Shipping Glossary of Terms

A flat-bottomed floating structure built mainly for transport of cargo/equipment at coastal areas, rivers, canals or on open sea. A barge may or may not be self-propelled.

The space assigned to or taken up by a vessel when lying alongside or tied to a quay, wharf, jetty, or other structure.

The bayplan is the complete overview of containers stowed on the vessel. This includes slots for each container. It is provided by the terminal to the vessel operator, who will distribute it further, if needed. The associated EDI-message, BAPLIE, is often used instead of the term bayplan.

Contractual document issued to the shipper which confirms the carrier's receipt of the cargo, acknowledging goods being shipped or received for shipment and specifying the terms of delivery (as one of the evidences of the contract of carriage). The Bill of Lading is usually prepared based on shipping instructions, including cargo description, given by the shipper on forms issued by the Carrier and is the title to the goods and can be a negotiable document.

Occurs when a an already announced voyage is cancelled. In this case the voyage number is retained, and planned port calls are “blanked”.

A reservation of space and/or equipment for a vessel/voyage and possibly inland transport with a specific origin/destination/equipment type and commodity.

A confirmation by the carrier to the customer including rate agreement, space allocation, transport plan and empty equipment release instruction.

A request for reservation of space and equipment for a vessel/voyage and possibly inland transport.

The point on a border between two countries, where people, transports or goods can cross. This may or may not include a customs checkpoint.

A flat-bottomed floating structure built mainly for transport of cargo/equipment at coastal areas, rivers, canals or on open sea. A barge may or may not be self-propelled.

A specific position within a Berth identified by a physical or electronic marker or measurement (e.g. bollard, manifold, ramp number, meters, GPS coordinates) allowing the ship to be correctly positioned within the berth.

The transfer of liquid or gaseous fuel from land-based or floating facilities into a ship’s permanent tanks or connection of portable tanks to the fuel supply system.

The grand total weight of the cargo and weight per container(s) including packaging items being carried. Excludes the tare weight of the container(s). Can be in either kilograms or pounds as provided by the shipper.

The activity of discharging, shifting, loading, and lashing containers (both full and empty) as well as other cargo from/to a vessel during port stay. Normally quantified with a move-count and a number of moves perhour.

The action of allowing cargo to leave the container yard typically authorized by the carrier. This is often confused with gate-out, but cargo release is the authorization necessary before shipments can be allowed to gate-out.

The act of documenting details on the cargo on behalf of the carrier, customer or authorities. This could be the measurement of an out of gauge shipment, packing of dangerous goods or any element which requires specific documentation of the physical condition of the cargo.

Carrier means any person, organization or government undertaking the transport of goods by any means of transport.

A unique number assigned to a scheduled transportation movement which allocates assets, space needed and a transport plan.

Additional clauses for a specific shipment added by the carrier to the bill of lading or sea waybill, subject to local rules / guidelines or certain mandatory information required to be shared with the customer.

The inland transport service, which is performed by or on behalf of the ocean carrier under the contract of carriage terms and conditions (TBL: 'through bill of lading').

Explanation of the reason behind the schedule change. The change remark should only be communicated when sending a new version of a schedule and not for the first publication, based on the SMDG Delay Reason Code List.

The amount to be paid upon cargo is released.

When you combine two or more sets of bills of lading into a single bill of lading. The condition to create a combine B/L is that all original B/L sets must be surrendered. Also called “Merge B/L”.

Same as multimodal B/L.

Encompass various types of schedules and information that carriers could provide to Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCO), Logistics Service Providers (LSP), and Solution Platforms for commercial purposes. DCSA defines standards for three types of commercial schedules: point-to-point routings, port schedules, and vessel schedules. Note: Refer to Commercial Schedules standards for further detail

Description of the cargo loaded into a container. Often described using the Harmonized System-classification system.

The party to whom a cargo is consigned under a contract of carriage or a transport document or electronic transport record. It can be the end receiver.

Same as combine B/L.

A facility where LCL (Less Than Container Load) shipments are consolidated or deconsolidated and where cargo is stuffed into containers prior to shipment or stripped from containers prior to release to consignee.

The classification system used by Carriers internally to define the general appearance and condition of equipment. Generally used as an indication of the type of cargo the equipment is suited for, such as general cargo, food, pharmaceuticals, scrap metal and others.

A unique identifier of the container used to carry the cargo. The length/type of the sequence can be different for shipper's owned containers. Container number includes a unique serial number (with check digit), the owner, a country code, a size, type and equipment category as well as any operational marks. The standard is managed by the Bureau of International Containers (BIC).

