit or Documentary
Collection procedures. There are many types
of insurance policies available. Coverage
requested is usually 110% of the value of
the cargo shipped.
Insured
Value
Dollar amount of which goods are insured
by shipper.
Integrated
Carrier
An airfreight company that offers a blend
of transportation services such as air carriage,
freight forwarding, and ground handling.
Interchange
Agreement
A contract between a steamship line and
the truck line, stating the (truck line)
is responsible for any detention charges
and/or repairs that may occur while container
is in their possession. Contract also proves
that truck line has the required insurance.

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KGS
Kilogram (2.2046 pounds).
Knots
Per Hour
Units of measure for ship's speed: Nautical
Miles per Hour. One nautical mile is 1852
meters.
KT
Kilo ton (1,000 kilograms).

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L/B
Land Bridge.
L/C
Letter of Credit.
Lash
Down
A method of securing cargo inside the hold
or on deck of a vessel. Usually done with
cables.
LBS
Pounds.
LCL
Less than Container Load.
Letter of Credit
The Letter of Credit is a financial Instrument
issued by an importer's bank (opening bank,
on behalf of the importer). The opening
bank substitutes its own credit for that
of the importer, and undertakes a commitment
to designated beneficiary (the exporter)
to pay a stated amount within a stated time
frame, provided that the exporter complies
with all the terms and conditions of the
Letter of Credit.
Limits
of Liability
The extent to which carrier is liable for
loss or damage to a particular shipment.
Legalization
A document certified by the Consular of
some foreign countries verifying the value,
quantity and nature of a shipment (compare
with Consularization).
Loss and Damage
Claim
This document is used to claim insurance
compensation for goods lost or damaged during
exportation. The items lost or damaged must
be fully described. Supporting documentation
would include copies of the Commercial Invoice,
Bill of Lading, and Insurance Certificate.
LRD
Last Receiving Date.
LT
Long Ton (2,249 Pounds).
LTL
Less than Trailer Load.

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M/N
Marks and Numbers.
M3
Cubic Meters.
Manufacturer's
Certificate
A Certificate of Manufacture is used when
a buyer intends to pay for goods prior to
shipment, but the lead time for the manufacturing
process is lengthy and the buyer does not
which to tie up funds too far in advance.
Usually, the goods are manufactured after
a small down payment. when the goods have
been manufactured, the seller prepares a
Manufacturer's Certificate stating that
the goods ordered have been produced in
accordance with the contract with the buyer.
Upon receiving the certificate, the buyer
forwards both payment and shipping instructions,
and the shipment is made by the seller.
Marine
Cargo Insurance
Average - A term in marine cargo insurance
signifying loss or damage to merchandise.
General average - A loss arising out of
a voluntary sacrifice made of any part of
a shipment or cargo to prevent loss of the
whole and for the benefit of all persons
concerned. FPA - Free of particular average
- a provision in a marine cargo insurance
policy that no claim shall be paid for damage
to goods in the course of a voyage unless
a loss is sustained that totals or exceeds
a certain percentage of the value as specified
in the policy. The object of such a provision
is the avoidance of petty claims. Open Policy
- A contract between an insurance company
and the exporter by which all shipments
made by the assured are automatically protected
from the time the merchandise leaves the
initial shipping. Particular average - A
partial loss or damage of merchandise caused
by a peril insured against, but which is
not a general-average loss.
MLB
Mini-Land Bridge.

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N/
Notify Party.
NCV (No Commercial
Value)
Shipments declared as having no commercial
value but having a value for Customs. Best
example would be business documents.
Non-Conference
Rate
Rates which are assessed by those lines
that do not belong to a particular conference.
Rates can be approximately 10% lower than
conference rates.
Non-Dutiable
Those goods which are exempt from duty as
per each nation's Customs regulation.
NOS/NES
Not otherwise specified/Not elsewhere specified.
This term often appears in ocean or airfreight
tariffs respectively. If no rate for the
specific commodity shipped appears in the
tariff, then a general class rate (for example,
"printed matter NES") will apply.
Such rates usually are higher than rates
for specific commodities.
NVOCC
Non-vessel operating common carrier. A firm
that offers the same services as an ocean
carrier, but which does not own or operate
a vessel. NVOCCs usually act as consolidators,
accepting small shipments (LCL) and consolidating
them into full containerloads. They then
act as a shipper, tendering the containers
to ocean common carriers. They are required
to file tariffs with the Federal Maritime
commission and are subject to the same laws
and statutes that apply to primary common
carriers.

