The following shipping terms are words that might be unfamiliar to you. Browse the entire list or click a letter below to quickly go to all terms beginning with that letter.
@ At (referring to price) a.a. Always Afloat A.B. Able-bodied seaman Abdnt. Abandonment ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics A/C Account Current a/c. Account ACAS Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service Acc. Acceptance, Accepted ACII Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute ACH Automated Clearinghouse A.&C.P. Anchors and chains provided ACCI Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry ACOS Australian Chamber of Shipping ACS Australian Customs Service Acct. Account ACV Air cushion vehicle (hovercraft) Add. Addressed Ad.val. Ad Valorem - according to value a/d After date AEN Administrative Exception Note AEV Articles of Extraordinary Value AF Advanced Freight AFTA {ASEAN} Free Trade Area Agt. Agent, Against AGWI Atlantic, Gulf, West Indies Limited a.h. After hatch AHF American hull form (insurance policy) A/M Airmail AMB Ambassador AMF Airport Mail Facility AML Absolute maximum loss AMS Automated Manifest System AMSA Australian Maritime Safety Authority amt. Amount AMVER Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System A/o Account of AOB Any one bottom AOL Any one loss AOO Any one occurrence AOV Any one vessel AOVoy. Any one voyage AP Additional premimum APEC Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation API Agreement on pre-shipment APL As per list Appd. Approved AQIS Australian Quarantine Inspection Service AR All risks Arr.TL Arranged total loss A/S After sight, Account Sales, Alongside (chartering) ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations A/T. American Terms (grain trade) ATA Carnet Admission Temporaire - Temporary Admission' Carnet ATL Actual Total Loss Atl. Atlantic At.wt. Atomic weight Av. Average, ad valorem (according to value) Av. Disbts. Average disbursements AWB Air Waybill
[B]
B. or B/- Bale Bag BAF Bunker Adjustment Factor Bal. Balance Bar Barrel B.B. Bill Book, Below Bridges B.B.cl. Both to blame collision clause BC British Columbia, British Corporation BCor B/Ch. Bristol Channel B/F Bank Draft, Bar draft (grain trade) BDI Both days inclusive Bdls Bundles Bds Boards B/E Bill of Exchange, Bill of Entry BENELUX Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg Economic Union B/G Bonded goods Bg. Bag B/H Bill of Health, Bordeaux to Hamberg inc. Bk Bank, Backwardation, Book BHP Brake horsepower BIA British Insurance Association BIBA British Insurance Broker's Assoc. B/L Bill of Lading Bls. Bales, Barrels b.m. Board measure (timber) B/O Brought over BO Buyer's option. Branch Office BOP Balance of Payment B/P. Bills payable BPB Bank Post Bill BR Builder's risk insurance B/R Bills receivable, Bordeaux or Rouen (grain tr) Brl. Barrel BS Balance Sheet, Boiler Survey B/S Bill of Sale, Bill of Store B/s Bags, Bales Bs/L Bills of Lading BSRA Basic Service Rate Additional B/St. Bill of Sight BST British Standard Time bt Berth terms BTU Bow Thrust Unit(s) BThU British Thermal Unit BV Bureau Veritas B/V Book Value
[C]
C Collected, Curreny, Coupon C/- Case CACTLVO Compromised or arranged or constructive total loss of vessel only CAD Cash Against Documents CAD/CAM Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing CAF Currency adjustment factor Canc. Cancelled CAP Common Agricultural Policy or Country Action Plan CARICO Caribbean Community CB Cash Book CB&H Continent between Bordeaux & Hamburg CBI Confederation of British Industry CBM Cubic Metre CC Civil commotions CCY Convertible currency CD Country damage C/D Commercial Dock, Consular Declaration C&D Collected and delivered CD-R Compact Disc - Rewritable CDV Current Domestic value CER Aus-NZ Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA) C&F Cost and Freight CFR Cost and Freight cf Carried forward, cubic feet cfi Cost, freight and insurance Cfo Channel for orders, Calling for orders CGA Cargo's proportion of General Average CH&H Continent between Havre & Hamburg chq. Cheque CI Consular Invoice C&I Cost and Insurance CIE Captain's Imperfect Entry (Customs) CIESM Scientific Exploration of Mediterranean Sea cif Cost, insurance and freight
