Freight, shipping and chartering glossary

Type Meaning
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 Insurance Freight Incoterm (CIF)

The same as CFR, but insurance is added for the seller’s account on a definite part of the route. The shipping section covered by insurance can be any.

Countervailing Duties (CVD)

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

Cubic Capacity

The carrying capacity of a container according to measurement in cubic feet, cubic centimeters or cubic meters.

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 Broker

A legal entity that has received a license to perform intermediary functions in the field of customs clearance of goods at the expense and on behalf of the represented person.

Customs Clearance

The procedure provided for by the customs legislation of the country related to the import/export of goods and vehicles. Customs clearance includes: a) customs clearance, b) payment of customs duties, c) all types of administrative actions related to the legalization of cargo.

Customs Duty (at Destination)

Duties on exports from China

Customs Invoice

Payment charged by customs when importing or exporting goods.

Carnet

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

Carrier

A person who, under a contract of carriage, performs or mediates in the delivery of goods using a vehicle.

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.

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 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.

Chargeable Weight

Payment for the weight of the item. The chargeable weight may be the dimensional weight or, for container shipments, the gross weight of the shipment less the tare weight of the container.

Charter Rates

The tariff applied for chartering tonnage in a particular trade.

Chassis Usage Fee

Fee charged by ocean carriers at certain U.S. ports for the use of their chassis.

Collect Freight

Freight payable by the consignee at the port of destination.

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"

Commodities

Products; commercial products and services.

Concealed Damage

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

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.

Consignee

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

Consignor

A natural or legal person who delivered the goods for carriage and is indicated as the sender in the carriage document.

Consolidation Fee

This is a fee for bringing together and packing several smaller shipments into the same container., applicable to ocean freight LCL and air freight.

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 Cleaning Fee

Registration of all formalities and operations necessary to obtain permission to unload the container from the vessel and to load it on board the vessel.

Container Freight Charge

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

Container ID

An identifier assigned to a container by a carrier.

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.

Container Yard

A place for handling/storage of materials used for fully unified cargo in containers and/or empty containers.

Contraband

Cargo that is prohibited.

Cost and Insurance (CNI)

Same as the FCA, but insurance is added for the seller’s account on a definite part of the route. The shipping section covered by insurance can be any.

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.

Countertrade

An umbrella term for several sorts of trade in which the seller is required to accept goods or other instruments or trade, in partial or whole payment for its products.

Cube Out

When a shipping container has been filled by volume but has not reached its maximum weight limit.

Customer

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

Customs

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