A certificate that documents that the cargo has been stored and stowed in a manner which is compliant with existing standards and rules. This could also contain a verification of weight and measurements of the given cargo. This is issued as a result of a cargo survey.

The weight of an empty container.

A specification of the type of container/equipment e.g. dry, reefer, open-top etc. based on ISO code 6346.

An area where containers are stored on the terminal or dry port (rail ramp), typically awaiting loading on a means of transport or after being unloaded from a means of transport (i.e. vessel, truck, etc.).

The entity who purchases goods or services from the carrier.

The premises of the customer. This can be the premises of either the shipper or the consignee.

Official paperwork used for customs clearance in relation to the end-to-end transportation.

Document that lists in detail all the bills of lading issued by a carrier, its agent or master for a specific voyage and port call. It is a detailed summary of the total cargo of a vessel and is used principally for customs purposes.

A cut-off time indicates the latest date and time by which a task must be completed. For example, the latest test date and time by which a container must be delivered to a terminal to be loaded on a vessel, or where certain documentation must be provided by the Shipper. 

An indicator that a document or request issued to a third party has been registered by the third party and that an affirmative message has been sent by the third party (the confirming party).

Activity identifier that is used to denote the status of a shipment and/ or container regarding inspection by the respective customs authorities. It can have a status of "On Hold" or "Released"

A status indicator that can be used with a number of activity identifiers to denote that a certain activity, service, or document has been completed.

A person/organization who is appointed to act on behalf of carrier to parties in port

An event type that indicates that Customs has released the equipment for either export from or import into the country.

The percentage of the controlled atmosphere CO2 target value.

Dangerous goods mean the substances, materials and articles covered by the IMDG Code.

A certificate that documents that the underlaying cargo has been stored and stowed in a manner which is compliant with existing standards and rules. This could also contain a verification of weight and measurements of the given cargo. This is issued as a result of a cargo survey.

Document issued by a shipper (consignor) in accordance with applicable conventions or regulations, describing hazardous goods or materials for transport purposes, and stating that the latter have been packed and labelled in accordance with the provisions of the relevant conventions or regulations.

Date when the Original bill of lading has been issued.

Filled out when the shipper declares the value of the cargo in order to avoid the carrier's limitation of liability and "Ad Valorem" freight is paid, i.e. freight which is calculated on the basis of the value of the goods declared by the shipper.

The action of delivering a container to a customer location. The delivery is completed once the possession of the container is legally transferred to the customer from the haulier.

Departure is the event which occurs when a mode of transport leaves a place of operations. Depending on the mode of transport departure will have different definitions: 1.) Vessel: Departure has been completed once the last mooring has been released. 2.) Rail: Departure has been completed once the rail transport is no longer stationary in front of the platform or rail head. 3.) Truck: Departure has been completed once the truck is no longer stationary in front of the loading dock or loading facility.

A designated area where empty equipment is stored between use.

Also named “cargo description; The cargo description includes details which accurately and properly describe the cargo being shipped in the container(s) as provided by the shipper.

The action of lifting cargo or containers off a mode of transport. Discharge is the opposite of load.

The list of containers that should be unloaded during a port call. This list is provided by a carrier to a terminal. The terminal is consolidating the Discharge Instructions from all container operators that have slots on the vessel.

An Event Type that identifies a plan or request has been made to deliver a container or shipment to a Customer Location. This Event Type may be accompanied by an Estimated, Planned or Actual time to indicate when the delivery to Customer Location is estimated or planned to take place, or has already taken place.

The vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull (keel) of a ship. The depth to which a ship is immersed in water.

An event type that identifies an alert to signal unplanned opening of container doors. This can also refer to Break In or Theft event.

A booking received via electronic data interchange, meaning that the booking data flows automatically into the carriers booking system.

An eBL is an electronic record which replicates the three traditional functions of a B/L issued on paper: it is a receipt for the goods; it is one of the evidences of the contract of carriage and can be a negotiable document of title. An eBL wears the same legal status, terms & conditions and functionalities as a paper-based B/L and generates the same rights.

Containers are considered empty once all cargo have been removed and cleaning has been performed according to carrier standards, this includes the period before stuffing occurs. (synonym: Empties)

An endorsement is a signature / stamp at the back of the B/L; it is used to transfer the title of the goods from: - Shipper to consignee or; - Consignee to a new consignee By stamping, signing and dating the original bill of lading and handing it over physically or digitally. This can only be done by the current title holder. It is a legal signature transferring the rights from the holder to another party.