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O/B
Onboard Vessel.
O/F
Ocean Freight (charges).
OBL
Ocean Bill of Lading
Issued by: Steamship line Purpose: Each
carrier has its own bill of lading form.
Serves as contract of carriage between carrier
and shipper, spelling out legal responsibilities
and liability limits for all parties to
the shipment. The B/L also can be used to
transfer title to the goods to a party named
in the document. Specifics shipment details,
such as number of pieces, weight, destination,
etc. Usually three signed originals issued.
Licensed consolidators (NVOCCs) issue their
own B/Ls to shippers.
On-Deck Cargo
Cargo usually stowed on the deck of a vessel.
This cargo is usually subjected to wind
and sea water.
On-Board Courier
A dedicated messenger who physically accompanies
an international shipment.
On-Forwarding
Forwarding a shipment from an intermediate
stop to its final destination; subject to
additional charge.
Open Tops
A 20' or 40' container with the top being
open. Used for oversized cargo, and it's
covered by a tarp for protection of the
cargo.
Oversized Pieces
Shipments of 85 inches or greater that are
too large to fit on a pallet.

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Packing List
This important document describes all items
in the box, crate, pallet, or container,
plus the type, dimensions, and weight of
the container. It is used to determine total
shipping weight and volume (cubes) by Customs
officials to check cargo, and by the buyer
to inventory merchandise received. Prices
and item values are usually omitted from
the Packing List. Shipping marks, reference
numbers and carton numbers are also important
additions to the packing list.
Palletized
Cargo
Cargo that is placed on portable platforms
for easier loading/unloading or transportation.
Platforms are called pallets.
Perishable
Products that require expedited transport
or special attention to prevent spoilage
or decay such as fruits, vegetables, frozen
fish or certain chemical products.
Phytosanitary Inspection Certificates
Also referred to as "plant health"
certificates, these are required by many
foreign countries for shipments of plants
and plant products. They serve to certify
conformity to local plant quarantine import
regulation with respect to pest and disease
infection.
Pick Up Service
Retrieving goods from a shipper to be brought
to their destination for a fee.
POD
Port of Discharge, also Proof of Delivery.
Point of Origin
The location where a shipment first starts
out.
POL
Port of Landing
Port of Entry
The Port, airport, or other location whereby
a shipment enters a country.
Postal Code
A four to nine digit number identifying
postal delivery zones in Canadian and international
cities.
Power of Attorney
Exporters and Importers authorize Freight
Fowarders and Customs Brokers to act as
their agents, for export control and Customs
purposes, with this document. Completed
Power of Attorney documents, however, do
not relieve importers or exporters from
liability to the U.S. Government in the
event of export control or entry errors.
PPD
Prepaid Charges.
Prepaid freight
Freight paid by the shipper to the carrier
when merchandise is tendered for shipment.
Not refundable if the merchandise does not
arrive at the intended destination.
Preprinted
Airbill
Airbills preprinted with shipping company
name, address and account number. Preprinted
airbills help speed completion of shipping
documentation and assure accurate billing.
Pro forma Invoice
The Pro Forma is used primarily to document
to the buyer, in advance, the cost and terms
of sale of a proposed export. It is used
by the foreign buyer as a quotation from
the exporter and also to assist in applying
for a Letter of Credit from his bank. The
Pro Forma Invoice serves as the basis for
the subsequent Commercial Invoice.
PTP
Port to Port.

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Receipt For
Shipment B/L
When the steamship line gives the shipper
a B/L indicating that cargo has been received
at the pier, but not necessarily loaded
on the vessel.
Reefer
This container usually has a self-sustaining
unity to keep cargo cool/cold at certain
temperatures.
Restricted Articles
An airline term meaning a hazardous material
as defined by Title 49, Code of Federal
Regulations (U.S.) and Air Transport Restricted
Articles Circular 6-D. Restricted articles
may be transported domestically and may
be classified as dangerous goods when transported
internationally by air.
Ro/Ro
Roll-on/Roll-off. A type of vessel that
transports wheeled vehicles. Also used to
refer to the cargo itself.

