| Airwaybill | Document showing details of goods, routing and consignment for Air shipments | |
| Average | See General Average | |
| AWB | See “Airwaybill” | |
| B/L | See Bill of Lading | |
| BAF | Surcharge imposed when ships' fuel costs rise | |
| Bill of Lading | Formal document having title of the goods shown on the face and showing terms of carriage. Also shows details of carriage and to whom goods are consigned. Can be issued in negotiable and non-negotiable forms | |
| Bond | Surety put up to customs allowing goods to be removed from port areas to other secure locations. | |
| Bonded Entry | Customs entry giving details of bonded warehouse to which goods will be removed without payment of monies to customs. | |
| Bonded Warehouse | Warehouse under indirect customs control. Warehousekeeper puts up a bond to customs and is liable for any duties and other monies due to customs in the event goods cannot be accounted for. | |
| Bunker Adjustment Factor | See BAF | |
| C&F | Cost & Freight – see FAQ | |
| CAA | Civil Aviation Authority (UK) | |
| CAF | Currency surcharge imposed when US$ rate of exchange becomes unfavourable to shipowners. | |
| Carrier | Company involved in the physical movement of goods | |
| Cbm | Cubic Metre | |
| Chargeable weight | Usually Airfreight. Volume cargo will be charged per kilo of gross weight unless volume to weight ratio is greater than 6 cbm = 1 Kg, in which case it is charged per 6/1000 cbm. | |
| CIF | Cost, Insurance & Freight see FAQ | |
| Clean Signature | Endorsement without comment signifying that no damage or other discrepancy has been noted. | |
| Consignee | Party to whom goods are consigned | |
| Currency Adjustment Factor | See CAF | |
| Devanning | Removal of cargo from a container. | |
| EORI | Number issued by Customs to allow commercial import of goods | |
| E.T.A | Estimated Time of Arrival of vessel at destination port or of aircraft to destination airport | |
| Endorsement | Qualification added to documents to signify transfer of said document or to note some discrepancy | |
| Ex Works | See FAQ | |
| FCL | Full Container Load. | |
| Feeder Service | Original vessel taking goods to main port where they are transferred to vessel undertaking the major part of the voyage. | |
| FOB | See FAQ | |
| Free Circulation | Goods of EU origin or Goods from outside the EU which have cleared customs and on which monies due to customs have been paid. | |
| Groupage | Collection of small shipments (LCL) loaded in container and shipped by forwarder to their overseas partner as FCL. | |
| HAWB | Airwaybill issued by agent who is not the actual carrier | |
| IATA | International Air Transport Association | |
| L/C | Letter of Credit | |
| LCL | Less than a container load | |
| MAWB | Airwaybill issued by carrying airline. May cover goods shown on more than one HAWB | |
| NOA | Notice of arrival | |
| Notify Party | Person of company to whom the carrier should send their notice of arrival | |
| POD | Proof of delivery | |
| Shipper | Party sending the goods | |
| Stuffing | Loading cargo into a container. | |
| Terminal | Place where vessels discharge within port area. Can also be a warehouse where LCL cargo is stuffed or unstuffed. | |
| TEU | Twenty foot equivalent unit. A Forty Foot Container is 2 TEU | |
| THC | Terminal Handling Charge | |
| VATOS | Usually applied to rates or quotations meaning “Variable at time of shipment” | |
