| Abbrv. | Term | Modifier | Explanation |
| B/L | Bill of Lading | Document issued by a carrier, or its agent, to the shipper as a contract of carriage of goods. It is also a receipt for cargo accepted for transportation, and must be presented for taking delivery at the destination. Among other items of information, a B/L contains (1) consignor's and consignee's name, (2) names of the ports of departure and destination, (3) name of the vessel, (4) dates of departure and arrival, (5) itemized list of goods being transported with number of packages and kind of packaging, (6) marks and numbers on the packages, (7) weight and/or volume of the cargo, (8) freight rate and amount. It serves as a proof of ownership (title) of the cargo, and may be issued either in a negotiable or non-negotiable form. In negotiable form, it is commonly used in letter of credit transactions, and may be bought, sold, or traded; or used as security for borrowing money. A B/L is required in all claims for compensation for any damage, delay, or loss; and for the resolution of disputes regarding ownership of the cargo. The rights, responsibilities, and liabilities of the carrier and the shipper under a B/L (often printed on its back) are governed generally either by the older Hague rules, or by the more recent Hague-Visby rules. | |
| AWB | Airway Bill | Type of bill of lading that serves as a (1) receipt of goods by an airline (carrier) and (2) as a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier. It includes (a) conditions of carriage that define (among other terms and conditions) the carrier's limits of liability and claims procedures, (b) a description of the goods, and (c) applicable charges. The airline industry has adopted a standard format for AWB which is used throughout the world for both domestic and international traffic. Unlike a bill of lading, an AWB is a non-negotiable instrument, does not specify on which flight the shipment will be sent, or when it will reach its destination. | |
| EXW | EX Works | (...named place of shipment) | The seller (normally, the exporter) may be obliged to pay only for loading the goods to the transport delivered to the seller's premises (if particularly agreed). The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay for (if not otherwise agreed) loading the goods to the transport delivered to the seller's premises, delivery of goods to the place of further shipping, export dues and taxes, pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), loading costs, shipping costs, insurance, unloading costs, import dues and taxes, and transportation from the place of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered by the seller at the seller's premises. Applies to any mode of transport. |
| FAS | Free Alongside Ship | (...named port of shipment) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the port of shipment (port of loading), export dues and taxes. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), loading costs, shipping costs, insurance, unloading costs, import dues and taxes, and transportation from the port of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered alongside the named vessel at the loading place named by the buyer at the port of shipping (port of loading). Applies to water transport. |
| FCA | Free Carrier | (...named place of shipment) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the place of shipment (place of loading), export dues and taxes, plus loading costs (if not included into shipping costs). The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), shipping costs, insurance (if required), unloading costs, import dues and taxes, and transportation from the place of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered to the first carrier at the place of shipment (place of loading). Applies to any mode of transport. |
| FOB | Free On Board | (...named port of shipment) | Same as FCA: The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the port of shipment (port of loading), export dues and taxes, plus loading costs (if not included into shipping costs). The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), shipping costs, insurance, unloading costs, import dues and taxes, and transportation from the port of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail at the port of shipping (port of loading). Applies to water transport. |
| CPT | Carriage Paid To | (...named place of destination) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, plus loading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), insurance (if required), unloading costs, import dues and taxes, transportation from the place of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered to the first carrier. Applies to any mode of transport. |
| CFR | Cost and Freight | (...named port of destination) | Same as CPT: The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, plus loading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), insurance, unloading costs, import dues and taxes, transportation from the port of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered to the first carrier. Applies to water transport. |
| DAF | Delivered At Frontier | (...named port of destination) | Similar to CPT: The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, plus loading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), insurance (if required), unloading costs, import dues and taxes, transportation from the place of destination at the frontier to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered at the place of destination (place at the buyer's customs border). Applies to any mode of transport. |
