Ryder Container Terminals

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Industry Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Act of God	Any accident due to natural causes that is outside of human control. This event could not have been prevented or avoided by foresight and care.
Ad valorem	In proportion to the value of the goods or transaction, usually pertaining to tax or duty.
Ad valorem duty	A duty in proportion to the value of the goods.
Ad valorem freight	Freight chargeable on the value of the goods, and not on weight or measurement.
Agent	One who transacts business on behalf of a principal.
Arbitration	Process whereby contending parties mutually appoint a person (arbiter) to settle a dispute in order to avoid going to law.

B

Bailee	A person (or firm) to whom goods are delivered. This person is responsible for these goods but is not the legal owner.
Bill of sight	A customs import form used when the importer is unable to make a complete entry. A Customs Officer opens and ‘sights’ the goods, enabling a normal entry to be made.
Bill of lading (B/L)	(1) House: A document of carriage issued by a forwarding agent to his principal; a domestic document between two ocean carriers when they are carrying each other’s cargo. (2) Ship: A receipt for goods whether received for shipment or shipped on board a named vessel; A document of title and evidence of the contract of carriage.
Blue Book	A government publication covering the rules for carriage of dangerous goods and explosives by sea.
Bonded goods	Imported (dutiable) goods accommodated in a Customs bonded warehouse until the duty on them has been paid.
Break bulk cargo	Cargo consisting of individual packages stowed in a ‘conventional ship.’
Broken stowage	Space lost in stowing packages of irregular shape.
Broker	An agent employed as an intermediary to negotiate a business contract or, in the case of insurance, to effect an insurance contract with underwriters.
Brokerage	The reward on a percentage basis paid to a broker for his services.
Bulk cargo	A commodity that is carried loose, e.g. grain, oil, ore, or coal.
Bulkhead	A transverse underdeck construction of steel plates, capable of withstanding great strain, forming watertight compartments.
Bunker	The section of a ship set apart for the storing of fuel for use on the voyage.

C

Cargo	The general name for goods carried on board a trading vessel.
Certificate of origin	Document certifying the country of origin of goods; normally signed by a Chamber of Commerce or Embassy.
Charter-party	A contract made between a shipowner and a charterer for the hire of a ship (or part of a ship) for a certain specified period at an agreed rate; also known as hire money.
Claused bill of lading	An endorsement to the effect that the goods or part thereof are not in good order, e.g. damaged, inadequately packed etc.
Clearance goods	Goods that satisfy Her Majesty’s (HM) Custom’s formalities.
Clearance ships	Before a vessel can load outward cargo it must be ‘cleared inward’ by Customs (this involves rummaging the holds etc.). Once cleared, customs issues a certificate known as a Jerque Note (under official seal), which shows the quantity of dutiable goods left on board.
Combined transport bill of lading	A document issued by a Combined Transport Operator (CTO) for the carriage of goods by at least two modes of transport.
Conference system	An association of liner shipowners operating in the same trade who agree to abide by a set of regulations and to quote the same rates of freight, to the mutual benefit of shippers and themselves.
Consign	To forward goods from one place to another.
Consignment	Goods in transit to a named destination.
Consignment note	Document used to consign goods.
Consignee	The person to whom goods are sent i.e. the Receiver.
Consignor	The sender of goods i.e. the shipper or his agent.
Consul	A Government’s commercial representative appointed to reside in a foreign country in order to facilitate and protect the commercial relations between the two countries.
Contraband	The import or export of prohibited or dutiable goods.
Contract	An agreement involving an offer and an acceptance. Contracts are normally, but not necessarily, confirmed in writing.
Conventional cargo	Cargo not carried in containers, but stowed in normal packages.
Cooperage	The repairing of casks or the services of a cooper in repairing damaged cargo. This also involves the opening of cargo for Customs examination and repacking.
Customs Registered Number (CRN)	A system to assist Her Majesty’s (HM) Government in the publication of accurate trade statistics. It replaced the Customs Assigned Number (CAN) in October 1981.
Customs entry	Document rendered to obtain Customs clearance on imported goods or to satisfy Customs requirements on exported goods.

