Transportation and commercial terms (Ctrl+F helps to search for the needed term
A
aa – always afloat
a.a.r. – against all risks
AC – account current
A/C – for account of
acc.cop. – according to the custom of the port
a.c.v. – actual cash value
a.d. a/d – after date
Add-on – …tariff (also proportional rate or arbitrary ( in USA)
ad val. (a/v) – ad valorem (according to value)
ADP – automated data processing
ADR – European Agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road
AETR – European Agreement concerning the work of crews of vehicles engaged in international road transport
AFRA – average freight rate assessment
Agcy – agency
Agt. – agent
a.g.w.t. – actual gross weight
AMT – Air Mail Transfer
A.O. – account of
A/or – and/or
A/P – account paid
approx. – approximately
A/R – all risks (insurance)
arr. – arrival
arrd. – arrived
a/s – after sight
A/S – alongside
asap – as soon as possible
ass. – associate
ATA – actual time of arrival
ATD – actual time of departure
ATP – Agreement for the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs
Atty – attorney
auth. – authorized
aux. – auxiliary
AWB – Air Waybill
B
B.A.C. – bunker adjustment charge
B.A.F. – bunker adjustment factor
Bags/Bulk – part in bags, part in bulk
B.C. – bulk cargo
B/D – bank(er’s) draft
b.d.i. – both dates (days) inclusive
bdth. – breadth
Bdy. – boundary
B/G – bonded goods
Bkge – brokerage
B/L – bill of lading
blk. – bulk
brl. – barrel
BUP – Bulk Unit Programme
B.W. – bonded warehouse
bxs. – boxes
C
CAC – currency adjustment charge
CAConf – Cargo Agency Conference (IATA)
C.A.F. – currency adjustment factor
C.A.S. – currency adjustment surcharge
CASS – Cargo Accounts Settlement System (IATA)
C.B. – container base
c.&d. – collection and delivery
c.b.d. – cash before delivery
cbm – cubic metre
cc – charge collect
CCL – customs clearance
CCS – consolidated cargo (container) service
C/D – customs declaration
CEM – European Conference on goods train timetables
CFR – Cost and freight (Incoterms)
CFS – container freight station
C.H. – carriers haulage
C.H.C. – cargo handling charges
Ch. fwd. – charges forward
c.i.a. – cash in advance
CIF – cost, insurance and freight (Incoterms)
c.i.f.& e. – cost, insurance, freight and exchange
c.i.f.i.& e. – cost, insurance, freight, interest and exchange
c.i.f.& i. – cost, insurance, freight and interest
c.i.f.c. – cost, insurance, freight and commission
c.i.f.c.& e. – cost, insurance, freight, commission and exchange
c.i.f.c.& i. – cost, insurance, freight, commission and interest
c.i.f.i.c. – cost, insurance, freight, interest, commission
c.i.f.L.t. – cost, insurance and freight, London terms
c.i.f.w. – cost, insurance and freight/war
CIM – International Convention concerning the carriage of Goods by Railway
CIP – Carriage and insurance paid to (Incoterms)
CIV – International Convention on the Carriage of Passenger and Luggage by Railway
CKD – completely knocked down (unassembled)
clean B/L – clean Bill of lading
cm – centimetre(s)
cm3 – cubic centimetre(s)
CMR – Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road
C/N – consignment note
cnee – consignee
cnmt/consgt. – consignment
cnor – consignor
C/O – certificate of origin
C.O.D. – cash on delivery
C.O.F.C. – Container-on-Flat-Car (rail flatcar)
COMBITERMS – System for cost distribution between seller and buyer according to Incoterms 1990 (among forwarders)
COP – customs of port
C.O.S. – cash on shipment
COTIF – Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (CIM-CIV)
C.P. – Customs of Port
CP – carriage paid
C/P – charter party
C/P blading – charter party bill of lading
CPLTC – Conference Port Liner Term Charges
CPT – Carriage paid to (Incoterms)
CSC – Container service charge
CSC – International Convention of the Safe Transport of Containers (UN)
CSConf – Cargo Services Conference (IATA)
CST – Container Service Tariff
C/T – Container Terminal
C.T. – conference terms
CT – combined transport
CTD – combined transport document
CTO – combined transport operator
