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B C
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F G
H I
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L M
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P Q
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T U
V W
X Y
Z
AATA
Acronym for the Animal Transportation Association.
An international non-profit
organization dedicated to the safe and humane transport of animals.
AAR
Acronym for the Association of American Railroads. The
AAR represents North America's major freight railroads as well as Amtrak. Based
in Washington, DC, the organization is committed to
keeping the railroads of North America safe, fast, efficient, clean and
technologically advanced.
ABC
Abbreviation for activity-based costing. A method used to
identify, describe, assign costs to and report on freight shipping operations.
ACE
Abbreviation for automated commercial environment. A method used to automate the process of
tracking U.S. imports and provide a systematic approach to border control.
ACS
Abbreviation for automated commercial systems. The U.S.
Customs/Department of Homeland Security master computer system. ACS is a comprehensive system
designed to track, control and process all commercial goods imported into the
United States.
ADA
Acronym for the Airline Deregulation Act. A federal law
enacted in the late-70s designed to remove government regulation
from commercial aviation and subject the passenger airline industry to market
forces.
AID
Acronym for the Agency for International Development. A
U.S. government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. The
AID receives foreign policy
guidance from the U.S. Secretary of State and seeks to extend a helping hand to
those people overseas struggling to make a better life, recover from a disaster
or striving to live in a free and democratic country.
AMS
Abbreviation for the U.S. Customs/Department of Homeland Security
Automated Manifest System. The AMS is a modular cargo inventory
control and release notification system. It interfaces directly with other systems to allow faster
identification and release of low risk shipments.
ATA
Acronym for the American Trucking Association. The ATA is
the national voice for the trucking industry before Capitol Hill, regulators,
the courts and the news media. It is the driving force in effecting change, ensuring
that the industry’s interests are vigorously promoted and improving the business
climate for trucking companies.
B * * * * *
BAA
Acronym for the British Airports Authority. The BAA
is the world’s leading airport company. They own and operate seven UK airports
as well as operations in Italy, Australia, Hungary and the USA.
BACA
Acronym for the Baltic Air Charter Association. BACA represents the interests of commercial aviation companies particularly in
the air charter industries and their related markets. Members include air
brokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators,
freight forwarders and consultants.
BAF
Abbreviation for bunker adjustment factor. A method used to
compensate a water transport vessel for irregular fuel costs. Sometimes
referred to as a fuel adjustment factor (FAF.) The term bunker refers to
oil and may also refer to a compartment on a ship for storing fuel.
BB
Abbreviation for bareboat. A method of arranging a shipment that
leaves the chartering party with most of the responsibilities of
the owner.
B/B
Abbreviation for break-bulk cargo. Loose cargo such as cartons,
stowed directly in a vessel's hold as opposed to containerized or bulk cargo.
BCO
Abbreviation for beneficial cargo owner. A term ascribed to an
importer who assumes responsibility for freight upon delivery, but does not
partake in the movement of that same cargo.
B/L
Abbreviation for bill of lading. A bill of lading is a document
issued by a carrier to the shipper acknowledging that they have received a shipment of goods.
It also verifies that those goods have been placed on board
a particular vessel bound for a particular destination, and states the
terms in which those goods are to be transported.
BOM
Abbreviation for bill of material. A BOM describes a product's
assemblies and basic parts. It
is an essential part of the design and manufacture of any product.
B2B
Abbreviation for business-to-business. A term most often used in
a marketing context. B2B strategies and services are designed to enable or
improve relationships within firms and/or between two or more companies.
C * * * * *
CAA
Acronym for the Civil Aviation Authority. A government body
that regulates airlines based in the United Kingdom. The CAA oversees all civil
aviation functions such as economic regulation, airspace policy, safety
regulation and consumer protection.
CAF
Abbreviation for currency adjustment factor. A charge applied to compensate ocean
carriers on currency fluctuations. The CAF is expressed as a percentage of a
base rate.