The chain of title transfers (endorsements) for the goods to be released against the endorsed bill of lading. The chain must be unbroken, this means that the title can only be reassigned by the party shown on the bill as having title at the time. Any failure to respect this condition breaks what is known as the chain of title; all purported assignments of title after such a break are invalid.

Used for storing cargo in/on during transport. The equipment “size/type" is defined by the ISO 6346 code. The most common equipment size/type is 20'/40'/45' Dry Freight Container, but several different versions exist.

Confirmation & receipt of the equipment loaded/discharged on a vessel during a port call. This information is recorded by the terminal operator and send to the carrier. This is often done using the EDI message - COARRI. The COARRI message reports that the equipment specified have been discharged from a seagoing vessel (discharged as ordered, over landed or short landed), or have been loaded into a seagoing vessel.

Pick-up-to-Return covers all activities and documentation processes directly related to containers and/or physical container movements. 1.) Equipment driven processes 2.) Carrier driven processes

Identification number provided by shipper.

Same as Sea Waybill.

A message that is sent by the carrier (or its agent) from the origin to the destination office for the shipment release to a named consignee without the need to show the original B/L. This is done based on instruction of the shipper who must surrender the original bills of lading first. Same as Telex release.

A carrier's forecasted completion time of an Event that is covered by a confirmed booking but has not yet been completed. The estimated event is a dynamic value, which can change based on the running forecast of the completion time.

The facility is a location entity at sub-level to UN Location Code and provides the locational context to the event, which is being reported on. For instance, an inland depot or a terminal.

The Facility Type entity provides the functional context to the event, which is being reported on. The facility types are defined as unique types of areas, where equipment can be located for a specified period.

An entity operating a feeder service - ref. Feeder vessel.

Small vessel which connects the main ports (hubs) with small ocean or inland ports. A feeder vessel usually operates in a small, defined regional area.

Financial check performed by carrier to ensure outstanding balance has been paid.

A forwarding agent is a company that acts as an agent for other companies, and is involved in the collection, shipment, and delivery of goods.

A part of the territory of a state (a seaport or an inland place) where any goods introduced are generally regarded, in so far as import duties and taxes are concerned, as being exempted (Kyoto Convention). Duties are imposed on the merchandise (or items manufactured from the merchandise) only if and when the goods pass from the zone into an area of the country subject to the Customs Authority.

The party responsible for settling payment of freight to the carrier.

The location where payment will take place by the customer. Usually refers to Basic Ocean Freight alone.

Containers are considered full once the stuffing is complete regardless of, whether the containers have room for additional cargo. This means the container is considered full even if it is only stuffed with less than full load or partial loads. The event is completed once a valid seal has been applied to the container doors.

The depth to which a ship is immersed in water with a density of 1000 kg.m3.

The action, when a container is introduced into a controlled area like a port - or inland terminal. Gate in has been completed once the operator of the area is legally in possession of the container.

The action in which a container is removed from a controlled area like a port, inland terminal or depot. Gate-out has been completed once the possession of the container has been transferred from the operator of the controlled area to the entity that is picking-up the container.

Specifications for a haulier set by a carrier regarding a specific work order, e.g. timeline, capabilities.

The joint term for merchant and carrier haulage. It should be noted that a shipment can have several types of haulage throughout the transport from origin to destination.

A firm or a person engaged in road transport.

A hitchment bill of lading (B/L) is used when two or more portions of one shipment originate at different locations and move under one B/L from one or more shippers to one consignee.

A House Bill of Lading (HBL) is a document created by Ocean Transport Intermediary (OTI) such as a freight forwarder or non-vessel operating company (NVOCC). The document is an acknowledgment of the receipt of goods that are to be shipped. It is issued to the supplier/shipper once the cargo has been received.

The Harmonized System is an international nomenclature for the classification of products. It allows participating countries to classify traded goods on a common basis for customs purposes. At the international level, the Harmonized System (HS) for classifying goods is a six-digit code system.

The percentage of the controlled atmosphere humidity target value.

Cargo, which has been loaded into special equipment, but does not exceed the dimensions of a standard 20', 40', or high cube container.

An additional port call made on a specific voyage that was not originally included in the Long-Term Schedule. (Synonym: ad hoc call)

A facility where containers are loaded, moved or discharged. The inland terminal can be serviced by trucks, rail and barges (at river terminals).

Internal work document/file facilitating the collection of necessary data prior to issuing the carrier haulage work order.

IoT has been defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a global infrastructure for the information society, enabling advanced services by interconnecting (physical and virtual) things based on existing and evolving interoperable information and communication technologies. In the context of carriers and the container shipping industry, IoT refers to the concept of connecting sensors and other electronic devices mounted on the shipping containers to the internet and / or local systems. This is done in order to send and receive data to and from the devices for different supply chain purposes and applications.