cifci Cost, insurance, freight, commission and interest CIFE Cost, Insurance, Freight and Exchange cifLt Cost, insurance & freight London terms CIP Carriage & Insurance paid to (name point) CIT Court of International Trade C&/or J China and/or Japan Ck. Cask CKD Completely knocked down C/L Craft loss cld. Cleared CM Cubic Meter, Centimeter Cmpl. Completed C/N Credit Note, Consignment Note, Cover Note Co.Company, County C/O Certificate of Origin COB Cargo On Board COCOM Co-ordinating Committee on Multilateral C.O.D Cash On Delivery COGSA Carriage of Goods by Sea Act Colln. Collision Com. Commission Consgt. Consignment Cont. Continent of Europe Cont. (AH) Continent, Antwerp-Hamburg range Cont. (B.H.) Continent, Bordeaux-Hamburg range Cont. (H.H.) Continent Havre-Hamburg range Conv. Conveyance C/P Charter Party, Custom of Port (grain trade) CPA Claims Payable Abroad CPD Charterers Pay Dues
[D]
D/D Delivery, Delivered D/A Deposit Account, Documents against Acceptance DAA Documents Against Acceptance, DAF Delivered at Frontier DB Day Book, (Deals and battens) (timber trade) DBB Deals, Batten and Boards Dbk. Drawback D/C Documentary Credit, Deviation Clause D/D Demand Draft, Delivered at Docks, Damage Done D/d. Days after due, Days' date dd Delivered at Frontier dd/s. Delivered sound (grain trade) DDP Delivered Duty Paid DDU Delivered Duty Unpaid Ded. Deductible Def.a/c Deferred account DEIP Dairy Export Incentive Program deld. Delivered DES Delivered ex Ship DEQ Delivered ex Quay Det. Detained DF Direction Finder d.f. Dead Freight DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade Dft. Draft DIFF Development Import Finance Facility DIS Delivered into store Dis. Discount Disbts. Disbursements Displ. Displacement DK Deck d.l.o Dispatch loading only D/N Debit Note D/O Delivery Order D/P Document against payment d.p. Direct port DPI Department of Primary Industries d.p.r. Daily pro rata DPV Duty Paid value D/R Deposit Receipt Dr. Debit, Debtor, Drawer D-RAM Dynamic Random Access memory DRC Damaged received in collision D/s. Days after sight D/V Dual Valuation D/W Dock Warrant d.w. Dead weight d.w.c. Deadweight capacity DWT Deadweight Ton Dy. Delivery Order
[E]
EC European Community ECGB East Coast CoalPort (East, Coast of Great Britain) ECI East Coast Ireland ECN Export Clearance Number ECU European Currency Unit ECUK East Coast of United Kingdom EDI Electronic Data Interchange EDIMI EDI for Marine Imports EE Errors excepted e.&e.a. Each and every accident EEC European Economic Community e.&e.l. Each and every loss e.&e.o. Each and every occurrence EEZ Exclusive Economic Zones EFIC Export Finance & Insurance Corporation EFT Electronic Funds Transfer EFTA European Free Trade Association e.g. For example EL Employer's liability EMDG Export Marketing Development Grants Scheme EMPL Estimated maximum probable loss EMS European Monetary System EMSS Export Market Support Scheme E&OE Errors and omissions excepted eohp Except otherwise herein provided EOQ Economic ording quantity EP European Parliament EPA Environmental Protection Agency EPI Earned premium income ERLC Export Revolving Line of Credit ERM Exchange Rate Mechanism ERV Each round voyage ESCAP Economic & Social Commission/Asia and the Pacific ESD Echo-sounding device est. Estimated ETA Estimated Time of Arrival EU European Union Ex. Excluding (chartering), Without, Examined, Exchange, Executed Exd. Examined EXIMBANK Export-Import Bank of the USA EXW Ex Works - the price at which the supplier will supply ex his works. EX W/H Ex warehousing entry. Customs. (Nature 30)
[F]
fa Free alongside faa Free of all average fac Fast as can FAC Federal Airports Corporation Fac Facultative Fac/oblig. Facultative/obligatory FAK Freight all Kinds FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (UN) F&AP Fire and allied perils faq Fair average quality FAS Free alongside ship.First and seconds FCA Free carrier FCAR Free of claim for accident reported FCL Full container loads fcsrcc Free of capture, seizure, riots and civil commotions fc.