CCEF
Abbreviation for customs centralized examination facility. A privately operated facility not in
the charge of a Customs officer, but at which merchandise is examined by customs officers. A CES may be established in any port or any area under the province of a port
director.
CE
Abbreviation for consumption entry. The filing process required to
import foreign goods for use in the United States. A CE must be made with the
U.S. Customs Department to address issues such as the payment of estimated
duties, taxes and fees resulting from the release of those goods for
sale in America.
CFS
Abbreviation for container freight station. A shipping dock where
cargo is loaded or unloaded from containers.
C&F
An abbreviated term used for a quoted price that includes the cost of goods
and
freight.
CISG
Shorthand expression for the United Nations Convention on Contracts for
the International Sale of Goods. The CISG was enacted in 1988
to eventually replace the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) as the primary
legislation governing international sales and contracts of sale.
CKD
Abbreviation for completely knocked down. A term used to describe
unassembled parts and subassemblies
being transported to an assembly plant.
COFC
Abbreviation for container on flatcar. A shorthand expression
used to describe the process of placing containers directly on the back of a
flatcar.
COGSA
Acronym for the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act.
A law enacted in 1936 to protect carriers from liability arising from damage
to cargo caused by inadequate packaging.
CMI
Acronym for the Comite' Maritime International.
Established in 1897, CMI is the oldest international organization in the
maritime field and was the first of its type concerned
exclusively with maritime law and related commercial practices.
CSCMP
Acronym for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.
Formerly the Council of Logistics Management, the CSCMP was formed to lead the
evolving supply chain management profession by developing, advancing and
disseminating supply chain knowledge and research.
CY
Abbreviation for container yard. A method of measurement used to
express the capacity of a materials handling/storage
facility used exclusively for loads in containers.
D * * * * *
DAT
Abbreviation for dangerous articles tariff. A duty imposed on
shipments containing dangerous items such as
combustibles, corrosives, acid or other hazardous materials.
DCA
Acronym for the Department of Civil Aviation. A term
broadly used to describe a foreign country's aviation oversight body responsible
for establishing regulation and air traffic management guidelines.
DDP
Abbreviation for delivered duty paid. An arrangement in which the
shipper rather than the recipient, has the option of paying for destination
duties and taxes on a shipment. This arrangement
is also known as free
domicile.
DDU
Abbreviation for delivered duty unpaid. An arrangement in which
the destination duty and taxes are paid by the consignee.
DEQ
Abbreviation for delivered ex quay (duty paid.) An arrangement in
which the seller fulfills the contract obligations to deliver when goods are
made available to the buyer at the wharf of the destination port.
DF
Abbreviation for dead freight. A term used to describe freight
when the merchant agrees to return
cargo and he fails to do so, and lets the ship return in ballast. That merchant must
then
compensate the shipper in the amount of the freight - this cargo is called dead freight.
D&H
Abbreviation for dangerous and hazardous cargo. A term used to
describe cargo capable of inflicting physical harm or contamination if its
container is damaged or packaged inadequately. Examples of such cargo are
explosives, corrosives, inflammables, etc.
DDC
Abbreviation for destination delivery charge. Based on
container size, a DDC is a charge that involves many freight tariffs. This charge
covers crane lifts off the vessel, container drayage
and gate fees.
DOT
Acronym for the Department of Transportation. The DOT is
the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to
transportation oversight. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation,
which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces and many
local agencies also have similar organizations.
DRP
Abbreviation for distribution resource planning. A systematic
approach to the design, implementation and management of a distribution system based on
quick response and continuous replenishment concepts. DRP also provides guidelines on how to dramatically improve the accuracy of
product deliveries, reduce levels of inventory, lower operating costs and refine
productivity.
E * * * * *
EMC
Abbreviation for export management company. A third-party entity
that manages the export activities of a shipper for a fee.
F * * * * *
FAF
Abbreviation for fuel adjustment factor. Same as bunker
adjustment factor. A method used to compensate a water transport vessel for
irregular fuel costs.