An IoT device installed on the container. It has the purpose of establishing communication between the container, internet, gateways, other IoT devices and/or sensors placed in the perimeter or inside of the container. Its main function is to act as an interface between multiple sensors/other IoT devices on the container and the network or IoT gateway. Should not be confused with IoT devices placed on specific container cargo/ packages/ load.

Physical devices that act as a connectivity intermediary between multiple IoT container solution devices, IoT internet platforms and / or local systems.

IoT Gateway or group of IoT Gateways that are deployed on a specific area to enable connectivity capabilities and coverage for IoT endpoints such as IoT container devices, IoT internet platforms and/or local systems.

Device, module, machine or subsystem whose purpose is to detect events or changes in container environment and relay that information to other electronic devices, such as the IoT Container Device or IoT Gateway.

A document is issued once it has been released or made available to the receiving party by the issuing party.

An indicator that the Seal on the equipment has been inspected.

A Document type issued by Carrier reflecting charges incurred for a shipment.

A flag to indicate if a Reefer container will be treated as a Non-Operating Reefer (NOR) container. Conditional, depending on the ISO Equipment Code showing a Reefer type. A NOR container is a refrigerated shipping container, with a disabled refrigeration unit. Instead of loading these reefers with temperature sensitive cargo, they are loaded with cargo that would typically be used for a general purpose container.

If true the ventilation orifice is Open - if false the ventilation orifice is Closed.

If true the drain holes are Open - if false the drain holes are Closed.

Indicator of whether special container settings for handling flower bulbs must be active.

Indicator of whether cargo requires Cold Treatment.

Indicator of whether cargo requires Controlled Atmosphere.

Indicator of whether the Reefer container should have a genset attached at time of release from depot​.

Indicator of whether the Reefer container should be precooled to the temperature setting required at time of release from depot​.

When a shipper submits documentation after a defined deadline set by the carrier.

The Legal Entity Identifier is a 20-character, alpha-numeric code based on ISO standard 17442. LEIs are identification codes that enable identification of legal entities that are parties to financial transactions, including non-financial institutions. The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is designed to create a global reference data system that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure, in any jurisdiction and links back to a data set of information about the transacting entity such as name, address and company registration number.

The action of lifting cargo or a container on board of the mode of transportation. Load is complete once the cargo or container has been lifted on board the mode of transport and secured. (synonym: Load of Container)

The confirmation sent to the customer, shipper or consignee, that the equipment has been loaded/discharged. This message is based on the "equipment discharge/load report".

List of containers sent by the carrier or its agent to the terminal to instruct which containers must be loaded on a specific vessel/voyage. Each vessel can have several load lists in case of vessel sharing agreements.

An updated schedule, based on the final Proforma Schedule, including specific vessel & voyage numbers, is to be published at least 12 weeks ahead of the commencement of the individual voyage. It incorporates planned arrival and departures, dry-dockings, vessel lay-bys, phase-in/out of a vessel, etc.

An indicator that stuffing of container is complete, and a valid seal has been applied to the container doors. Containers are considered Laden regardless of whether the equipment has room for additional cargo. This means the container is considered Laden even if it is only stuffed with partial load.

A person/organization who is appointed to perform lashing/unlashing services before and after cargo operations

The manifest corrector is used to make changes to a manifest after the manifest in question has been submitted to the relevant authorities.

The identifying details on a package or the actual markings that appear on the package(s). This information is provided by the customer.

A Master Bill of Lading (MBL) is a document created by the Carrier. It is issued as an original bill of lading and summarizes the content of a shipment including the bill of lading numbers, the lot numbers assigned to the various items within the shipment, as well as a description of the freight stored within each container of each bill of lading. The document also includes the terms for transporting the freight and the name and address of the consignor, or the shipper, and the consignee, the person who possess the goods.

A long-term view of the agreed proforma schedule including proforma dates of call, cycle and agreed vessel sequence. The master schedule is fixed at a certain date and is to be used as a reference.

Volume which is calculated by multiplying the width, height and length of the packed cargo. Can be in either cubic meter or cubic feet, as provided by the shipper.

Same as Combine B/L.

The transfer of information from one stakeholder to another and/or between software systems. In the Industry Blueprint the focus is on information flow to parties outside of the carrier organization (e.g. carrier to customers, etc.).

A significant occurrence or change of status affecting the process flow of physical or immaterial equipment or documents.

The code specifying the transport mode for the logistic transport movement i.e. rail, sea, road, air.

