The actual time when a shipment arrives at its destination.

The actual time when a shipment departs from its origin.

The method of transporting goods through an air carrier. It is most often the fastest means of transportation and ideal for time-sensitive cargo but produces the most carbon emissions of all modes of transport.

Cargo insurance that covers all risks of physical loss or damage that the policy does not explicitly omit.

See Carbon Avoidance.

The transportation of goods under its own Master Air Waybill (MAWB). A back-to-back (B2B) / direct service is a faster option than consolidation because you do not have to wait for the consolidation/de-consolidation of multiple shipments.

Packaged cargo that is oversized or heavyweight and cannot be containerized.

The main UK trade association for companies involved in the movement of freight and/or customs brokerage.

Shipped loosely and unpackaged as opposed to being shipped in packages or containers. Bulk cargo is typically dropped or poured as a liquid or solid into a merchant ship.

An ocean freight surcharge that reflects the cost of fuel.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most abundant and one of the longest-lasting of the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, the leading cause of climate change.

The prevention of carbon emissions that would have been released into our atmosphere.

The balancing of carbon released with carbon removed from the atmosphere.

A unit of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that is “measurable, quantifiable and trackable.” A good carbon offset is also permanent and verifiable.

The removal of more carbon from the atmosphere than was released.

The removal (also known as reduction) of carbon emissions already released into our atmosphere.

Goods transported by aircraft, ship of other vehicle.

A facility that consolidates or deconsolidates cargo for export or import.

Haulage controlled and arranged by the shipping line, using their nominated contractors.

What the carrier uses to determine the cost of your shipment. It may be either volumetric weight or gross weight, whichever is greater.

Services that are by far the most expensive and involve renting a vessel or aircraft in part or full.

A Bill of Lading that evidences that the goods received in the vessel are in good condition and undamaged.

The party receiving the shipment and taking ownership of the goods.

Also referred to as Shipper, is the party that owns and/or arranges to send the goods. Often, the Consignor is the seller of the goods.

Services that involve consolidating many different shipments onto one flight and is the most cost-effective air freight. Consol services are not the quickest air freight service as they include additional waiting time for the collection, packing, loading, unloading, unpacking, and delivery of multiple shipments.

The unique alpha-numeric identification number of a container unit.

A facility that stores, receives, and releases containers.

An ocean freight surcharge that compensates for currency fluctuations.

An agent that clears your goods through customs.

The process of clearing goods through customs.

The system that replaces the Customs Handling of Import and Export (CHIEF) as the new electronic system for the handling of customs declarations.

When a vessel departs quickly and is unable to complete the loading of all containers planned for the vessel.

A HMRC deferment account allows you to defer payment of import duty and VAT and make one payment a month, instead of paying for individual consignments.

The period a container is at the port facility.

The period a container is outside the carrier’s possession.

The unloading of goods from a sealed container. It is also referred to as unstuffing or stripping.

Where the customs agent acts in the name of, and on behalf of, the principal (e.g. the exporter or importer).

The refund of paid duties on an import that is being re-exported.

A reference number assigned by the declarant that is allocated to a consignment of goods and recorded on the relevant customs declaration.

A tax levied on goods when transported across international borders.

A UK and EU identification number for businesses that trade internationally and require customs clearance.

A container yard that stores empty containers for pick-up by hauliers.

The estimated time when a shipment will arrive at its destination.

The estimated time when a shipment will depart from its origin.

The Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, an international organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland that represents freight forwarders worldwide.

The final destination to which a shipment is delivered.

A measure of volume in the units of a 40-foot long container. 1 FEU = One 40-foot container.

A business that acts on behalf of an exporter or importer to arrange the movement of goods through the supply chain.

When an exporter or importer uses a container exclusively for their goods, this is called an FCL shipment. FCL is cost-effective when the goods to be shipped nearly or fully fill a container.