FAK
A shorthand expression for freight all kinds. Goods that are
usually charged a higher rate and often reside in full
container loads of mixed shipments.
FAS
Abbreviation for free alongside ship. An arrangement in which the
seller pays for the transportation of goods to the port of shipment. The buyer
then pays loading costs, freight, insurance, unloading costs and transportation from
the port of destination to his factory.
FCL
Abbreviation for full container load. The opposite of a less than
container load (LCL.) Simply put, FCL refers to a shipping container that is
full.
FEU
Abbreviation for forty-foot equivalent unit. A unit of cargo
capacity, especially for container ships. One FEU represents the cargo capacity
of a standard container 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and a little over 8
feet high.
FIATA
Acronym for the International Federation of Freight Forwarders
Associations. A non-governmental organization comprised of 40,000
forwarding and logistics firms. FIATA has consultative status with the Economic
and Social Council of the United Nations, the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development and the UN Commission on International Trade Law.
FMC
Acronym for the Federal Maritime Commission. The U.S.
Governmental regulatory body responsible for administering maritime affairs
including the tariff system, freight forwarder licensing, the enforcement of the
Shipping Act and the approval of carrier
agreements.
FMCSA
Acronym for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The FMCSA was established as a separate administration within the U.S.
Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000, pursuant to the Motor Carrier
Safety Improvement Act of 1999. Its primary mission is to reduce crashes,
injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.
FO
Abbreviation for free out. An arrangement in which the cost of
unloading a vessel is borne by the chartering party.
FOB
Abbreviation for free on board. A term used to describe a
situation in which the seller pays
for transportation of the goods to the port of shipment, plus loading costs. The
buyer then pays freight, insurance, unloading costs and transportation from the port
of destination to his factory.
FOC
Abbreviation for flag of convenience. A flag of a specific
country, flown by a ship owned by a citizen of another country. the country
providing the flag charges money for that service. The ship owner can thereby
often avoid taxes and make registration easier.
FTZ
Abbreviation for free trade zone. One or more areas of a country
in which tariffs and quotas are eliminated, and bureaucratic requirements
lowered as a means of raising the incentives for companies to conduct business there. Most FTZs are located in developing countries.
G * * * * *
GATS
Acronym for the General Agreement on Trade and Services.
GATS is a treaty of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that was
created to extend the multilateral trading system to services in the same way
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) provides such a system for
merchandise trade. All members of the WTO are signatories to GATS.
GATT
Acronym for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
A multilateral treaty designed to reduce trade barriers between its signatory
countries and promote trade through tariff concessions. GATT included a
reduction in tariffs as well as other
international trade barriers and is generally considered the precursor to the
World Trade Organization.
GBL
Abbreviation for government bill of lading. A Government
operations document used when transportation of
supplies, materials and personal property are required. The GBL procures
freight and express transportation as well as related services from commercial
carriers, including freight forwarders.
GDSM
Abbreviation for general department store merchandise. A way of
describing goods shipped by
mass-merchandise companies via service
contracts.
GO
Abbreviation for general order. An action taken when the U.S. Customs
Department orders shipments
without entries to be kept in their custody in a bonded warehouse.
GPS
Abbreviation for global positioning system. Also known as a
geophysical positioning system, a GPS is a fully-functional navigation
system comprised of more than two dozen satellites. The GPS broadcasts precise
timing signals by radio to its receivers, thereby allowing them to accurately determine
their exact location: longitude, latitude, and altitude, in any weather conditions - day or night,
anywhere on Earth.
GRI
Abbreviation for general rate increase. A term used to describe a tariff rate increase applied to base
shipping rates.
GSA
Abbreviation for general sales agent. Usually a broker or
freight forwarder acting on behalf of an airline.
GT
Abbreviation for gross tonnage. A term that applies to vessels,
not to freight. GT is the total volume in cubic meters of all enclosed spaces on ship.
GVW
Abbreviation for gross vehicle weight. The combined total weight
of a vehicle and its container, inclusive of prime mover.