A B/L issued when a carrier uses two or multiple modes of transport (aircraft, railcars, ships, trucks, etc.) from origin (place of receipt) to destination (place of delivery). A Multimodal B/L implies that a portion of the inland transport is done by the Carrier.

The activity of securing a vessel, craft or boat, or other floating objects by ropes and/or chains to the shore, or to anchors. This service is usually provided by linesmen.

A person/organization who is appointed to assist vessels to berth to a quay

Refers to the network of vessels deployed globally.

The person or company to be advised by the carrier upon arrival of the goods at the destination port.

Number of original B/L copies which have been issued to the customer.

The process of getting confirmation from the harbormaster or relevant authorities to proceed from Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) to Berth including the arrangement of necessary navigational support services for Pilotage, Towage, Mooring and Unmooring.

A container yard (CY) that is situated outside of the port premises.

Date when the last container that is linked to the bill of lading, is physically on board of the vessel indicated on the bill of lading.

The location where the cargo is transported from port of discharge to consignee location on consignee's responsibility (merchant haulage).

An alternative way to capture the facility, when no standardised DCSA facility code can be found.

Cargo, which has been loaded into special equipment that exceed the dimensions of a standard 20', 40', or high cube container. E.g. Out-of-gauge cargo is over length, over width, over height, or combinations thereof.

A status indicator that can be used with a number of activity identifiers to denote that a container or shipment has been placed on hold i.e. can not progress in the process.

A person/organization who is appointed to provide a service to a vessel such as but not limited to lube oil, potable water, provisions, stores, repairs, vetting, flag survey, periodic maintenance, etc.

The percentage of the controlled atmosphere O2 target value.

Part Bills of Lading are multiple sets of Bills of Lading issued for the same container in order to accommodate the request of the client for purposes of documentation, trade or delivery.

Every entity delivering transportation services within an agreement, e.g. VSA, 3PL.

An identifier for when a container has more than one bill of lading and shipment terms are FCL/FCL. Used to identify that all sets of original documents must be surrendered prior to the release of container at destination.

The area where the pilot comes on board of the vessel.

The location where the cargo is handed over to the consignee, or his agent, by the shipping line and where responsibility of the shipping line ceases.

Location where the original Bill of Lading has been issued.

The location where the cargo is handed over by the shipper, or his agent, to the shipping line. This indicates the point at which the shipping line takes on responsibility for carriage of the container.

When a port call is reduced in time and move counts due to foreseen delay/congestion.

The planned time is the point in time, where completion is planned to be completed in accordance with the original route – or transportation plan. The time of the planned event will not change after the confirmation has been sent to the customer regardless of operational execution. The transportation plan is generated when the carrier sends the booking confirmation to the customer and will not change afterwards unless a revised plan is agreed by stakeholders.

The location where the goods shipped are manufactured and/or produced.

A facility with piers or docks. Ports are accessed by vessels and barges and represent the destinations of a voyage. Ports can contain one or more terminals.

A intermediate stop of a vessel in the rotation of ports on the voyage for i.e. cargo operation, repairs or taking on supplies or fuel. A vessel may have several terminal calls during a single port call.

Estimated, requested, planned, actual port call events define the different time elements in the planning cycle of a port call event. For example: - Estimated: A carrier provides the terminal operator with an estimate of when their vessel will arrive at berth. - Requested: The terminal operator requests a carrier to change its Time of Arrival due to a delay at berth of a previous vessel. - Planned: The carrier confirms the Requested Time of Arrival at berth from the terminal. Hence, the carrier estimated port call becomes the planned port call event (confirmed estimate). - Actual: The vessel of the carrier arrives at Berth.

Occurs when the vessel port call rotation is changed after publication of the long-term schedule.

A UN Location code indicating a specific port.

The location where the cargo is discharged from the last sea-going vessel.

The location where the cargo is loaded onto a first sea-going vessel for water transportation.

When a ship does not call a port included in the Long-Term schedule that was planned at the start of the voyage.

A facility located adjacent to a waterway, where containers will be loaded, moved or discharged onto/from sea-going vessels and barges.

Place and mode of transportation for pre-carriage (e.g. truck, barge, rail) under shipper's responsibility

The amount to be paid prior to shipment being effected.

Indicates whether freight & charges are due for payment before the shipment is effected, practically before the transport document is released to shipper (prepaid) or before the shipment is finalised meaning cargo released to consignee (Collect).

The Proforma consists of the final port rotation with the Planned time of arrival and departure for each port call. Partners agree/define the first load port of a region/voyage.