| DES | Delivered Ex Ship | (...named port of destination) | Similar to CFR: The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, insurance till port of destination, plus loading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), insurance not covered by seller, unloading costs, import dues and taxes, transportation from the port of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered at the port of destination (port of unloading). Applies to water transport. |
| DEQ | Delivered Ex Quay | (...named place of destination) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, both export and import dues and taxes, insurance, plus loading, unloading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), transportation from the port of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered at the quay of the port of destination (port of unloading). Applies to water transport. |
| CIP | Carriage and Insurance Paid Тo | (...named place of destination) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, plus loading, insurance and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), unloading costs, import duties and taxes, transportation from the place of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods leave the means of transportation at the place of shipping (place of loading). Applies to any mode of transport. In case the carrier is the Liner also levying unloading charges, the seller bears the cost of unloading. In case the carrier is the Liner also levying unloading charges, the seller bears the cost of unloading. |
| CIF | Cost, Insurance and Freight | (...named port of destination) | Same as CIP: The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, plus loading, insurance and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), unloading costs, import dues and taxes, transportation from the port of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail at the port of shipping (port of loading). Applies to water transport. |
| DDU | Delivered Duty Unpaid | (...named place of destination) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, export dues and taxes, insurance, plus loading, unloading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), import dues and taxes, transportation from the place of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered at the place of destination (place of unloading). Applies to any mode transport. |
| DDP | Duty Paid | (...named place of destination) | The seller (normally, the exporter) pays for transportation of the goods to the destination, both export and import dues and taxes, insurance, plus loading, unloading and checking-packing-marking costs. The buyer (normally, the importer) has yet to pay pre-shipment inspection of the goods (if not otherwise arranged), transportation from the place of destination to the delivery place (normally, the importer's factory). All risks are passed from the seller to the buyer when the goods are delivered at the place of destination (place of unloading). Applies to any mode of transport. |
| FIOS | Free in/out Stowed | (… named port of shipment - … named port of destination) | Consignees are in charge of loading onboard, stowing and discharging. Carrier is in charge of shipping, trimming. |
| FIOST | Free in/out Stowed & Trimmed | (… named port of shipment - … named port of destination) | Consignees are in charge of loading onboard, stowing, trimming (bulk materials) and discharging. Carrier is in charge of shipping. |
| FIOSPT | Free in / Free out, Stowed & Spout Trimmed | (… named port of shipment - … named port of destination) | Consignees are in charge of loading onboard, stowing, spout trimming (bulk materials) and discharging. Carrier is in charge of shipping. |
| FIFO | Free in / Free out | (… named port of shipment - … named port of destination) | vide FIOS |
| FILO | Free in / Liner out | (… named port of shipment - ...named place of destination) | Consignees are in charge of loading onboard. Liner is in charge of shipping, discharging and releasing to the Consignee at the named terminal. |
| LIFO | Liner in / Free out | (...named place of shipment - … named port of destination) | Liner is in charge of receiving at its terminal, loading, shipping. Consignees are in charge of discharging. |
| LILO | Liner in / Liner out | (...named place of shipment - … named place of destination) | Liner is in charge of receiving at its terminal, loading, shipping, and releasing to the Consignees at the Liners named terminal. |
| FICY | Free in / Container yard | (...named port of shipment - … named place of destination) | Consignees are in charge loading onboard, Liner is in charge of shipping and releasing to the Consignees at a named container yard (often hinterland). |
| CYCY | Container yard / Container yard | (...named place of shipment - … named place of destination) | Liner is in charge of receiving at a named container yard (often hinterland), loading, shipping, and releasing to the Consignees at another named container yard. |
| LI-Door | Liner In / Liner to Door | (...named place of shipment - … named place of destination) | Liner is in charge of receiving at its terminal, loading, shipping, and delivering to the Consignees at their door (named place of destination) |
| AAR | Against All Risks | Insured against all risks | |
| FIFO | First in - First out | The basis of queuing the units at the terminal | |
| BAF | Bunker Adjustment Fee | Additional fee charged by the Liner for higher bunker costs | |
| CAF | Currency Adjustment Fee | Additional fee charged by the Liner for exchange rate fluctuations | |
| B/L Fee | Bill of Lading Fee | Additional fee charged by the Liner for issuing more than X originals of B/L | |
| Wharfage Fee | Port duty charged to Liner for its use of wharves | ||
| Documentation Fee | Duty for executing documents, etc. | ||
| ISPS Fee | Additional fee charged by the Liner for the ISPS procedures in the ports | ||
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