CTPC – Cargo Traffic Procedures Committee (IATA)
cu.ft. – cubic foot (feet)
cu.in. – cubic inch(es)
CVGK – customs value per gross kilogram
CVGP – customs value per gross pound
CWE – cleared without examination
cwt – hundredweight
CWO – cash with order
CY – container yard
cy – currency
D
D/A – documents againts acceptance
DAF – Delivered at frontier (Incoterms)
D.A.S. – delivery resp. delivered alongside ship
Dbk – drawback
DCAS – Distribution Cost Analysis System
DDP – Delivered duty paid (Incoterms)
DES – Delivered ex ship (Incoterms)
DEQ – Delivered ex quay (duty paid) (Incoterms)
DDU – Delivered duty unpaid (Incoterms)
dia – diameter
dir. – direct
dm3 – cubic decimetre(s)
DOCIMEL – Document Cim Electronique (Electronic Cim document)
D/O – delivery order
D/P – documents against payment
DWCC – dead weight cargo capacity
DWT – dead weight ton
E
E.& O.E. – errors and omissions excepted
ECE – Convention International Convention for the Harmonization of Frontiers Controls of Goods
ECU – European currency unit
EDI – electronic data interchange
EDIFACT Electronic Data Interchangefor Administration, Commerce and Transport
EDP – electronic data processing
e.g. – for example
EIR – equipment interchange receipt (containers)
ETA – expected time of arrival
ETD – expected time of departure
ETS – expected time of sailing
excl. – excluding
EXW – Ex works (Incoterms)
F
F.A.A. – free of all average
f.a.c. – fast as can (loading or discharge)
F.A.C. – forwarding agent´s commission
FAK – freight all kinds
FALPRO – Special Programme on Trade Facilitation (UNCTAD)
F. and D. – freight and demurrage
f.a.q. – fail average quality
FAS – Free alongside ship (Incoterms)
FBL – FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FIATA Document)
FCA – Free carrier (Incoterms)
FCL – full container load
Fco. – franco; free
FCR – Forwarders Certificate of Receipt (FIATA Document)
FCSR & CC – free of capture, seizure, riots and civil commotions
FCT – Forwarders Certificate of Transport (FIATA Document)
FFI – FIATA Forwarding Instructions (FIATA form)
f.g.a. – free of general average
FHEX – Friday and Holidays excepted
f.i. – free in
f.i.o. – free in and out
f.i.a.s. – free in and stowed
f.i.o.s. – free in and out stowed
F.I.B. – Free info barge
f.i.c. – freight, insurance, carriage
f.i.h. – free in harbour
firavv – first available vessel
FIS – freight, insurance and shipping charges
f.i.w. – free into waggon
FLT – forklift truck
FOB – free on board (Incoterms)
F.O.C. – flags of convenience
F.O.D. – free of damage
f.o.w. – first open water
F.P.A. – free of particular average
FPAD – freight payable at destination
FR – flat rack (container)
Frt. fwd. – freight forward
ft. ppd. – freight prepaid
frt. ton – freight ton
ft. – foot (feet)
FWC – full loaded weight & capacity (container)
fwdr. – forwarder
FWR – FIATA Warehouse Receipt (FIATA Document)
G
G.A. – general average
G.A.A. – General Average Agreement (bond)
G.A.C. – general average contribution
G.C. – general cargo
G.C.R. – general cargo rates
GDP – gross domestic product
GMT – Greenwich Meantime
GFA – general freight agent
GNP – grosss national product
GRT – gross registered tonnage
GSA – General Sales Agent
Guatemala City Protocol (1971) – Protocol to amend the Convention for the Unification of certain Rules relating to International Carriage by Air signed at Warsaw on 12 October 1929 as amended by the Protocol at the Hague on 28 September 1955 (not in force)
Guadalajara Supplementary Convention (1961) – Convention Supplementary to theWarsaw Convention for the Unification of certain Rules relating to International Carriage by Air performed by a person other than the contracting carrier
GW – gross weight
H
HAWB – House Air Waybill
Hague Prot.(1955) – Protocol to amend the Convention for the Unification of certain Rules relating to the International Carriage by Air signed at Warsaw on 12 October 1929
Hague Rules – International Convention of the Unification of Certain Rules relating to Bills of Lading (1924)