An Event Type that identifies a plan or request has been made to collect a container or shipment at a Customer Location. This Event Type may be accompanied by an Estimated, Planned or Actual time to indicate when the moment when the collection from Customer Location is estimated or planned to take place, or has already taken place.

An indicator that a document issued to a third party is awaiting the approval from the approving party. This status remains constant until the Event Type becomes “Approved” or “Rejected”.

The activity of conducting a vessel within restricted waters.

An indicator that shows a vessel’s status within the four main phases of a port call. This term is accompanied by one of the following descriptors: Inbound: Indicates that the vessel is currently in the inbound phase which covers the vessel's physical movement from approach to (anchor) berth. Outbound: Indicates that the vessel is currently in the outbound phase which covers the vessel’s physical movement from (anchor) berth to its next destination. Shifting: Indicates that the vessel is currently in the shifting phase which covers the vessel’s physical movement from (anchor) berth to (anchor) berth. Alongside: Indicates that the vessel is currently in the alongside phase which covers the vessel's time while at berth from first-line secured till the last line released. All timestamps of JIT 1.1 use this indicator to identify the port call phase at which each timestamp occurs.

The time at which the pilot boards the vessel, either for arrival or departure. Equivalent to ATS pilotage.

A state commission empowered to manage one or several (port) facilities or any other process.

A person/organization who boards the vessel to advise/coordinate the safe entry into/out a port or specific passage

Date taken in consideration for the tariff applicability, that differs depending on the trade. It can vary per carrier and per region.

Rail transport designed for the movement of goods or people. In the context of the event naming structure this is limited to rail transport designed for containerised cargo.

The event associated with receiving a document or a set of information constituting a document type. A document is received on it is registered by the receiving party.

Date when the carrier has taken possession of the last container linked to the B/L, in case of carrier haulage, at place of receipt and in case of merchant haulage, when the container is physically in the terminal.

A container designed and equipped for the transportation of food products under cold storage.

The setting requested by the customer at time of booking request for the carrier to operationally set when releasing containers. May be expressed as a range min/max and a date range.

The setting requested by the customer at time of booking request for the carrier to operationally set when releasing containers. May be expressed as a range min/max and a date range.

Upon customer's request or because cargo is refused at destination, container must be returned to port of loading or another import location.

The updated schedule, based on the Long-Term schedule (LTS), that will be issued prior to arrival at the first port of call in another region. Estimated port/terminal issues and any intended corrective actions to bring the schedule back to Long Term Schedule i.e. port omissions, speeding up etc. An updated schedule will normally be published if a vessel deviates more than 12 hours from LTS or from the latest published RS/CS. RS/CS can be published daily/weekly.

Reference number contained in the Cargo Release. It is provided by the carrier to the terminal and to the cargo receiver, and it must be presented upon pick up at the terminal.

Re-stowed container means that, at some point along the route, it will be moved from a previous stowage location on board the vessel to another stowage location on board the same vessel. This can be done in one crane move (ship to ship shifting), but more frequently done via shore/the pier (ship to pier shifting).

When an import customer wants to reuse the import container for a new export.

The number of additional pages required to contain the goods description on a transport document.

When an ocean freight cargo is said to have been ‘rolled’, it means it has not been loaded onto the vessel it was meant to be shipped on but rolled to a subsequent vessel.

An inland container terminal location (storing both full and empty containers) that is connected directly to a rail ramp where containers are loaded/discharged to/from a train. In cases where the inland container terminal does not have a rail-ramp, the alternative location term "Inland Terminal" should be used.

An indicator that the equipment has been re-sealed after inspection.

An indicator that a Seal has been removed from the equipment for inspection.

An indicator that a document, request or other information type sent or submitted to a carrier has been rejected/not admitted by the carrier. This is often due to commercial limitations, or because the document or request contained missing or incorrect information.

A status indicator that can be used with a number of identifiers to denote that a certain activity, service, or document has been requested by the carrier, customer, or authorities. This status remains constant until the requested activity is “Completed”.

A status indicator that can be used with a number of activity identifiers to denote that a container or shipment has been released i.e. allowed to move from depot or terminal (by authorities or service provider).

A separate specific transport document type which is non-negotiable, does not transfer title, but which evidences the contract of carriage and receipt of the goods. It must be issued to a named consignee and can be both in a physical or digital format. Goods can be released at destination without presenting the original sea waybill as proof of ownership.

A single-use instrument used for securing container or freight car or truck doors. Seals have a unique number for record purposes.

An identification number of a seal affixed to the container.

Indicates who has affixed the seal on the container. Example values are: CAR (Carrier), SHI (Shipper), VET (Veterinary), CUS (Customs).

