Schedule a demo with us
We can help you solve company communication.
Agents
Shipping agents are also known as 'Freight Forwarders'. They can facilitate the importation and exportation of goods by dealing with other parties (such as shipping lines, etc.) on behalf of their clients.
Bill of Lading (B/L)
An official legal document that represents ownership of cargo; a negotiable document to receive cargo; contract for cargo between shipper and the carrier.
Bonded warehouse
A licenced warehouse where goods can be stored whilst under Customs control.
Box
Another (less formal) industry term for a shipping container.
Carrier
Any individual, company or organisation engaged in transporting goods.
Consignee
The person or company who is the ultimate recipient of the goods consigned for delivery.
Consignment
A batch or group of goods destined for, or delivered, to a recipient.
Container
A reusable steel rectangular box for transporting cargo that first came into common use around the 1960s. The sizes of containers are standardized so that they can easily be moved between specially adapted container ships, trains and trucks.
Container detention
Container detention generally refers to time the container is not in the shipping lines control. Such as, the time the container is with the consignee/transporter. If a container is not returned within the free detention days, then a daily fee for the extra days will be charged by the shipping line. Detention is usually calculated from the first Available day, till the time the container is dehired, although this varies between shipping lines.
Container park
See: Empty container park .
Container seal
A container seal is a single use tamperproof locking mechanism. It provides tamper proof security for containers and security to the cargo inside by locking the door of the container. A unique identifying number is printed on each seal which provides evidence of tamper, since a seal cannot be opened once locked and must be cut.
Container terminal
A docking, unloading and loading area within a port where containers are transferred between transport vehicles such as trucks, rail, and container ships.
CTO
Container Transport Operator – a company who owns and manages trucks for the movement of shipping containers by road.
Customs
A government authority or organisation in a country that is responsible for collecting duties and taxes on imported goods, controlling the flow of goods, transport and passengers, and protecting international borders.
Customs broker
A person or company licensed by Customs to provide services to importers and exporters to deal with customs formalities related to imported and exported goods on behalf of their clients.
Customs Depot
A Customs Depot refers to a premises licensed by Customs to provide additional services to cargo under Customs control.
Cut-off
The scheduled deadline for an export container to be delivered at a terminal in order to be loaded on board the booked vessel.
CY
Container Yard.
Dehire
Return of an empty container to a place designated by the shipping line.
Delivery Order (DO)
A document issued by shipping lines to authorize delivery of a container to a nominated party such as the consignee.
Dunnage
Timber, plywood or any other inexpensive material used to load and secure cargo during transportation.
Electronic Delivery Order (EDO)
An electronic version of a Delivery Order. See: Delivery Order .
Empty (MT)
An empty container which contains no cargo.
Empty container park
A yard that stores and transfers empty containers on behalf of a shipping line.
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure
Export
Outbound movement, sending goods out to another country.
FCL
Full Container Load.
FEU
'Forty-foot Equivalent Unit'. A container that is twice the length of a TEU. i.e. a 40ft container or 2x20ft containers.
First free day
The first scheduled day that a transporter can pick up an import container from the terminal.
Fleet
A number of trucks owned or operated by the same organisation.
Freight forwarder
A person or company that facilitates the importation and exportation of goods by dealing with other parties (such as shipping lines, etc.) on behalf of their clients.
Freight rates
The charge made by a shipping line for the transportation of freight aboard one of its ships from one place to another.
Fuel surcharge
A charge calculated as a percentage of the main transport charge to compensate for fluctuations in fuel prices.
Fumigation
A treatment process of using pressurised gaseous pesticides or fumigants to eliminate quarantine risks from cargo or containers.
Futile Trip
Any time a truck turns up to a depot, wharf terminal or warehouse etc. and cannot perform the intended task (or Wasted Trip).
Gross Weight (GW)
Total weight including the tare weight of the container, its cargo, packing and dunnage.
Hazardous goods
Also known as ‘Dangerous Goods’. Are substances and materials that pose a significant risk to health, safety or property, may be hazardous to humans or the environment. IMCO Codes specify 9 classes of Dangerous Goods (DG) in maritime transport.
Heavy Lift
Haulage of a container by a transporter that exceeds the usually permitted maximum weight. Use of accredited vehicles and extra charges usually apply.