Hague / Visby Rules – Protocol to amend the International Convention for the Unification of certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading (Brussels 1968)
Hamburg Rules – United Nations Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea (1978)
hdlg – handling
HERMES – Handling European Railway Message Exchange-System
hgt – height
h/lift – heavy lift
HS – Harmonized System (CCC Convention)
H.Q. – headquarters
h.p. – horse power
I
i.a.w. – in accordance with
I.C.C. – Institute Cargo Clauses
ICD – inland clearance depot
i.e. – that is
IMDG – International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
in. – inch(es)
include. – including
INCOTERMS – Standard conditions for sale and delivery of goods (issued by ICC, Paris)
INMARSAT – International Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organization
INTRM – intermediate point
inv. – invoice
I.P.A. – including particular average
i.o.u. – I owe you
K
kg(s) – kilogram(s)
km – kilometre
km.p.h. – kilometres per hour
km2 – square kilometre
kn – knot(s)
kW – kilowatt
kWh – kilowatt-hour
Kyoto Convention – International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (1973) CCC Convention)
L
L/A – Lloyd`s agent
LASH – lighter aboard ship
Lat.,lat – latitude
lb(s) – pound(s)
L/C – Letter of credit
LDG – leading
1.&d. – loss and damage
1.&u. – loading and unloading
LCL – less than container load (less than car load)
leg. – legal
LEL – lower explosive limit
LFL – lower flammable limit
lgt. – long ton; long tons
liq. – liquid
Lkg/Bkg – leakage & breakage
LNG – Liquefied natural gas
L.O.A. – length over all
LO/LO – lift on, lift off
load – loading
loc. – local; location
Long, long. – longitude
LPG – Liquefied petrochemical gas
LSD – landing, storage and delivery charges
LT – letter telegramm
L.T. – local time
L/T – liner terms
LTA – lighter than air system (airships)
ltge – lighterage
ltr. – lighter
lump – lump sum
M
M – minimum (rate classification)
m – metre(s)
m3 – cubic metre(s)
MACH – modular automated container handling
MFN – Most Favoured Nation
M.H. – Merchants Haulage
M/R – mate’s receipt
M + R – maintenance and repair (centre)
MAWB – Master Air Waybill
Mdse – merchandise
Montreal Prot. – Protocol to amend the Convention
No.4 (1975) – for the Unification of certain Rules relating to International Carriage by Air signed at Warsaw on 12 October 1929 as amended by the Protocol done at the Hague on 28 September 1955
msbl – missing bill of lading
msca – missing cargo
MT – motor tanker
MTD – multimodal transport document
MTO – multimodal transport operator
M/S – Motor ship
M/V – Motor Vessel
N
N – normal (rate classification)
NAABSA – not always afloat but safely aground
NAOCC – Not Aircraft Operating Common Carrier
NAWB – Neutral Air Waybill (forwarders Air Waybill)
n.c.v. – non customs (commercial) value
n.e.s. – not elsewhere specified
n.f.o. – not free out
NGO – non governmental organization
n.l.t. – not later than
n/n – non-negotiable
N.,NO,Nr. – number
N/O – no orders
n.o.e. – not otherwise enumerated
n.o.p. – not otherwise provided
N.O.R. – not otherwise rated
N.O.S. – not otherwise specified
N/R – note of readiness
NRT – net registered ton
Nt. – net weight
n.v.d. – no value declared
NVOCC – Mon Vessel Operating Common Carrier
O
OBO – Ore Bulk Oil (carrier)
O.B.S. – Oil Bunker Surcharge
Oc. B/L – Ocean Bill of Lading
O/D – on deck
ODS – operating differential subsidy
OFA – ocean freight agreement
O.R. – owner’s risk
O.R.B. – owner’s risk of breakage
O.R.D. – owner’s risk of damage
O.R.F. – owner’s risk of fire
OT – open top (container)
o.t.o.r. – on truck or railway
P
p.a. – per annum (per year)
P.A. – particular average
Para – paragraph
P.B.A. – paid by agent
P & D – pick up and delivery
P.& I. – Protection and Indemnity Association
P. & I.clause – Protection and indemnity clause
P. & I.Club – Protection and Indemnity Club
P. & L. – profit and loss
payt. – payment
P/C – paramount Clause
p.c.f. – pounds per cubic foot
P.chgs. – particular charges
pd. – paid
p.D. – partial delivery