The roundtrip sequence of ports being served by a vessel on a specific Proforma (schedule). Synonyms are Rotation, Loop or String. A Service is defined by: Rotation, Transit times, Weekdays of departure per port, Frequencies.

Reference number for agreement between shipper and carrier through which the shipper commits to provide a certain minimum quantity of cargo over a fixed period and the carrier commits to a certain rate or rate schedule.

Indicates the type of service offered at the place of receipt or place of delivery. The options are: 1.) CY or container yard (incl rail ramp) where the carrier takes ownership of a fully stuffed container provided by the customer at the carrier/carrier's appointed supplier's facility (usually called terminal or depots) 2.) SD or store door, indicating that the carrier is taking ownership of a fully stuffed container at the customer's appointed premises. 3.) CFS or container freight station, indicating that the carrier has received the cargo and is responsible for stuffing of the cargo within the container.

A shipment is an identifiable collection of one or more Trade Items/Cargo Items (available to be) transported together from the Seller (Original Consignor/Shipper) to the Buyers (Final/Ultimate Consignee). 1.) A Shipment can be made up of some or all Trade Items/ Cargo Items from one or more Sales Orders; 2.) A shipment may form a part or all a Consignment or may be transported in different Consignments. 3.) It constitutes confirmation of a booking request from a customer.

Booking-to-Payment covers all activities and documentation processes related to a customer’s order: 1.) Customer driven processes (and/or triggered by the customer) 2.) Process executed in relation to an agreement made, between the customer and the carrier, which is later invoiced and settled

The document sent to the consignee informing, that the shipment can now be released from its current location and transferred to the consignee on gate-out.

1.) FCL stands for "Full Container Load" and means that it’s the Shipper /Consignee or its agent or subcontractor who is responsible for stuffing/stripping the cargo into/out of the container and who bears every responsibility /liability in such respect. 2.) LCL stands for "Less than Container Load" and means that it is Carrier or its Agent or subcontractor who is responsible for stuffing/stripping the cargo into/out of the container and who bears every responsibility /liability in such respect. 3.) BB stands for “Break Bulk” - indicating that the carrier has received the cargo which is not containerized.

Shipper means any person or legal entity by whom or in whose name, or on whose behalf, a contract of carriage of goods by sea has been concluded with a carrier, or any person by whom or in whose name, or on whose behalf, the goods are actually delivered to the carrier in relation to the contract of carriage by sea.

An enrichment to the original booking shared by the shipper to the carrier. The shipping instruction includes volume/weight, shipping dates, origin, destination and other special instructions. The information given by the shipper through the shipping instructions is the information which is required to create the Bill of Lading.

A short shipment is a situation when a container that should have been loaded on the vessel according to the Load List and the manifest was not loaded but was left behind.

An agreement between 2 carriers to sell or exchange a specific number of TEU slots in one or more trades.

Joint term for cargo, which is not transported in a regular dry container or is considered dangerous goods. This also includes but is not limited to out of gauge cargo.

All container types other than regular Dry or Reefer containers. Examples of these can be flat racks (open containers for oversized, irregular and/or heavy cargo), Open tops (fitted with a solid removable roof), etc.

Split bills of lading are two or more new bill of lading sets issued for part of the cargo originally shipped under a single bill of lading. Conditional on creating a split B/L is that the original bill of lading must be surrendered.

The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a unique code used to identify vessel operating common carriers (VOCC).

The vessel operator's instructions to the terminal on the placement of containers on the vessel to prevent damage or loss, or to ensure safety / compliance.

Method of matching space to containers on board of a vessel in the order to optimize discharge of load at the respective boards. Stowage plan is also called BAPLIE.

A non-negotiable bill of lading, with a named consignee, to whom the goods are to be consigned. A straight B/L is a title to the goods. Goods cannot be released at destination without presenting the original document and the named consignee identifying itself.

The act of unloading cargo from containers or equipment.

The location where the process of unloading the cargo of a container takes place.

The process of loading the cargo in a container or in/onto another piece of equipment.

A document is submitted once the document is sent from the submitting party to the receiving party.

A transportation document is surrendered once the possession/ownership of the document has been transferred from the customer to the carrier (normally in return for cargo release).

A switch Bill of Lading refers to a new set of Bill of Lading issued by the carrier (or its agent) for which the first set of original bills of lading must be surrendered. It covers the same cargo, vessel, routing and shipped on board date, only shipper and consignee change.

A person/organization who is appointed to provides sludge removal services to a vessel

The activity of providing land based source of power to a vessel

An event type that identifies that Customs has selected the equipment for scanning.