H * * * * *
HS
Acronym for the harmonized system of codes. An international goods
classification system for describing international cargo under a single
commodity-coding scheme.
HTS
Abbreviation for harmonized tariff schedule. A system for
classifying all goods according to the international Harmonized Commodity Coding
and Classification System established by the World Customs
Organization.
I * * * * *
I/A
Abbreviation for independent action. In the transportation
industry, an I/A is the right of a conference
member to publish a rate of tariff rule that departs from the Agreement's common
rate or rule.
IATA
Acronym for the International Air Transport Association.
The IATA is the global trade organization for the air transport industry. It
fights for the interests of airlines across the globe, challenging unreasonable
rules and charges, holding regulators and governments to account, and striving
for sensible regulation.
ICAO
Acronym for the International Civil Aviation Organization.
A UN agency, the ICAO codifies the principles of international proper air navigation
and fosters the planning of air transport practices to ensure safe and orderly growth. It
also adopts air navigation standards, seeks to prevent unlawful interference and facilitates border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation.
ICTF
Abbreviation for Intermodal container transfer facility. An
on-dock facility for moving containers from ship to rail or truck.
ICC
Abbreviation for the
International Chamber of Commerce. An international
organization that supports global trade. It serves as an
advocate for the interests of economic growth, job creation and prosperity.
IE
Abbreviation for immediate exit. In the United States, a Customs
IE Form must be executed when goods are brought into the U.S. that will be immediately re-exported
without being further transported within the confines of the U.S.
IMDG Code
Acronym for the International Maritime Dangerous Goods
Code. IMDG Code was developed as a uniform international systematic
identification system for the
transport of dangerous goods by sea covering such matters as packing, container
traffic and stowage.
IMO
Acronym for the International Maritime Organization. Based
in London, the IMO promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping
industry to improve maritime safety and prevent marine pollution.
INCOTERMS
Acronym for the International Chamber of Commerce Terms
of Sale. A list of freight shipping phrases designed to provide a set of
international rules for the interpretation of the most commonly used trade terms
in used foreign trade.
IPI
Abbreviation for inland point Intermodal. A term that refers to
non-port inland points served by carriers on a through bill of lading.
ISO
Acronym for the International Standards Organization. ISO
is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from
national standards bodies. Founded in 1947, the organization produces world-wide
industrial and commercial standards - the so-called ISO standards. ISO
also works closely with the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC),
which is responsible for standardization of electrical equipment.
J * * * * *
JIT
Abbreviation for just-in-time. An inventory strategy designed
to improve business return on investment by reducing in-process
inventory and related costs.
K * * * * *
KT
Abbreviation for
Kilo or metric ton. A kilo is the equivalent of 2,204.6 pounds.
L * * * * *
LCL
Abbreviation for less than container load. A quantity of freight
less than that required for the application of a full container load rate.
L/C
Abbreviation for letter of credit. Also referred to as an LOC
or a documentary credit, a letter of credit is a document issued by a
financial institution which acts as an irrevocable guarantee of a payment to a
beneficiary.
LIS
Abbreviation for logistics information system. A software tool
designed to optimize the business of freight transport companies by
administering the management of customer and service provider relationships,
logistics, vehicles stocks and warehouse services.
Lo/Lo
Abbreviation for lift-on/lift-off. A method by which
cargo is loaded onto and discharged from an ocean vessel by the use of a crane.
LTL
Abbreviation for less than truckload. A term used to describe
relatively small freight shipments. LTL carriers typically collect individual freight
shipments from
multiple shippers and once their trailer is full, they return to their terminal
to unload their cargo. Each item is then individually weighed and rated for billing purposes.
M * * * * *
MBM
Abbreviation for 1,000 board feet. One MBM equals 2,265 cubic
meters.
MFN
Abbreviation for most favored nation. A designation for
countries which receive preferential tariff rates.
Min. B/L
Abbreviation for minimum bill of lading. A minimum requirement for
a shipment based on either dollar value or weight expressed in cubic meters.