D

Drayage	Transportation of cargo between the loading place and the departure point, or between the arrival point and the unloading place.
Deadfreight	Space booked by a shipper or chartered but not used.
Deck cargo	Cargo shipped on the open deck.
Delivery order	The written authority to deliver goods etc., to a named party in exchange for the bill of lading.
Depot charges	(1) Exports: An amount for receiving cargo and stowing into a groupage unit. (2) Imports: An amount for receiving a loaded groupage unit and subsequent delivery to a motor vehicle for transport to its final destination.
Demurrage	Compensation payable for delay to ships, motor vehicles, wagons, containers, etc., beyond a stipulated “free” period.
Despatch	Reward payable to the shipper or charterer for time saved; the opposite of demurrage.
De-stuffing	The process of unpacking container units.
Dock dues	A toll charged on vessels and goods entering or leaving a dock. These dues are used to pay for dock maintenance.
Dock receipt	Receipt for cargo delivered for shipment.
Drawback	Repayment of duty by Her Majesty’s (HM) Customs upon the re-export of certain goods on which import duty was paid.
Dunnage	Materials (usually mats) used to keep cargo in place; materials placed under the cargo to prevent damage.
Duty deferment	A European Economic Community (EEC) system permitting the deferred payment of Customs duties for an agreed period, usually weighted against acceptable guarantees.

E

Eur Form	A European Economic Community (EEC) document used by the nine member countries as a movement certificate to countries who have a Free Trade Association Agreement with the EEC.
Excise	A tax levied by Customs on certain classes of goods produced in the country, as opposed to those produced outside and then imported into the country.
Export license	A document issued by the Government giving permission to export certain controlled goods.
Ex-quay	The seller accepts all charges up to the point when the goods land on the quay/dock. The buyer is responsible for all charges after delivery on quay.
Ex-ship	The seller makes the goods available to the buyer on board the ship at an agreed upon collection point. The seller accepts all charges up to this point. This does not include insurance, freight or transport charges.

F

Feeder vessel	A container ship used in short sea trades to serve ports at which the larger ocean vessel does not call.
Free in and out (FIO)	The charterer, shipper, or consignee pays for the cost of loading, discharge, and stowage of cargo.
Flotsam	When cargo is jettisoned and subsequently floats in water.
Free on board (FOB)	The shipper pays all charges excluding freight and insurance, which is paid by the consignee. On the continent, it is customary for the consignee to pay some additional charges.
Freight (FRT)	The amount due or paid for the carriage of cargo.
Freight all kinds (FAK)	A system whereby freight is not charged in accordance with a commodity tariff, i.e. a flat rate system.
Freightliner	The name first employed by British Rail for their container hauling operation. This expression is now used by railways generally to denote fast overland container movement.
Freight tonne (F/T)	The weight or measurement in which the freight is calculated. A weight tonne equals 1000 kilo and a measurement tonne equals one cubic metre (m3).
Full and down	When a ship is cubically full, and down to the plimsoll mark, i.e. the cargo is a perfect combination of weight and measurement.

G

Gate Volume	The number of containers that enter and/or leave a loading or handling facility.
General Average (G/A)	An act which states that both parties share any losses if cargo is voluntarily sacrificed during an emergency. A part of the cargo (within reason) may be jettisoned in order to preserve the imperiled ship and remaining load. e.g. if a vessel goes aground and is in danger of sinking, then some cargo may have to be thrown overboard to help the ship refloat. The expenditure and loss incurred is a general average sacrifice, to which both the ship and all the cargo owners contribute.<
Gold Clause Agreement	An agreement drawn up by the British Maritime Law Association in 1950 between shipowners and insurance interests. It increased Hague Rules shipowners liability from £100 per package/unit to £200 due to the depreciation in the value of currency. The time limit for claims was also increased. By an amended agreement, the amount increased to £400 per package/unit for contracts subject to the Hague and Hague-Visby Rules dated on or after 1st July 1977.
Gross registered tonnes/tonnage (GRT)	The total internal space of a ship measured in units of 100 cubic feet.
Groupage	Assembly of different consignments for forwarding together in one unit.