&s Free of capture and seizure FCV Full contract value FEU Forty foot Equivalent Unit (shipping container) f.d. Free discharge, Free delivery, Free dispatch, Free docks F&D Freight and demurrage FFA Free from alongside, Free foreign agency FFO Fixed and floating objects FGA Foreign General Average fh Fore hatch FI Free In fia Full interest admitted FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations fib Free into bunkers, Free into barge FIL Foreign insurance legislation fio Free in and out fios Free in and out stowed fiot Free in and out trimmed FIS Free into store fit Free of income tax fiw Free in wagon FLE Fire, lighting and explosion FLN Following lading numbers fo For orders, Firm offer, Full out terms FOB Free on board foc Free on car, Free of charge FOC Flag of convenience fod Free of damage FOM Flag, ownership and management foq Free on quay FOR Free on rail FOREX Foreign Exchange fort Full out rye terms (grain trade) FOS Free on steamer FOT Free on Truck fow Free on wagon, First open water FP Floating (or open) Policy Fully paid FPA Free of Particular Average F/R Freight release FRA Forward/Future Rate Agreement FRC Free of report casualty FRP Fire risk only frof Fire risk on freight Frt Freight fsl Full signed line (insurance) FSR&CC Free of strikes, riots and civil commotions ft Full terms, foot/feet (measure) FTA Free Trade Agreement Fth. Fathom FTZ Free Trade Zone fv Fishing vessel FVC Fishing vessel clauses fwd. Forward f.w.d. Fresh water damage f.w.l. Full written line (insurance) FWT&GD Fair wear, tear and gradual deterioration F/X Foreign Exchange
[G]
G/A General Average G/A con. General Average contribution G/A dep. General Average deposit GADV Gross arrived damage value GASV Gross arrived sound value GATS General Agreement on Trade in Services GATT General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade GBL Government Bill of Lading G-COCOM General License - COCOM GCR General cargo rates GDP Gross domestic product GF Government Form (chartering) gfa Good fair average gmb Good merchantable brand gmq Good merchantable quality GMT Greenwich Mean Time GNP Gross National Product gob Good ordinary brand gr. Grain, Goss GRT Gross Register Tonnage Gr.T. Gross ton GS Good safety GST Goods and Services Tax gsm Good sound merchantable guar. Guaranteed GV Grande Vitesse (fast train) Gy.C. Gyro compass
[H]
HA or D Havre, Antwerp, or Dunkirk HAWB House air waybill (issued by the freight forwarder) Hbr. Harbour HC Held cover (insurance) HCE Home consumption Entry HCV Home Consumption Value HGV Heavy Goods Vehicle H/H Havre to Hamburg house to house hhd Hogshead hk. Hook damage H&M Hull and machinery H&O Hook and oil damage HP Horse power H.P House to Pier HPN Horse-power nominal HS Harmonized System HSSC Heating, seating spontaneous combustion HT Half-time survey HTS Harmonized Tariff Schedule HW High Water HWD Heavy weather damage HWM High water mark HWOST High water ordinary spring tides
[I]
IAN Import Advice Note IB Invoice Book, In Bond IBC Institute Builders' Clauses IC&C Invoice cost and charges ICES International Council for Exploration of the sea ICFU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ICI Imperial Chemicals Industries ICS Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers IDA International Development Association IDC Irrevocable Documentary Credit i.f. In full IFC Institute Freight Clauses, International Finance Corporation IGO Indicated horse-power IIL Insurance Institute of London
ILO International labor organization ILU Institute of Londer Underwriters IMCO Int. Maritime Codes Organization IMF International Monetary Fund in. Inch Int. Interest iop Irrespective of percentage
i&/or o In and/or overdeck IPR Intellectual Property Rights IPRC Institute Clauses IR Inland Revenue IRS Indian Register of Shipping ISBN International Standard Book Number ISC Intermodal Service Charge ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network ISO International Standards Organization ITC Institute Time Clauses (Hulls) Inter. Trade Commission ITU International Telecommunications Union IVC Institute Voyage Clauses (Hulls) IYC Institute Yacht Clauses
[J]
J/A Joint Account Jett. Jettisonson JETRO Japan External Trade Organization j.&w.o Jettison and washing overboard
[K]
KD Knocked down KDC Knocked down condition KDC Kilohertz ABS Key Industry Duty A/C Knocked down flat A/C Kilogram(s)
[L]