p.h.d. – per hatch per day
pkge – package
P.L. – partial loss
PLP – parcel post
PLTC – port liner term charges
pmt – prompt
P/N – promissory note
P.O.B. – post office box
P.O.D. – payment on delivery; paid on delivery
POD – port of discharge
POL – port of loading
POR – port of refuge
pp/ppd – prepaid/prepaid
p.t. – per ton
pt/dest – port of destination
pt/disch – port of discharge
PTL – partial total loss
ptly pd – partly paid
p.t.w. – per ton weight
Q
Q – Quantity (rate classification)
Q.c.o. – quantity at captain’s option
Qn – Quotation
q.v. – quod vide (which see)
R
R – reduced class rate (rate classification)
rcvd – received
r/c – return cargo
Red. – reduced
RCU – rate construction unit
REMCE – remittance
Rentcon – rent-a-container
rest. – restrict(ed)
retd. – returned or retired
R.I. – reinsurance
RID – International regulations concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by rail
RMD – Rhine-Danube Navigation System
RNR – rate not reported
R/O – routing order
R.O.G. – receipt of goods
RO/RO – roll-on/roll-off
ROT – reference our telex
RYT – reference your telex
round C/P – round charter party
R.P. – reply paid
r.t.b.a. – rate to be arranged
Ry. – railway
S
S – surcharge (rate classification)
S/C – surcharge
s & c – shipper and carrier
S.& F.A. – shipping and forwarding agent
SHEX – Sundays and Holidays excluded
SCR – specific commodity rate
S/D – sailing date
S.d – small damage
S/d – sight draft
SDR – Special Drawing Rights
SDT – Shipper Declaration for the Transport of Dangerous Goods (FIATA form)
s.l.& c. – shippers’ load and count
S.L./N.L. – ship lost or not lost
SLI – shippers letter of instruction
S.O.L. – shipowner’s liability
S.P.A. – subject to particular average
sq.sm.(s) – square centimetre(s)
sq.in(s) – square inch(es)
SRCC – strike, riots, civil commotions
S/S – steamship
stvdrs – stevedores
sub L/C – subject to letter of credit being opened
sub licence – subject to licence being granted
T
T.A. – telegraphic address
TACT – the air cargo tariff (IATA)
TBL – through bill of lading
TBN – to be named (ship)
T/C – time charter
TC – traffic conference area (IATA)
TC – transcontainer
TD – time of departure
TDO – telegraph delivery order
TEEM – Trans-Europe-Express Marchandises (rail service)
TEU – twenty foot equivalent unit (containers)
TIF – international transit by rail
TIR – Customs Convention on the international tranport of goods under cover of TIR carnets (for international road transport)
TL – total loss
TLF – tariff level factor
tnge – tonnage
T.O.D. – time of dispatch
TOFC – Trailer on board flatcar
T.O.R. – time of receipt
TOT – time of transmission
tot. – total
TOW – tier on weight (container stacking according to weight)
TPND – theft, pilferage, non delivery
T.T. – terms of trade
U
u. c. – usual conditions
U.D. – under deck
U.DK. – upper deck
ULCC – Ultra Large Crude Carrier (oil)
ULD – unit load device (aircraft)
U/w – Underwriter
V
val. – value
VAT – value added tax
V.C. – vessels convenience
Ves. – Vessel
VIC – Very Important Cargo
VIO – Very Important Object
VIP – Very Important Person
VLCC – Very Large Crude Carrier (oil)
VOCC – Vessel Operating Common Carrier
v.v. – vice versa
W
Warsaw Convention – Convention for the Unification – of certain Rules relating to International Carriage by Air (1929)
W.A. – with average (Insitute Gargo Clause)
W/B – Way-bill
w.b.d. – will be done
w.c. – with costs
w.c.c.o.n. – whether cleared customs or not
W/d – working day(s)
wdt/wth – width
w.e.f. – with effect from
WG – Working Group
whf – wharfage
Whse – Warehouse
WIPON – whether in port or not
wk. – week
W/O,w/o – without
WP – weather permitting
w.p.a. – with particular average
W.R. – Warehouse Receipt
W.R.I. – War Risk Insurance
wt. – weight
w/t – weight tons
w/v – weight/volume
WW – warehouse warrant
ww – world-wide
Wwd – weather working days
X
X,X. – extra
x l & u l – exclusive of loading and unloading
xp – express paid
x pri – without privileges
Y
y/c – your cable
yday – yesterday
y/l – your letter
y/o – your orde