I

Incoterms	A list of standard trade terms for use in foreign trade. Compiled in 1953 by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and revised in March of 1980.
Indemnity, Letter of	A document usually countersigned by a bank indemnifying (insuring) the shipowner/carrier against all consequences arising from certain acts, e.g. the issue of a duplicate set of bills of lading or the release of cargo without the production of bills of lading.
Inherent vice	The inherent inability of cargo to withstand the ordinary incidents of a voyage due to a natural defect in the commodity. In cargo, the shipowner is not responsible.
Inward charges	Pilotage and other expenses incurred while entering a port.

J

Jerque note	A certificate issued by a Customs officer stating that all cargo reported has been discharged.
Jetsam	Cargo that, after being jettisoned, eventually washes ashore.
Jettison	The voluntary throwing overboard of goods or ship’s stores during a time of peril in order to save the vessel.

K

Kilogram (Kg/kilo)	Unit of weight in the metric system equal to 2.2046 lbs.

L

Lay days	A chartering term meaning the number of days agreed upon for loading and discharging.
Land bridge	Part of a container routing that involves several modes of transport including an overland movement from port to port.
Letter of Credit (L/C)	The basis of International trade whereby payment is made against surrender of specified documents.
Less than a full container load (LCL)	A container holding several different consignments from various shippers.
LCL/FCL	Container movement whereby the packing is charged to the the carrier’s account and stripping to the cargo owner’s account.
LCL/LCL	Container movement whereby the packing and stripping is charged to the carrier’s account.
Lien	The right to detain cargo against the satisfaction of a claim, usually for unpaid freight or other charges.
Light dues	Dues paid to Trinity House for the purpose of maintaining lighthouses, lightships and buoys.
Lighterage	Charges made from the use of lighters (barges).
Liner	A vessel belonging to a recognized ‘Line’ of owners operating in a regular trade and sailing on advertised dates.
Liner terms	The rate a company will charge on freight for loading or discharging a vessel.
Lloyds Register	A ship classification society whose function is to maintain standards of construction and maintenance in merchant vessels. They publish an annual ‘Register’ containing detailed technical information on the world’s merchant fleet.
Lump sum freight	A single payment to cover the hire of a vessel, or part thereof, irrespective of the amount of cargo loaded.

M

Manifest	A list of the cargo load on board a ship that contains details of the shipper, consignee, marks, numbers, description of packages, etc. This sometimes includes freight and other charges whether paid or collectable.
Movement certificate	A document, issued by the exporting country, certifying the origin and status of the goods for Customs purposes.
Mate’s receipt (M/R)	A document signed by the Chief Officer acknowledging the receipt of cargo on board the ship. This is later exchanged for a bill of lading.
Multi-stop	A container movement involving more than one packing or stripping place.

N

Note of protest	Declaration made by the Master of a vessel before a Notary Public when the vessel has experienced bad weather and the Master fears damage from the perils of the sea.
Not negotiable	Cannot be transferred to any other person with the same rights as held by the original owner.
Nett registered tons/tonnage (NRT)	The measurement of the enclosed spaces of a ship, excepting those allocated for navigation, machinery, crew, stores, etc. This is measured in units of 100 cubic feet.
Non-vessel owning common carrier (NVOCC)	Usually, a forwarding agent issuing a ‘house’ bill of lading.

O

Out of Charge Note (OCN)	A document indicating that goods are clear of Customs.