MLB
Abbreviation for mini-land bridge. A method for indirectly moving
cargo between locations normally served by sea transport, by using land
transport as an intermediate mode.
MMFB
Acronym for the Middlewest Motor Freight Bureau. One
of the primary LTL rate publishing sources in the United States. During the
1980's, the MMFB aggressively entered the computerized rating system market and
became one of the most widely-used rate publishing systems available.
MRP
Abbreviation for materials resource planning. A computerized
approach to inventory planning, manufacturing and supplier scheduling,
and overall corporate planning. The MRP system provides the user with
information about timing (when to order) and quantity (how much to order),
generates new orders, and reschedules existing orders as needed.
M/R
Abbreviation for mate's receipt. An acknowledgement that the
ship-owner has received the goods in the condition stated therein, but usually
has no further legal relevance. It is usually a preliminary document only, which
is later given up in return for the bill of lading.
MT
Abbreviation for metric ton. The equivalent of 1000 kilograms.
mt
Shorthand expression for the word empty. Self-explanatory.
MV
Abbreviation for motor vessel. Self-explanatory.
N * * * * *
NCITD
Acronym for the National Committee on International Trade
Documentation. A federal law enacted to ensure international trade
documents are eliminated, consolidated and standardized, and that the essential
information in them is transmitted as fast and efficiently as possible.
NITL
Acronym for the National Industrial Transportation League.
Established in 1907 to represent shippers in their dealings with various
regulatory bodies. The NITL seeks to ensure a safe and efficient freight
transportation industry, and to see the needs of shippers and the entire
economy are best met.
NMFC
Abbreviation for national motor freight classification. The NMFC
is a pricing tool that provides a comparison of commodities moving within
interstate, intrastate and international commerce. Commodities are grouped into one of
18 classes based on an evaluation of four transportation criterion: density,
stow ability, handling and liability. These characteristics collectively
establish a commodity’s transportability.
NOR
Abbreviation for notice of readiness. A state that occurs when a
shipmaster informs a chartering party that a vessel is ready to load according
to the terms in the charter party's agreement.
NT
Abbreviation for net ton. The U.S. equivalent of 2000 pounds.
NVOCC
Abbreviation for non-vessel owning common carrier. A party such as
a forwarding agent, who does not own or operate a sea vessel but who contracts
with a shipping line for the transport of third party cargo.
O * * * * *
OBL
Abbreviation for original bill of lading. A document which
requires signatures in order to consummate a shipping contract. The OBL must be marked
as "original" by the issuing carrier.
OCP
Abbreviation for overland common point. A term that appears on the
BOL that offers lower shipping rates to select importers.
ODS
Abbreviation for operating differential subsidy. An amount of
money the U.S. government pays its shipping companies that qualify for this
subsidy. The intent was to help offset the higher subsidy and the the cost of operating a U.S. vessel. The ODS program is
administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration and is being phased out.
OECD
Acronym for the Organization of Economic Cooperation and
Development. Comprised of 30 member countries sharing a commitment to
democratic government and the market economy, the OECD plays a prominent role in
fostering good governance in public service and in corporate activity.
O/N
Abbreviation for order-notify. A bill of lading term used to surrender the original bill of lading before freight is actually released. An O/N is usually
associated with a shipment covered by a letter of credit.
OPIC
Abbreviation for overseas private investment corporation. The OPIC
is an agency of the U.S. government established in 1971 that helps U.S.
businesses invest overseas and promotes economic development in new and emerging
markets.
ORFS
Abbreviation for origin rail freight station. Same as CFS at
origin except an ORFS is operated by the rail carrier participating in the
shipment.
OSRA
Acronym for the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. First
enacted in 1984, OSRA permitted confidential service contracts between ocean
carriers and shippers. An amendment to this act was then implemented in 1998
which reformed liner shipping regulations.
OS&D
Abbreviation for over, short or damaged. A short-hand expression
used to describe the condition of a shipment upon being unloaded.