L/A Letter of Authority, Landing Account, Lloyd's Agent LANBY Large automatic navigation buoy LASH lighter aboard ship LAT Linseed Association Terms lat. Latitude LATF Lloyd's American Trust Fund Lb(s) Pound(s) (weight) LC London clause (chartering), Label clause L/C Letter of credit LCIA London Court of International Arbitration LCL Less container load LCTA London Corn Trade Association L.d.d. Loss during discharge L.def.Latent defect ldg.Loading Ldg.&Dely.Landing and delivery L.d.l.Loss during loading lds.Loads Leg.ChgsLegal charges LHARLondon, Hull, Antwerp or Rotterdam LI Letter of Indemnity Liab. Liability LIP Life Insurance Policy Lkge&BkgeLeakage and breakage Ll.&Cos.Lloyd's and Companies LLT London landed terms LMC Lloyd’s machinery certificate l.m.c. Low middling clause (cotton trade) LMCC Lloyd's machinery certificate continuous survey LNG Liquefied Natural Gas carrier l.n.y.d. Liability not yet determined LOA Length Overall LOI Letter of Indemnity LOL Loss of life LO/LO Lift on/Lift off long longitude L.S.Lump Sum L.T.L.Less than truckload L.T.L.Long Ton (2240 lbs)
[M]
MAWB Mater airwaybill (issued by the airline) MFN Most favored nation Min Minimum Min B/L Minimum Bill of Lading Min. wt Minimum weight MIP Marine Insurance Policy M.O. Money Order MOU Memorandum of Understanding MR Mate's receipt msmt Measurements MT Mail Transfer, Marine Terminal MT Metric ton 2204.6 lbs MTO Multimodal Transport Operator, Multilateral Trade Organization M3Cubic metric MVMotor vessel
[N]
NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement N/A No advice, Not applicable NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NCV No commercial value NCV No customs value ND No discount ne Not exceeding Nei Not elsewhere included Nes Not elsewhere specified Net wt Net weight N/F No funds NIC's Newly Industrializing Countries No Number nopNot otherwise provided N.O.S.Not otherwise specified NT Net Ton N/t Net terms NTB's Non-Tariff Barriers NVD No value declared NVOCC Non vessel owning common carrier
[O]
O.B.L. Ocean Bill of Lading O/C Overcharge OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries O/R Over-riding commission OR Owner risk, Original rate O/S On sample, Out of stock, On sale or return OSD Open shelter deck OT Open Top O/t. Old terms (grain trade) On truck OWC On Wheels Charge Oz. Ounce
[P]
P Package P/A Particular Average, Power of Attorney, Private Account Pac. Pacific coast ports
PAN Premium advice note PAG Payment on arrival of goods PB permanent Bunkers PC Per Container P/C Price Current, Petty Cash, per cent, Particular charges PD Port dues pd. Passed, Paid Pers.Acc. Personal Accident P/H Pier to House PI Personal Injury PIAPeril insured against Pkg(s)Packages Pilf. Pilferage PL Public Liability P.L Partial Loss P&I Protection and indemnity, Principal & Interest P&L Profit and Loss PLA Port of London Authority pm Premium PML Probable maximum loss P/N Promissory note p.o.c. Port of call POD Pay on delivery, Port of distress P/P Pier to Pier pp Parcel Post, Purchase Price ppdPrepaid ppiPolicy proof of interest ppt prompt loading PR Port Ricks, Prorata PRC People's Republic of China Prem.Red Premiums reducing Prem.Res Premium reserve Prof.Com Profit commission P/S Public sale PST Pacific Standard Time PSV Post-Shipment Verification PT Per Trailer PT20 Per 20 Foot Trailer/Container PT40 Per 40 Foot Trailer/Container p.t. Private Terms PU&DPick Up and Delivery PVPetite Vitesse (slow train)
R Rail Ramp R/A Refer to acceptor RAM Ram don Access Memory RAT Rapeseed Association Terms RBP"s Restrictive Business Practices R.&C.C. Riots and civil commotions RCP Rate combination point RCC&S Riots and civil commotions R/D Refer to drawer r.d. Running days RDC Running down clause R&D Research and Development Ref. Refrigerating machinery res Residue RFQ Request for Quotation RI Registro Italiano R/I Reinsurance RLN Running landing numbers r.o.b. Remaining on Board ROD Rust, oxidation and discoloration ROM Read only Memory Ro-ro Roll-on/Roll-off Rotn. No Rotation number R.R. Railroad R/p. Return of posts for orders RP Return premium RS Revised Statutes (USA) RT Rye Terms RTA Rubber Trade Association RWA Returned Without Action
[S]