P

Particular Average	Partial loss or damage to cargo caused by an insured risk.
Protection and Indemnity (P&I)	Known as P&I Clubs, these are collections of shipowners who come together to create and share their own insurance against third party liabilities.
Pilotage	The act of employing a pilot and the cost of his services.
Port dues	Dues levied by a Port Authority on all vessels entering or leaving the port, usually based on the ship’s Gross Register Tonnage.
Prepaid	Charges paid before a service is given or before goods are handed over i.e. charges paid in advance.
Pratique	Permission to enter port given by the Port Health Authorities when a vessel has been cleared of quarantine restrictions.

Q

Quotation/quote	An offer to perform a service at stated rates.

R

Rebate	A deduction or discount made from a basic charge.
Report (ships inward)	A customs document which must be completed and lodged with customs for each vessel by the owner or agent before discharge can begin. This usually lists cargo on board, details of vessel, voyage, crew, passengers, etc.
Roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO)	A vessel designed so that cargo may be rolled on and off without the need for cranes.

S

Simplified Clearance Procedure (SCP)	All exports after October 1, 1981 are subject to pre-shipment documentation, i.e. Standard Shipping Note. Dutiable or restricted goods must still be pre-entered on the appropriate Customs form.
Special Drawing Rights (SDR)	Is a unit of account as defined by the International Monetary Fund and is the mean of a selection of currencies designed to ‘iron out’ currency variations.
Shipping note	A six part document (NSSN) which accompanies cargo to the docks, one copy of which is used as evidence that the goods have been loaded on board.
Ship’s papers	A collective term covering documentation including certificate of registry, clearance certificate, bills of lading, etc. These papers are needed in order to comply with International Statutory Regulations.
Short shipment	Goods that are shut-out of a vessel, usually through lack of space or late arrival, are said to be short-shipped.
Shut out	Goods that arrive too late for a vessel or are not loaded because the vessel has a full load.
Sous palan/Sous vergues	A French expression meaning that discharge will be made ‘under ship’s derrick’; ‘under ship’s tackle’; ‘under ship’s slings’; ‘over ship’s side’; ‘at ship’s rail’
Stevedore	A labourer who loads and unloads cargo vessels.
Stowage factor	The cubic space occupied by one tonne (1000 kg) of cargo.
Stowage plan	A plan of a vessel showing where all the cargo is stowed.
Stuffing	The process of packing container units.
Surcharge	A temporary addition to a normal tariff charge, e.g. currency, bunker, or port congestion surcharge.

T

Tally	A record taken of the number of packages delivered to or from a vessel, vehicle, warehouse or unit.
T form	An European Economic Community (EEC) document used by the nine member countries as a movement certificate certifying the origin and status of goods for Customs purposes. May also be a transit document covering the movement of goods over one or more national boundaries.
Tariff	A list of rates and conditions for services, taxes, etc. including freight, stevedoring, Her Majesty’s (HM) Customs, and Transport International Routier.
Total loss	(1) Actual total loss: occurs when the cargo is totally destroyed or so damaged as to cease to be a thing of the kind insured; when the assured is irretrievably deprived of the cargo. (2) Constructive total loss: occurs where the cargo could not be preserved from being totally lost without an expenditure that would exceed its value i.e. a write-off.
Tramp	A vessel, with no fixed schedule or port, which is used to carry cargo from one port to another. This is contrasted by a Liner which usually transverses a definite route, sailing on specified dates.
Transload	To physically transfer cargo from one transportation vehicle to another.
Transshipment	Cargo passing out from an import vessel into an export vessel.

U

Ullage	The difference between the total capacity and the actual content of a cask or package. In a tank container, it is the free space allowed for expansion of a liquid (usually about 5% of the total capacity).

W

Waybill (sea)	A non-negotiable document used as an alternative to a negotiable bill of lading. This is used when only some of the facilities of a bill of lading are required and when the owner of the goods does not wish to retain title to them. Waybills must be drawn out to a named consignee.