P * * * * *
PADAG
An abbreviation for Please Authorize Delivery Against Guarantee. A
request from the consignee to the shipper to allow the carrier or agent to
release cargo against either bank or personal guarantee. A PADAG is in order
when the consignee is unable to produce original bills of lading.
PIERS
PIERS maintains the most comprehensive database of timely, accurate, import and
export information on cargo moving through ports in the U.S., Mexico, Latin
America and Asia. It collects data from over 25,000 BOLs everyday, then
translates the raw data into meaningful intelligence that companies around the
world can use.
POD
An abbreviation for point-of-delivery or point-of-discharge.
Self-explanatory.
Q * * * * *
No entries for "Q".
R * * * * *
R&C
Abbreviation for rail and canal. Self-explanatory.
R/C
Abbreviation for re-consigned. The act of changing the destination
of cargo already in transit.
Regs.
Abbreviation for registered tonnage. A maritime shipping term used
to express a measurement of the enclosed space in a sea vessel.
RT
Abbreviation for revenue ton. A ton on which the shipment is
freighted. If cargo is rated as weight or measure, whichever produces the
highest revenue will be considered the revenue ton. Weights are based on metric
tons and measures are based on cubic meters.
Ro/Ro
Abbreviation for roll on/roll off. A maritime shipping service
provided on a vessel with ramps that allows wheeled vehicles to be loaded and
removed without cranes.
RVNX
Abbreviation for released value not exceeding. A measure designed
to limit a carrier's liability when cargo is damaged in-transit by placing a
ceiling on the value of a shipment.
S * * * * *
SABS
Acronym for the South African Bureau of Standards.
A statutory body established via the Standards Act of 1945 and continues to
operate as the national institution for the promotion and maintenance of
standardization and quality in connection with commodities and their related
services.
SED
Abbreviation for shipper's export declaration. A U.S. Commerce
Department document - the SED is used for
developing export statistics and export control. An exporter must submit an SED when the value of a single
Schedule B commodity exceeds USD $2,500, or when an export license is required
for a shipment from the U.S. to another country.
S&FA
Abbreviation for shipping and forwarding agent. Any
federally-licensed freight forwarder or shipper. A freight forwarder is any
entity acting on the behalf of a shipper. The freight forwarder handles all
shipping matters and documentation for a manufacturer or exporter, including the
use of one or more carriers.
SHEX
Abbreviation for Saturday and holidays excluded. A shorthand term
used to ensure any party to a shipping agreement understands that stated service
and rate quotes DO NOT apply to Saturdays and holidays
SHINC
Abbreviation for Saturday and holidays included. A shorthand term
used to ensure any party to a shipping agreement understands that stated service
and rate quotes apply to Saturdays and holidays.
SIT
Abbreviation for stopped in transit. A term usually used to
describe adjustments to rate and service provisions when a shipment is involuntarily
halted.
SITC
Abbreviation for standard international trade classification. A
standard numeric code developed by the United Nations to classify commodities
used in international trade.
SL&C
Abbreviation for shipper's load and count. A provision from the
Bill of Lading Act designed to protect motor carriers for physical damages and
freight losses when the loss or damage did not or could not have happened during
transport.
SL&T
Abbreviation for shipper's load and tally. A term that specifies
the contents of a car loaded and counted by the shipper but not checked or
verified by the railroad.
S/N
Abbreviation for shipping note. An instrument that enables the
shipper to complete a single document for all consignments regardless of
destination. It provides the receiving authority with complete data and also
provides those with an interest in the consignment with adequate
information at each stage.
SR&CC
Abbreviation for strikes, riots and civil commotions. A term
typically used when describing insurance coverage issues involving loss or
damage to cargo due to labor strikes, locked-outs and labor-related civil unrest.
SS
Abbreviation for steamship. Any sea vessel powered by steam-driven
turbines.
STCC
Abbreviation for standard transportation commodity code. A coding
structure designed to classify all commodities or articles which move in freight
transportation. The STCC is published by the Association of American Railroads
and contains product information used on waybills and other shipping documents.
