Advanced Charge
Transportation charge advanced by one carrier to another and to be collected by the latter from the consignor or consignee

Ambient Temperature
When it refers to a container, it is the atmospheric temperature to which it is exposed.

Balloon Freight
Light and bulky goods

Bill of Lading
A document issued by a carrier to conduct operations relating to transportation of goods

Boxcar
An enclosed railway carriage, without windows, to carry goods

Bulk-freight Container
It is a container with a discharge hatch in the front wall, for carrying bulk goods.

Chock
A piece of wood placing at the side of the cargo to prevent rolling

Clip-on
Refrigeration equipment attached to an insulated container that does not have its own refrigeration unit

Concealed Damage
Damage which is not evident by viewing he unopened package

Consignor
A person or company sending the shipment to be delivered. Also known as shipper.

Consignee
A person or company to whom goods are delivered

Contraband
Illegal goods

Cube out
It refers to when a container has reached its volumetric capacity before its permitted weight limit.

Cut-off Time
The latest time cargo has to be delivered to a terminal for loading to a train or ship according to schedule

Demurrage
A surcharge against shippers or consignees for delays in delivering goods

Diversion
Changing the route of a shipment in transit or of the ship

Door-to-door
Transportation of a container and its contents from consignor to consignee. Same as house-to-house.

Dry Cargo
Goods which are not liquid and does not need temperature control

Dumping
Import of goods into a country at prices far below the market value

Embargo
Prohibition of hauling of freight

Fork Lift
A machine use to move goods stored on pallets

Free Astray
A lost shipment sent to its proper destination without surcharge

Free Trade Zone
A port of a country assigned for duty-free entry and export of any non-prohibited goods

Groupage
Putting small shipments into containers for shipment

In Bond
Goods moving under customs control where duty has not been paid yet

Insulated Container
A container with insulation on the walls, roof, floor and doors to minimize the effect of external temperatures on the goods

Interchange Point
It is the place where one carrier delivers freight to another.

Intermodal
It refers to the movement of cargo containers interchangeably using multiple modes of transportation.

Knocked Down
Goods which are taken apart to make a better shipping unit

Long Ton
It equals to 2,240 pounds.

Loose
It means "without packing".

Marking
Letters or symbols put on cargo packages for easy identification

Mixed Container Load
It refers to a load of different goods in a single consignment.

Nested
Goods packed so that one rests partly or completely within another to reduce cubic-foot displacement

Net Weight
Weight of goods without any wrappings

No-show
Cargo that has been booked but does not arrive in time to be loaded

Open Account
It refers to an arrangement that goods are shipped to a foreign buyer without guarantee of payment.

Open Top Container
A container with a solid removable roof or a tarpaulin roof so that it can be loaded and unloaded from the top

Origin
The place where shipment begins its movement

Overheight Cargo
Cargo more than 8-ft high and cannot fit into a standard container

Piggy Packer
A mobile crane used to load and unload containers to and from railcars

Port of Exit
The place where cargo is loaded and leaves a country

Quota
The quantity of goods imported without restriction

Red Label
A label needed on shipments of flammable goods

Reefer
A refrigerated container

Restricted Articles
Goods that are handled only under certain conditions

SHEX
It stands for "Saturday and Holidays Excluded".

Short Ton
It equals to 2,000 pounds.

Sleepers
They are loaded containers which move within the railroad system but are not identified on any internally generated reports.

Stripping
It refers to removal of cargo from a container.

Stuffing
It refers to putting cargo into a container.

Sufferance Wharf
It is a wharf licensed and attended by customs authorities in a place.

Surtax
Additional tax

Through Rate
The total rate from the origin to final destination

Top-air Delivery
In containers with such air circulation type, air is drawn from the bottom of the container, filtered and then forced through the ducted passages along the top of the container.

Turnaround
It refers to the time it takes between the arrival of a vessel and its departure in water transportation.

Transship
To transfer goods from one transportation line to another

Unclaimed Freight
Goods that are not picked up by the owner or consignee

Unloading
Removing a shipment from a vessel

Ventilated Container
A container with openings in the side and/or end walls to facilitate air circulation when the doors are closed

War Risk
Insurance coverage for loss of goods as a result of wars