Import
Inbound movement, bringing in goods from another country.
Infrastructure Surcharge
Charges collected by a stevedore billed to transporters when collecting or delivering laden containers from/to the terminal.
ISO container
Simply refers to a container that is of a standardised size for intermodal shipping.
Laden container
A container that is loaded with cargo. As opposed to an empty container.
Last free day
The last scheduled free day that a transporter can pick up an import container from a terminal, pickup after the last free day incurs Storage charges.
Lifts
A "lift" refers to lifting of a single container. E.g. lifting a container on or off a truck.
Lo/Lo
Lift On, Lift Off.
LOA
Letter of Authority.
Local charges
In general, additional charges billed by the shipping line other than the sea freight rate, which are charged at origin and destination. E.g Terminal Handling Charge (THC).
Pallet
A term used for an inexpensive load-carrying platform onto which loose cargo is stacked for easy loading and handling with a forklift.
Port of Operation
a.) The city of the Port that the container will arrive or depart from.
b.) The name of the Terminal or Port where the local transport operation will take place.
Quotation (Quote)
A formal statement setting out the estimated cost for a particular job or service.
Reefer
Industry term for a temperature-controlled container. A container with a built in refrigerator. For goods that need to be kept cold or frozen during transport.
Reference
A unique or personal reference used to identify a shipment. E.g. Owners Ref, Order Number etc.
Request for Quotation (RFQ)
A standard business process with the purpose of inviting suppliers to quote on specific products or services.
Shipper
Any person, company or organization paying for its cargo or a container to be transported from one place to another.
Shipping lines
Companies that operate ships to carry containers and cargo by sea. Also referred to as Ocean carriers.
Sideloader
A trailer or chassis mounted crane system used to load / unload shipping containers to and from the truck onto the ground. (or Drop Out)
Skeletal trailer (Skel)
A trailer designed specifically for the transport of containers. Comprising of a basic steel frame and container pins.
Slot
A pre-arranged booking made by a transporter to access a terminal.
Stevedore
A person or organisation employed at a dock to load and unload ships on behalf of a shipping company.
Storage fee
A daily fee imposed by stevedores to containers which are not picked up within the scheduled available free time. (or Wharf Storage, Demurrage).
Tailgate Inspection (Quarantine)
A inspection that involves a visual walk-around and opening of the container doors to inspect inside the container for non-compliant packing materials or biosecurity risks such as pests, plant material etc.
Tare weight
The weight of the empty container or equipment.
Terminal
See: Container terminal .
Terminal Handling Charge (THC)
The charges billed by shipping lines to shippers related to terminal handling activities such as loading a container on and off a ship. These charges are in addition to the sea freight rate, and are collected at both origin and destination.
Terminal Operator
Companies or organisations responsible for managing and operating a container terminal.
TEU
Twenty–foot Equivalent Unit. i.e. 20ft container.
Tipping skel
A Skel trailer equipped with a hydraulic tipping mechanism for emptying of bulk goods such as grains.
Transporter
A company or individual that provides transport/haulage services of cargo or containers by road.
Tray top
A rigid tray truck capable of carrying lighter 20ft containers.
Underbond movement
The movement of cargo which is subject to Customs control.
Verified Gross Mass (VGM)
A international shipping regulation that requires the actual verified total gross weight of a laden container to be recorded on documentation and the ships manifest in order to improve safety. VGM is the total gross mass of a packed container which includes the cargo weight, packing and dunnage, and the tare weight of the container, obtained by one of the two approved methods; 1.Weighing the packed container with calibrated and certified weighing equipment. 2. Calculating the sum of all of the single pieces of cargo, the packing, dunnage etc. and the tare weight of the container, to obtain the total gross mass (method 2 not suitable for unbagged grain, scrap metal and other bulk cargo).
Vessel
Another word for a boat or ship. Container ships are often referred to as vessels.
Voyage number
A number used to identify a particular round trip journey of an ocean sailing vessel on a fixed trade lane.
Waiting time
Time that is chargeable by a transporter to a shipper for waiting (e.g. delays at a delivery address), other than the agreed free waiting time.
Weighbridge
A designated area where vehicles can be weighed.
Wharf
See: Terminal .
Disclaimer - The above descriptions are provided for reference only. Last updated: August 2021