S.tn
Abbreviation for short ton. A unit of mass equal to 2000 lb. In
the United States it is simply called a "ton" without distinguishing it from the
metric ton or long ton which is actually 2240 pounds.
SW
Abbreviation for shipper's weights. The weight recorded on the
transportation waybill that serves as the basis for payment.
T * * * * *
TBL
Abbreviation for through bill of lading. A TBL is used to document
the characteristics of a shipment involved in
at least two different modes of transport from road, rail, air and sea.
TBN
Abbreviation for to be nominated. A term used when the name of a ship is
unknown.
T&E
Abbreviation for transportation and exportation. A customs form used
to control cargo movement from the port of entry to port of exit, meaning that
the cargo is moving from one country, through the United States to another
country.
TEU
Abbreviation for twenty-foot equivalent unit. A measure of
containerized cargo capacity equal to one standard 20 ft by 8 ft by 8 ft 6" in a
shipping container.
TIB
Abbreviation for temporary import entry. A form that must be
executed when non-consumable goods exist that will be re-exported within 12
months of importation. Security such as a cash deposit or other approved
collateral is also required to cover any import duties and/or Goods and Services Tax.
TIR
Abbreviation for transport international par la route. A transport operating agreement among European governments and the United States
for the international movement of cargo by road. Display of the TIR carnet
allows sealed container-loads to cross national borders without inspection.
TL
Abbreviation for truckload. A quantity of freight that fills a
truck.
TOFC
Abbreviation for trailer on flat car. The movement of a highway
trailer on a railroad flatcar. Also known as piggyback.
Trf.
Abbreviation for tariff. A publication setting forth the charges,
rates and rules of transportation companies.
TSA
Acronym for the Transportation Security Administration. An
organization comprised of 43 thousand security officers, inspectors, directors,
air marshals and managers. The TSA protects the nation's transportations systems
to ensure safe travel as its officers screen persons and luggage at airports,
on rail cars and also subways.
U * * * * *
UCP
Abbreviation for uniform customs and practice for documentary
credits.
The most frequently used standard for making payments in international trade by
means such as a letter of credit. Also referred to as "UCP500."
UFC
Abbreviation for uniform freight classification. A method by which
related products are assigned to rate categories based on bulk, value and ease
of handling.
ULD
Abbreviation for unit load device. Typically a pallet or container
used to facilitate freight loading, shipping and unloading.
V
* * * * *
VAN
Abbreviation for value-added network. A third-party that acts as a
hub for receiving and routing shipping data. VANs are a pre-requisite for the
use of Internet-based electronic data exchange (EDI) systems.
VAT
Abbreviation for value-added tax. A sales or consumption tax paid
by the end user. Typically a "hidden" tax added to the list price of
the goods in question.
Ves.
Abbreviation for Vessel. A sea-faring device used to transport
freight.
W
* * * * *
WCO
Acronym for the World Customs Organization. An organization
that helps customs administrations throughout the world communicate on customs
issues. Headquartered in Brussels, the WCO
develops agreed-upon rules on customs procedures and also provides advice and assistance
to customs service entities.
WPA
Abbreviation for with particular average. An insurance term that
refers to partial loss sustained by a shipper's cargo.
WR
Abbreviation for war risk. A surcharge typically applied to cover
a shipment's increased vulnerability to damage or delay caused by potential
domestic or international military conflicts.
W/R
Abbreviation for warehouse receipt. A document that verifies the
cargo delivered to a freight warehouse. A W/R optionally allows delivery of
cargo to be made to a specified party.
WTO
Acronym for the World Trade Organization.
An international organization which sets the rules for the global trading system
and resolves disputes between its member states.
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ZORF
Abbreviation for Zone of Rate Flexibility. A measure introduced in
the Railroad Revitalization and Regulator Reform Act of 1976 that eased the
degree of control over transportation-related pricing in designated areas.