Shipping Terms                                

Ocean and Rail

Outside diameter

Owner's risk of deterioration

Owner's risk or breakage.

Owner's risk of fire or freezing

Owner's risk of leakage

Owner's risk of becoming wet

Over, short and damage

Order of

Owner's risk

A receipt for cargo in transit, and a contract between the exporter and an ocean carrier for transportation and delivery of goods to a specified party at a specified foreign destination. Issued after the vessel has sailed and the cargo has been entered in the ship's manifest.

An acronym commonly used for the term "operating differential subsidy," which is a payment to an American-flag carrier by the federal government to offset the difference in operating costs between US and foreign vessels.

Describes an airline that sells in a market to which it does not operate. An Off-Line carrier will use another operator to link with its network.

A high-risk trade arrangement in which goods are shipped to a foreign buyer without guarantee of payment.

A cargo insurance policy that is an open contract; i.e., it provides protection for all an exporter's shipments afloat or in transit within a specified geographical trade area for an unlimited period of time, until the policy is cancelled by the insured or by the insurance company. It is "open" because the goods that are shipped are also detailed at that time. This usually is shown in a document called a marine insurance certificate.

Customers who incorporate the exporter's product into their own merchandise for resale under their own brand names.

Shipping Terms                               

Particular average

Packed weight

Port of Arrival Immediate Release and Enforcement Determination. A U.S. Customs program that allows entry documentation for an import shipment to be filed at one location, usually an inland city, while the merchandise is cleared by Customs at the port of entry, normally a seaport. May be ineffective with certain types of high-risk cargoes, such as quota-regulated textiles or shipments from drug-production regions. Cities where there is a natural flow of cargo are actually "paired" in the program; e.g., Atlanta, an inland city, is linked with Savannah, a seaport. Tested in '87-'88, it became generally available in mid- '88.

Load carrying platform to which loose cargo is secured before placing aboard the aircraft.

Fashionable metal or cardboard device to increase pallet capacity.

Under ABI, certain commodities from low-risk countries not designated for examination may be released through an ABI-certified broker without the actual submission of documentation.

Where part of an airline's scheduled flight is sold as if it were a charter in its own right (Often wrongly used as a synonym for split charter).

Where a part of an aircraft's load is discharged at one destination and a part of it at another. This is distinct from a split charter where a number of consignments are carried to the same destination. Inbound, part loads are treated as single entity charters under the regulations of most countries.

Partial loss or damage to goods.

Most losses covered by a marine insurance policy come within the comprehensive expression "perils of the sea," which refers to damage caused by heavy weather, strandings, strikings on rocks or on bottom, collision with other vessels, contacts with floating objects, etc.

Any cargo that loses considerable value if it is delayed in transportation (Usually refers to fresh fruit and vegetables).

A certificate issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicating that a shipment has been inspected and is free of harmful pests and plant diseases.

As used in marine insurance policies, the term denotes petty thievery, the taking of small parts of a shipment, as opposed to the theft of a whole shipment or large unit. Many ordinary marine insurance policies do not cover against pilferage, and when this coverage is desired, it must be added to the policy.

That weight of a ULD above which a higher tariff applies; in effect, an incentive to maximize cargo density.

A particular street address or other designation of a factory, store, warehouse, place of business, private residence, construction camp or the like, at a point.

The term "Place of Rest" as used in the Containerized Cargo Rules means that location on the floor, dock, platform or doorway at the CFS to which cargo is first delivered by shipper or agent thereof.

A particular city, town, village or other community or area which is treated as a unit for the application of rates.

A government body (city, county or state) which in international shipping maintains various airports and/or ocean cargo pier facilities, transit sheds, loading equipment warehouses for air cargo, etc. Has the power to levy dockage and wharfage charges, landing fees, etc.

An identifying set of letters numbers and/or geometric symbols followed by the name of the port of destination, which are placed on export shipments. Foreign government requirements may be exceedingly strict in the matter of port marks.

Port where vessel is off loaded and cargo discharges.

A port at which foreign goods are re-admitted into the receiving country.

A document that authorizes a customs broker to sign all customs documents on behalf of an importer.

Preliminary advice that a letter of credit has been established in the form of a brief authenticated wire message. It is not an operative instrument and is usually followed by the actual letter of credit.

Generally speaking, freight charges both in ocean and air transport may be either prepaid in the currency of the country of export or they may be billed collect for payment by the consignee in his local currency. However, on shipments to some countries freight charges must be prepaid because of foreign exchange regulations of the country of import and/or rules of steamship companies or airlines.

Cargo shipped already in a cargo sling or net. Usually prepared and loaded at pier ready for arrival of vessel and subsequent loading (i.e. coffee in bags, coconut shells, etc).

An invoice prepared by the seller in advance of shipment that documents the cost of goods sold, freight, insurance, and other related charges. It is often used by the buyer to secure a letter of credit, an import license or a foreign currency allocation.

Latin, "on first appearance." A term frequently encountered in foreign trade. When a steamship company issues a clean bill of lading, it acknowledges that the goods were received "in apparent good order and condition" and this is said by the courts to constitute prima facie evidence of the conditions of the containers; that is, if nothing to the contrary appears, it must be inferred that the cargo was in good condition when received by the carrier.

A number assigned by the carrier to a single shipment, used in all cases where the shipment must be referred to. Usually assigned at once.

When used with the title of a document, the term refers to an informal document presented in advance of the arrival, or preparation of the required document, in order to satisfy a customs requirement.

Add-on service in express market, delivered either by phone or courier. Often offered free.

Customs form 19 allows for a refund of an overpayment of duty if filed within 90 days of liquidation.