SA Salvage Association S/A Subject to acceptance (insurance) s/a Subject to approval, Safe arrival SAA Standards Association of Australia SB Short Bill SBM Single buoy mooring sbs Survey before shipment sc Salvage Charges SCA Settlement of claims abroad SCA Sea Cargo Automation Sch. Schooner SCR Specific commission rates SD Sea damaged S.d. Short delivery SDR's Special Drawing Rights (banking) SED Shipper's Export Declaration SET Selective Employment Tax S&FA Shipping and Forwarding Agent S/Fee Survey Fee SG Ship and goods (insurance) SGS Society General de Surveillance S Hinc. Sundays and Holidays included S.Hex. Sunday and Holidays excepted SHP Shaft horse power SI Short Interest S/I Sum insured SITC Standard International Tariff Classification Sk.Sack SL Salvage loss SLAC Shippers load and count SLI Shipper's Letter of Instruction S/L Sue and labour sl Salvage loss S/L.C. Sue and labor clause S/L.Ch. Sue and labor charges
Sld. Sailed SMART Sydney Maritime Arbitration Rules & Terms S/N Shipping Note SO Seller's option SOD Shipped on deck SOL Ship owner's liability SOLAS Safety of Life at Sea s/0. Ship owner SOS Service of suit SP Sppra Protest s.p.d. Steamer pays dues SRCC Strikes, riots & civil commotions SRL Ship repairers' liability SS Steam Ship S.T.C. Said to contain Std. Standard (timber trade) Stes.Lab Stevedores' liability stg. Sterling stk. Stock ste. Steamer Strd. Stranded S to S Station to Station SV Sailing vessel SW Ship's Weights SWD Seawater damage SWG Standard wire gauge Syn. Syndicate (Lloyd's)
T
T. Ton of 2,240 lbs TACM Transit Air Cargo Manifest TB Trial Balance TBA To be advised TBL Through Transport B/L T/C Till countermanded T&CC Technical and Clauses Committee TCI Time charterer's interest Tes. Tierces Tes. Tonnage deadweight TDW Trade expenses TEE Trans. Europe Express TEU Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit (shipping container) TF Tropical freshwater T&G Tongued & grooved (timber trade) TGB Tongued, grooved and beaded THC Terminal Handling Charge TIB Trimmed in bunkers, Temporary Importation under Bond TL Total loss, truck load TLO Total loss only TLVO Total loss of vessel only TM Trademark T/O Transfer order T.O.F.C. Trailer (on Wheels) Flat Car TOVALOP Tanker Owners' Voluntary Agreement Liability for Oil Pollution TPi Tons per inch TP Lab. Third party liability TPND Theft, pilferage & non-delivery TQ Tale Quale (as found) Tr. Trustee TR Tons Registered T/S Transshipment t&s Touch and stay TT Telegraphic transfer TTF Timber Trade Federation T.S. Telegraphic transfer selling rate TTY Treaty (reinsurance)
TWMC Transport, wages, maintenance & care
[U]
U/A Underwriting account U/C Under construction u.c.b. Unless caused by UCPDC Uniform Customs & Practice for Documentary Credits U/D Under deck UKUnited Kingdom UK/Cont. United Kingdom & Continent Ukfo United Kingdom for orders UK.HAD United Kingdom, Havra, Antwerp or Dunkirk ULCC Ultra large crude carrier ULD Unit Load Device - Airfreight Container UN United Nations UNCLOS UN Conference on the Law of the Sea UNCTAD UN Conference on Trade & Development UNDP UN Development Program UNDRO UN Disaster Relief Coordinator UNEP UN Environment Program UNL Ultimate net loss u/o. Use and occupancy u.p. Under proof U/R Under repair URC Uniform Rules for Collection UT Unlimited transshipment uw Underwriter
[V]
WA With average WB Water ballast, Warehouse Book, Way Bill WB/EI West Britain/East
Ireland w.b.s. Without benefit of salvage WCL World Confederation of Labor WCSA West Coast of
South America W/d Warranted WIRD World Import Regulations Directory WDF Wireless direction finder WEU Western Europe
Union WFG Wharf age
Acct. Account VTS Vessel Traffic System
[W]
WA With average WB Water ballast, Warehouse Book, Way Bill WB/EI West Britain/East Ireland w.b.s. Without benefit of salvage WCL World Confederation of Labor WCSAWest Coast of South America W/d Warranted WIRD World Import Regulations Directory WDF Wireless direction finder WEU Western Europe Union WFG Wharf age WFTU World Federation of Trade Unions w.g. Weight guaranteed WHO World Health Organization W/M Weight and/or Measurement WMO World Meteorological Organization WNA Winter North Atlantic w.o.b. Washed overboard WOL Wharf owners' liability w.p. Without prejudice, Weather permitting w.p.p. Waterproof paper packing WTO World Trade Organization WR Warehouse receipts w.r.o. War risk only wt. Weight Wtd. War ranged W/W Warehouse warrant WWD Weather working days
[X]
x.c. Ex coupon x.d. Ex dividend x. in. Ext interest x. new Ex new XS Loss Excess loss reinsurance
[Y]
YAR York, Antwerp Rules (General Average) Yt. Yacht