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S/
Shipper.
Shipper's Declaration
for Dangerous Goods
Under the regulations of the Department
of Transportation, the International Air
Transport Association (IATA), and the International
Maritime Organization (IMO), shippers and
exporters are required to declare dangerous
cargos to the air and ocean carriers they
use for shipment. Both the IMO and IATA
require specific documents to report hazardous
goods, and these requirements are published
in their respective Codes. IATA also provides
a document specifically for non-restricted
articles.
Shipper's Export
Declaration (SED)
Issued by: Exporter (or freight forwarder
on exporter's behalf) Purpose: U.S. Forms
7525-V and 7525-V-Alternate (for intermodal
shipments) required by federal law for any
commodity with value over $2,500 or any
shipment requiring validated export license.
Enables Bureau of the Census to compile
trade statistics. Shipper or its agent submits
form to carrier, which then submits SEDs
for all shipments on vessel voyage or aircraft
flight to U.S. Customs.
Shipper's Interest
Insurance
Insurance, arranged for by carrier if specified
on the Airbill, which covers shipments against
risk of physical loss or damage from any
external causes.
Shipper's Letter
of Instruction
These instructions, often prepared along
with a Shipper's Export Declaration, are
the exporter's direction to the freight
forwarder on how to handle the exporter's
shipment. The information prepared on the
SLI includes a description of the goods
and containers, the ultimate consignee,
shipping method desired, insurance requirements,
and special instructions pertaining to the
shipment.
Ship's Gear
Any equipment ( such as cranes, hatches,
winches, cables) belonging to or part of
the vessel.
Sight, Time
Drafts
Issued by: Exporter (or freight forwarder
on exporter's behalf) Purpose: Request for
payment from foreign buyer. Instructs buyer's
bank to collect payment; when collected
it releases shipping documents to buyer.
Buyer's bank then remits to seller's bank.
Sight drafts are payable on receipt at buyer's
bank. Time drafts extend credit; foreign
bank releases documents immediately, but
collects payment later, for example, 30
days after receipt of draft.
Single Access
Document
Also referred to as "SAD" the
Single Access Document required for movement
of goods through the countries of the European
Economic Community. Generally prepared by
Customs Brokers in Europe for imports entering
the EC.
Skidded Crate
A crate with skids underneath for easy lifting
with fork lifts.
SL&C
Shipper Load and Count.
ST
Short Ton (2,000 pounds).
STC
Said to Contain.
Steamship conference
A voluntary collective ratemaking body representing
member steamship lines.
Steamship line
A company that owns and/or operates vessels
in maritime trade.

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T.O.F.C.
Railroad term which means Trailer On Flat
Car.
Tare Weight
The weight of a shipment excluding the goods
being shipped (compare with Gross Weight.)
Tariff Rate
The rate or price schedule for transporting
different items to various countries.
Tariff
A document issued by a carrier setting forth
applicable rules, rates, and charges for
the movement of goods. It sets up a contract
of carriage between the shipper, consignee,
and carrier. In international trade applications,
the term also refers to a tax on imports.
Telex
A communication wire service that automatically
transmits data that has been entered on
a teletypewriter.
TEU
Twenty-foot equivalent unit. Used to measure
a vessel's capacity.
THC
Terminal Handling Charge.
Third Party Billing
The designated payor of an invoice other
than the shipper or the consignee.
Transmittal Letter
The Transmittal Letter, commonly prepared
with a Bank Draft, is the document used
to send shipping documents to a remitting
bank for processing either a collection
or payment/negotiation under a Letter of
Credit. It contains the shipper's precise
and complete instructions on how the documents
are to be handled and the payments remitted.
Transshipment
Shipment of merchandise to the point of
destination in another country on more than
one vessel or vehicle. The liability may
pass from one carrier to the next, or it
may be covered by "through bills of
lading" issued by the first carriers.
TRC
Terminal Receiving Charge.
TVC
Time Volume Contract.
20 Footer
A container which is 20 feet in length.

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ULD
Unit load device. Refers to airfreight containers
and pallets.
Unit Cost
The cost associated with one unit of an
item.

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W/M
Weight or Measure: whichever is greater.
Weight Certificate
The Weight Certificate, usually a certified
copy of the Packing List, is occasionally
required by the foreign buyer for control
purposes. This type of certification may
be made with an export inspection company.
WT
Weight or Weight Ton.

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Zip Code
A five (or nine) digit number that identifies
every Post Office and delivery station within
the United States. ZIP coded shipments will
be delivered quicker than encoded shipments.