When an exporter or importer uses a full trailer exclusively for their goods, this is called an FTL shipment. FTL is cost-effective when the goods to be shipped nearly or fully fill a trailer.

When a container enters the terminal.

When a container leaves the terminal.

An act, that when declared by the vessel owner due to a serious accident, requires all parties with an interest in the vessel (e.g. with cargo onboard), to share a proportion of the additional costs to salvage the vessel and its cargo.

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is a comprehensive and standardized framework for the measuring and managing of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

A tax levied on most goods and services sold for domestic consumption.

Practices that minimize the negative impact of transportation and logistics on the environment.

The total weight of goods including packaging.

The grouping together of smaller shipments from several shippers into one shipment for maximum optimization.

The Harmonised System (HS) is a standardized and global system for classifying traded products.

Local road transportation.

Local road transport provider.

A truck with a crane attached.

The tax authority of the United Kingdom.

A document or administrative procedure issued by a national government allowing the import of specific goods or from specific countries.

The party receiving the shipment and taking ownership of the goods for delivery to the ultimate consignee.

The party arranging the export of the goods.

The coordinated movement of freight by different carriers using a combination of transport modes.

International Air Transport Association, representing airlines worldwide.

An ocean freight service that allows sharing space inside a container with others and splitting the cost.

Lift-on/Lift-Off.

A road freight service that allows sharing space inside a trailer with others and splitting the cost.

Haulage controlled and arranged by the merchant using their nominated contractors.

A truck with a forklift attached.

The main vessel in a liner service that only serves major ports.

The coordinated movement of freight by one provider and under one contract, that uses a combination of two different transport modes.

The New Computerised Transit System, a system used to make Common Transit declarations.

The National Export Service, a system used to make export customs declarations to HMRC.

The total weight of goods excluding packaging.

A document provided by carriers reminding the receiver of the expected or actual arrival date of a shipment.

The designated party to be notified when a shipment arrives at its destination.

No Value Declared.

A freight forwarder or agent that performs all the services of a carrier but does not own their own vessels.

The method of transporting goods by sea using vessels.

The inland movement of a container after it has been picked up from the port of discharge.

A type of shipping container.

The location where cargo is received by the carrier.

The port where cargo is discharged from a vessel.

The port where cargo is loaded onto a vessel.

The primary method of security screening for air cargo.

A type of cargo that requires special handling due to size or weight.

The platform a vessel lays alongside while moored for loading or unloading.

The period a container is sat on quay.

Reduction/Removal

Energy from natural sources, such as wind or solar power.

A tamper evident security bolt attached to the container doors after loading/stuffing.

A security measure applied to screen goods that cannot be screened by X-ray (primary screening method).

The status given a shipment onboard a vessel that has departed.

Also referred to as Consignor, is the party that owns and/or arranges to send the goods. Often, the Shipper is the seller of the goods.

When all or part of a shipment is not loaded as intended.

Shipped On Board

Safety of Life at Sea convention

An acronym for Said to Contain

Stuffing is the loading of goods to a container.

The suspension of import duties on certain goods.

The weight of an empty container or vehicle.

Tariff numbers (also referred to as commodity code) are internationally recognised reference numbers that identify specific products when importing or exporting.

An electronic B/L release message.

Twenty-foot equivalent unit.

Transport Management System

A shipment or service that involves unloading from one vessel and loading onto another. For example, a shipment from Felixstowe UK Port (origin) via Port Kelang Malaysia Port (transhipment point) to Sydney Australia Port (destination).

LCL is cost effective when the goods to be shipped do not nearly or fully fill a container.

Unique Consignment Number

A four digit code that identifies dangerous goods and substances.

The status for goods for an exporter that is NOT approved by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) to be transported without the need for further security measures and where further screening will be required e.g. primary (x-ray).

The gross weight of the cargo including dunnage/bracing and the tare weight of the container.

Volumetric weight refers to the overall size of an item and is measured in volumetric kilograms.