Glossary of Shipping Terms

ATA
Actual Time of Arrival
B/L or BOL
Abbreviation for 'Bill of Lading'. See 'Bill of Lading'
BAF
'Bunker Adjustment Factor' Fuel adjustment used by steamship lines to compensate for increased fuel costs.
Bill of Lading
The contract between the owner of the goods and the carrier. Released as either original documents or express documents.
Booking Number
Reservation number used to secure equipment and act as a control number prior to completion of a B/L. Generally issued by a steamship line.
Booking
Arrangements with a carrier for the acceptance and carriage of freight; i.e., a space reservation.
Brokerage
Freight forwarder/broker compensation as specified by ocean tariff or contract.
Chassis
A frame with wheels and container locking devices in order to secure the container for movement. Not shipped on the vessel with the container.
Commercial Invoice
Represents a complete record of the transaction between exporter and importer with regard to the goods sold. Also reports the content of the shipment and serves as the basis for all other documents about the shipment.
Consignee
Person or company to whom commodities are shipped.
Consignor
Person or company shown on the bill of lading as the shipper.
Cut-Off Time
The latest time cargo may be delivered to a terminal for loading to a scheduled train or ship. Additionally, for our purposes, the latest documents can be submitted to a steamship line without being subject to fines or not loading.
D.O.T.
Department of Transportation
Demurrage
A penalty charge against shippers or consignees for delaying the carrier's equipment beyond the allowed free time. The free time and demurrage charges are set forth in the charter party or freight tariff.
Door-to-Door
Through transportation of a container and its contents from consignor to consignee. Also known as House to House.
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
ETS
Estimated Time of Sailing
Express Bill of Lading
Non-negotiable B/L where there are no hard copies of originals printed.
Feeder Vessel
A short-sea vessel which transfers cargo between a central 'hub' port and smaller 'spoke' ports.
Free Time
The amount of time that a carrier's equipment may be used without incurring additional charges.
Freight Forwarder
An international freight forwarder is an agent for the exporter in moving cargo to an overseas destination. In short, they're responsible for providing both customs information and a master bill of lading.
GRI
General Rate Increase
Gross Weight
Entire weight of goods, packaging and freight car or container, ready for shipment. Generally, 80,000 pounds maximum container, cargo and tractor for highway transport.
Harmonized Code (HS)
An international goods classification system for describing cargo in international trade under a single commodity-coding scheme. Also known as 'tariff code', 'NCM number'
House-to-House
See 'Door-to-Door'
I.M.D.G. Code
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. The regulations published by the IMO for transporting hazardous materials internationally.
In Gate(d)
The transaction or interchange that occurs at the time a container is received by a rail terminal or water port from another carrier.
INCOTERMS
The recognized abbreviation for the International Chamber of Commerce Terms of Sale.
Intermodal
Used to denote movements of cargo containers interchangeably between transport modes, i.e., motor, water, and air carriers, and where the equipment is compatible within the multiple systems.
ISO
'Intermodal Shipper Owned'
Kilogram
2.2046 pounds
Laden
Loaded on board a vessel
Letter of Credit
A document, issued by a bank per instructions by a buyer of goods, authorizing the seller to draw a specified sum of money under specified terms, usually the receipt by the bank of certain documents within a given time.
Manifest
Document that lists in detail all the bills of lading issued by a carrier or its agent or master for a specific voyage. A detailed summary of the total cargo of a vessel. Used principally for Customs purposes.
Master Bill of Lading
The document provided to the carrier. More specifically, the forwarder's document and/or document sent to the steamship line. Also known as 'Steamship Master'.
N.O.I.B.N.
'Not Otherwise Indexed By Name'
NCM Number
See 'Harmonized Code'
Net Weight
Weight of the goods alone not including the weight of the tank
NOS
Not Otherwise Specified
NVOCC
Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier - NVOCCs are those who own their own containers but don't own and operate vessels. NVOCCs buy container space in vessels from vessel operators and in turn sell sea freight service to their customers
Ocean Bill of Lading
A contract for transportation between a shipper and a carrier. It also evidences receipt of the cargo by the carrier. A bill of lading shows ownership of the cargo and, if made negotiable, can be bought, sold or traded while the goods are in-transit.
On Board
A notation on a bill of lading that cargo has been loaded on board a vessel. Used to satisfy the requirements of a letter of credit, in the absence of an express requirement to the contrary.
Original Bill of Lading
Non-negotiable bill of lading used in taking delivery of a shipment, or filing a claim on a damaged or lost shipment. All other copies of a B/L are for recording purposes only.
Place of Delivery
Place where cargo leaves the care and custody of carrier.
Place of Receipt
Location where cargo enters the care and custody of carrier.
POD
Port of discharge
POL
Port of loading
Roll/RSF
To rebook cargo to a different vessel - means this is a receipt for shipment booking and should be released when cargo has been received.
S.E.D.
U.S. Commerce Department Document, 'Shipper's Export Declaration'
Service Contract
A contract between a shipper and an ocean common carrier in which the shipper commits to provide a certain minimum quantity of cargo or freight revenue over a fixed time period, and the carrier commits to a certain rate or rate schedule as well as a defined service level.
Shipper's Export Declaration
A joint Bureau of the Census' International Trade Administration form used for compiling U.S. exports. It shows the value, weight, destination, etc., of export shipments as well as Schedule B commodity code.
Shipper's Load & Count (SL&C)
Shipments loaded and sealed by shippers and not checked or verified by the carriers.
Steamship Line Bill of Lading
See 'Ocean Bill of Lading'
Tare Weight
Tank weight alone not including product or equipment weight
Tariff Code
See 'Harmonized Code'
Telex Release
The release of cargo at one port when the original bill of lading has been surrendered at another.
Transit Time
The approximate number of days cargo will be in transit
Transship
To transfer goods from one transportation line to another, or from one ship to another.
War Risk
Insurance coverage for loss of goods resulting from any act of war.
Waybill
See 'Bill of Lading'
Wharfage
Charge assessed by a pier or dock owner against freight handled over the pier or dock or against a steamship company using the pier or dock.