Transaction Packing, Inc.
Glossary of Terms
We want you to understand what’s happening with your project at all times. If you’ve encountered terms that are foreign to you, this glossary will help clarify.
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
A
Air Waybill
The forwarding agreement or carrying agreement between shipper and air carrier, issued only in nonnegotiable form.
B
Bill of Lading (B/L)
A document that establishes the terms of a contract between a shipper and a transportation company. It serves as a document of title, a contract of carriage and a receipt for goods.
Blind Shipment
A B/L wherein the paying customer has contracted with the carrier that shipper or consignee information is not given.
Blocking or Bracing
Wood or metal supports (Dunnage) keeping shipments in place to prevent cargo shifting.
Booking Number
Reservation number used to secure equipment and act as a control number prior to completion of a B/L.
Booking
Arrangements with a carrier for the acceptance and carriage of freight (i.e. a space reservation.)
Bonded Warehouse
A warehouse authorized by Customs authorities for storage of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until the goods are removed.
Bonded Freight
Freight moving under a bond to U.S. Customs or to the Internal Revenue Service, and to be delivered only under stated conditions.
Break Bulk
Loose, non-containerized cargo.
C
Certificate of Origin
A certified document showing the origin of goods; used in international commerce.
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
A person or company to whom commodities are shipped.
Consignor
A person or company shown on the bill of lading as the shipper.
Consolidation
Cargo containing shipments of two or more shippers or suppliers. Container load shipments may be consolidated for one or more consignees.
Container
A truck trailer body that can be detached from the chassis for loading into a vessel, a rail car or stacked in a container depot. Containers may be ventilated, insulated, refrigerated, flat rack, vehicle rack, open
top, bulk liquid or equipped with interior devices. A container may be 20 feet, 40 feet, 45 feet, 48 feet or 53 feet in length, 8’0″ or 8’6″ in width, and 8’6″ or 9’6″ in height.
Container Manifest
Document showing contents and loading sequence of a container.
Containerization
Stowage of general or special cargoes in a container for transport in the various modes.
Cut-Off Time
The latest time cargo may be delivered to a terminal for loading to a scheduled train or ship.
Customs
Government agency charged with enforcing the rules passed to protect the country’s import and export revenues.
D
D&H
Abbreviation for “Dangerous and Hazardous” cargo.
Dock Receipt
A form used to acknowledge receipt of cargo and often serves as basis for preparation of the ocean bill of lading.
D.O.T.
Department of Transportation.
Drayage
Charge made for local hauling by dray or truck. Same as Cartage.
E
Export
Shipment of goods to a foreign country.
Export Declaration
A government document declaring designated goods to be shipped out of the country. To be completed by the exporter and filed with the U.S. Government.
F
FEU
Abbreviation for “Forty-Foot Equivalent Units.” Refers to container size standard of forty feet. Two twenty-foot containers or TEU’s equal one FEU.
Flat Rack/Flat Bed Container
A container with no sides and frame members at the front and rear. Container can be loaded from the sides and top.
Freight Bill
A document issued by the carrier based on the bill of lading and other information; used to account for a shipment operationally, statistically, and financially – An invoice.
G
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.
H
HAZ MAT
An industry abbreviation for “Hazardous Material.”
I
In Bond
Cargo moving under Customs control where duty has not yet been paid
Import
To receive goods from a foreign country.
Invoice
An itemized list of goods shipped to a buyer, stating quantities, prices, shipping charges, etc.
J
K
L
Lagging
A wooden frame used to support an arch during construction.
M
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.
N
Net Weight
Weight of the goods alone without any immediate wrappings, e.g., the weight of the contents of a tin can without the weight of the can.
O
Ocean Bill of Lading (Ocean B/L)
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.
Open Top Container
A container fitted with a solid removable roof, or with a tarpaulin roof so the container can be loaded or unloaded from the top.
Origin
Location where shipment begins its movement.
Original Bill of Lading (OBL)
A document which requires proper signatures for consummating carriage of contract. Must be marked as “original” by the issuing carrier.
OS&D
Abbreviation for “Over, Short or Damaged” Usually discovered at cargo unloading.
Overheight Cargo
Cargo more than eight feet high which thus cannot fit into a standard container.
P
Packing List
Itemized list of commodities with marks/numbers but no cost values indicated.
Pallet
A platform with or without sides, on which a number of packages or pieces may be loaded to facilitate handling by a lift truck.
Payee
A party named in an instrument as the beneficiary of the funds. Under letters of credit, the payee is either the drawer of the draft or a bank.
Payer
A party responsible for the payment as evidenced by the given instrument. Under letters of credit, the payer is the party on whom the draft is drawn, usually the drawee bank.
POD
Abbreviation for Proof of Delivery. A document required from the carrier or driver for proper payment.
Point of Origin
The place at which a shipment is received by a carrier from the shipper.
Prepaid (Ppd.)
Freight charges paid by the consignor (shipper) prior to the release of the bills of lading by the carrier.
Pro Forma Invoice
An invoice provided by a supplier prior to the shipment of merchandise, informing the buyer of the kinds and quantities of goods to be sent, their value, and specifications (weight, size, etc.).
Q
R
S
Schedule B
The Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States.
Shipper
The person or company who is usually the supplier or owner of commodities shipped. Also called Consignor.
Shrink Wrap
Polyethylene or similar substance heat-treated and shrunk into an envelope around several units, thereby securing them as a single pack for presentation or to secure units on a pallet.
Skids
Battens, or a series of parallel runners, fitted beneath boxes or packages to raise them clear of the floor to permit easy access of forklift blades or other handling equipment.
Straight Bill of Lading
A non-negotiable bill of lading which states a specific identity to whom the goods should be delivered. See Bill of Lading.
T
Tare Weight
In railcar or container shipments, the weight of the empty railcar or empty container.
Trailer
The truck unit into which freight is loaded as in tractor trailer combination. See Container.
U
Unit Load
Packages loaded on a pallet, in a crate or any other way that enables them to be handled at one time as a unit.
Unitization
1. The consolidation of a quantity of individual items into one large shipping unit for easier handling. 2. Loading one or more large items of cargo onto a single piece of equipment, such as a pallet.
V
W
Waybill (WB)
A document prepared by a transportation line at the point of a shipment showing the point of the origin, destination, route, consignor, consignee, description of shipment and amount charged for the transportation service. It is forwarded with the shipment or sent by mail to the agent at the transfer point or waybill destination.
