Click a letter to jump to the definitions.
A
- AWB (air waybill)
- Air freight transport document, with an 11-digit number.
B
- B/L (bill of lading)
- Sea freight document proving receipt of the goods and giving title to them.
- BAF
- Bunker Adjustment Factor: fuel surcharge applied by shipping lines.
C
- CBM
- Cubic metre, the volume unit used to charge groupage.
- Chargeable weight
- The higher of actual and volumetric weight, used to bill transport.
- CIF
- Incoterm: the seller pays freight and insurance to the port of arrival. Basis for customs duty in the EU.
- Customs clearance
- Formalities to place goods under a customs procedure, such as release for free circulation.
D
- DAP
- Incoterm: delivery at the agreed place, duties and taxes paid by the buyer.
- DDP
- Delivered Duty Paid: delivery with duties and taxes paid by the seller or forwarder.
- Demurrage
- Charges when the container stays at the terminal beyond the free time.
- Detention
- Charges when the empty container is not returned on time.
E
- ENS / ICS2
- Entry summary safety declaration filed before loading for all goods entering the EU.
- EORI
- Customs identification number required to import into the EU.
- ETA / ETD
- Estimated time of arrival / departure.
- EXW
- Ex Works: goods made available at the factory; the buyer arranges all transport.
F
- FCL
- Full Container Load: a container booked by a single shipper.
- FOB
- Incoterm: the seller delivers the goods loaded on board at the port of departure.
- Free time
- Number of free days before demurrage and storage are charged.
G
- Groupage
- Consolidation of several customers' goods in one container or truck.
H
- HS code
- Harmonized System: 6-digit code that classifies a product and determines its duty.
I
- Incoterms
- International Chamber of Commerce rules that split costs and risks between seller and buyer.
- ISPM 15
- Treatment standard for wooden packaging (pallets, crates) to prevent the spread of pests.
L
- LCL
- Less than Container Load: sea groupage.
M
- MSDS
- Safety data sheet, required for chemicals and batteries.
O
- On-carriage
- Final transport from the port or airport of arrival to the consignee.
P
- Pre-carriage
- Transport from the factory to the port or airport of departure.
R
- Reefer
- Refrigerated, temperature-controlled container.
- Reverse charge (import VAT)
- Mechanism allowing a business to declare import VAT on its VAT return instead of paying it at clearance.
S
- Stuffing / stripping
- Loading a container at origin / unloading it at destination.
T
- TARIC
- Integrated tariff of the European Union: 10-digit code and applicable duty rates.
- Telex release
- Release of goods without the original paper B/L, on electronic instruction.
- TEU
- Twenty-foot equivalent unit: container measurement unit (a 40ft = 2 TEU).
- THC
- Terminal Handling Charges: port terminal handling fees at origin and destination.
- TIR
- International road transit regime under customs seals.
U
- UN38.3
- Series of mandatory tests for transporting lithium batteries.
W
- W/M
- Weight or measure: in sea groupage, 1 m³ or 1,000 kg, whichever is higher.
