Freight, shipping and chartering glossary

Type Meaning
Carrier Certificate and Release Order

A document to advise customs of the shipment's details. This document confirms the owner or consignee of the cargo.

Carrier’s Lien

A freight carrier‘s right to hold on to cargo until they have received payment for transporting the goods.

Cartel

A group of countries producing the same product and having concluded an agreement between themselves to control the supply volume and price level of this product.

Cartment

Customs form permitting in-bond cargo to be moved from one location to another under Customs control, within the same Customs district.

Cash Against Documents (CAD)

Settlement form, in which the exporter receives payment after submission of shipping documents to the bank or the importer receives documents for the goods after payment.

Cash with Order

A method of payment for goods, in which something is sold on a cash with order basis, payment must be sent along with the order, before the goods are sent out, and the transaction becomes binding on both buyer and seller.

Certificate of Insurance (COI)

Issued by an insurance company or broker. The document confirms the existence of an insurance policy and summarizes the main aspects and conditions of the policy.

Certificate of Origin

Сertificate submitted by an exporter to those countries requiring it, listing goods to be imported and stating their place of origin. Used for customs and foreign exchange purposes.

Channel of Distribution

A network of agencies and other intermediaries that link the manufacturer and the end-user.

Collect Freight

Freight payable by the consignee at the port of destination.

Collective Paper

All documents (commercial invoices, bills of lading, etc.) submitted to a buyer for the purpose of receiving payment for a shipment.

Combined Transport

Transportation of goods by at least two different modes of transport; widely used in container shipping. When using it, transportation can be carried out by sea and further by rail and/or road according to one document. Combined Transport is also referred to in the USA as "Intermodal Transport" and in other parts of the world as "Multimodal Transport"

Commercial Invoice

Document claiming payment for goods supplied under conditions agreed between seller and buyer.

Concealed Damage

Freight that might have been damaged during transit, but, the damage/loss/shortage was not notated on the Proof of Delivery.

Conference

A group of vessel operators joined for the purpose of establishing freight rates.

Consignee

A natural or legal person to whom, at the direction of the shipper, the goods should be delivered at the destination.

Consolidation Point

The location where consolidation takes place.

Consolidator's Bill of Lading

A bill of lading issued by a consolidating freight forwarder to a shipper.

Container Chassis

Devices for transporting containers for ship or other operations.

Container depot

A storage area, other than a container yard, where shippers and consignees may pick up or drop off empty containers.

Container Freight Station

A carrier-designated facility at which LCL cargo is received from consignors for consolidation and loading into containers or at which LCL cargo is unloaded from containers and delivered to consignees.

Container Fumigation (at Export)

Disinfection allowance (fumigation).

Container Manifest

Document showing contents and loading sequence of a container.

Container Vessel

An oceangoing vessel designed specifically to easily handle the loading, stowage, and off-loading of ocean freight containers.

Containerization

The practice or technique of using a boxlike device in which a number of packages are stored, protected, and handled as a single unit in transit.

Contract of Carriage

Contract on the legal obligations of the carrier and the client.

Cost Freight Incoterm (CFR)

Supplier has organized land delivery, completed port formalities, performed loading on ship’s board, and paid freight charges to the port (airport) of destination.

Countervailing Duties (CVD)

Special duties imposed on imports to offset the benefits of subsidies to producers or exporters in the exporting country.

Customer

An enterprise that uses the services as provided by another enterprise.

Customer Order

The document containing the calculation of the amount of security and confirming the introduction of security for customs payments in the form of a bank guarantee, pledge agreement or guarantee.

Customs

A government agency providing the procedure for moving goods and vehicles, things, and other items across the customs border, levying customs payments.

Customs Duty (at Destination)

Duties on exports from China

Customs Duty (at Origin)

Duty on imports to the US may apply

Customs Entry

The document that provides US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with details of your shipment, such as cost, classification, and origin.

Cabotage

Navigation of a commercial cargo or passenger ship between seaports of the same state.

Cage

(1) A secure enclosed area for storing highly valuable items, (2) a pallet-sized platform with sides that can be secured to the tines of a forklift and in which a person may ride to inventory items stored well above the warehouse floor.

Cargo

Goods that are transported by different types of vehicles.

Carnet

A document allowing special categories of goods to cross international borders without paying duties. This document is issued by customs.

Carriage Paid To Incoterm (CPT)

The seller arranges the delivery to the indicated place and includes it in the goods price. As a rule, such a place is a terminal where an ocean carrier (shipping line) can accept cargo for further transportation.

Cartage

(1) Movement of goods locally (short distances). (2) Сharge for pick-up and delivery of goods.

Cash In Advance

The buyer pays the seller in advance the shipment of goods.

Commodities

Products; commercial products and services.

Commodity Code

A code describing a commodity or a group of commodities pertaining to goods classification. This code can be carrier tariff or regulating in nature.

Conference Carrier

An ocean carrier who is a member of an association known as a "conference." The purpose of the conference is to standardize shipping practices, eliminate freight rate competition, and provide regularly scheduled service between specific ports.

Consignment

Freight sent under a single contract of carriage.

Consolidation

Collection and storage of small consignments from several consignors for their subsequent transportation by one transport document.

Consolidator

An agent groups the cargo of several customers for container transportation.

Container

A single rigid, sealed, reusable metal box in which merchandise is shipped by vessel, truck, or rail.

Container Freight Charge

The charge made for the packing or unpacking of cargo into or from ocean freight containers.

Container Terminal

An area intended for storing goods in containers, usually delivered by road, rail, and sea, where containers are picked up, dropped off, maintained and housed.