An event type that identifies that that Customs has selected the equipment for inspection.

A retail store or another location specified by the customer where containers are received for shipment or delivered.

A facility for loading, moving or discharging containers. Terminals can be both inland terminals for trucks and rail or port terminals are accessed by vessels and these can contain multiple berths.

Upon completion of operations on a vessel, a terminal departure report (TDR) is to be sent to the respective shipping lines. This report, prepared from timesheets, includes container vessel operation data and tabulation of productivity. This can be in the form of the EDI-message TPFREP.

Each terminal has a set number of moves, which can be performed on a vessel during a port call. One move is usually defined as the movement (loading or unloading) of one container.

Carrier general terms and conditions printed on page 1 of the transport document.

Includes Cargo Gross Weight plus Container Tare Weight. It is populated based on data in the fields cargo gross weight and container tare weight.

In case of a CY receipt, this indicates the number of containers linked to a shipment. In case of a CFS receipt, this indicates the number of packages received by the customer.

Geographical denomination of a commercial or operational area served by a carrier (indicating e.g. Asia-Europe trade both east-bound and west-bound).

An East/West or North/South directional trade indicator identifying the geographic area being covered by a specific carrier or service. A Tradelane can have many services (E.g. Transpacific East-bound).

The transport instance used to convey goods or other objects from place to place during logistics cargo movements.

The document that governs the terms of carriage between shipper and carrier for maritime transportation. 2 distinct types of transport documents exist: 1.) Bill of Lading 2.) Sea Waybill

Issuing container shipping line (carrier).

Unique identifier of the transport document allocated by the shipping line. Under certain conditions provided by the customer in the Shipping Instruction. It is the main number used for tracking the status of the shipment.

Specification of the transport document type to be issued by the carrier. Options are either B/L or Sea Waybill.

Can be defined as two things: 1. A sea passage in the rotation of ports in a voyage. 2. A specific section of a complete transport of a shipment.

Plan for the end-to-end route of a shipment. This includes specification of all transport legs, timings, schedules and interdependencies between transport legs.

A terminal operation whereby containers or cargo are transferred from one vessel to another to reach their final destination, compared to a direct service from the load port of origin to the discharge port of destination.

Road going vehicle designed for the movement of goods or people. In the context of the event naming structure this is limited to trucks designed for containerised cargo and delimited from trucks and vans carrying parcels or other cargo.

The activity of one or more vessels (boats/tugs) assisting another vessel with manoeuvres within a port area. The service of tugs assisting a ship or other vessel in ports or other locations. The act of towing a ship or other objects from one place to another.

Any person/organization operating a commercial wharf located in the navigable water of the state and used, or intended to be used, as a port or facility for the storing, handling, transferring, or transporting of goods to and from vessels.

A person/organization who is appointed to provide tug services to assist a vessel with safe maneuvering within a port area

Target value of the temperature for the Reefer based on the cargo requirement. The temperature is specified in °C (Celsius) or in °F (Fahrenheit).

The unit of the temperature: CEL (Celsius) or FAH (Fahrenheit).

A digital record of the time of occurrence of a particular event.

The estimated total time in days that it takes a shipment to move from place of receipt to place of delivery. Transit time includes stop-over time during transshipments and waiting time at connection points, if applicable, thus can vary between the same locations. 

A location as defined by UNECE and commonly known as "UN/LOCODE" ("United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations"). The UN Location identifies a location in the sense of a city/a town/a village, being the smaller administrative area existing as defined by the competent national authority in each country.

The UN Location Code identifies a location in the sense of a city/a town/a village, being the smaller administrative area existing as defined by the competent national authority in each country. A complete UN Location Code is a combination of a 2-character country code and a 3-character city/town/area LOCODE, e.g. BEANR is known as the city of Antwerp (ANR), which is in Belgium (BE).

When a ship terminates its discharge/loading operations prematurely due to unforeseen events.

The activity of removing the ropes and/or chains that are securing a vessel, craft or boat, or other floating objects to the shore, or to anchors. This service is usually provided by linesmen.

A declaration informing the carrier of the weight of the container, verified by an authorized person from the shipper or on behalf of said shipper. This includes cargo weight, bracing, dunnage and container tare weight.

A final draft of the Bill of Lading that is sent to the shipper for approval before the B/L is issued.

A floating, sea going structure (mother vessels and feeder vessels) with either an internal or external mode of propulsion designed for the transport of cargo and/or passengers.

A unique alphanumeric identity that belongs to the vessel. Each Call Sign begins with the Call Sign alphanumeric prefix that indicates nationality, e.g. prefixes allocated to the United Kingdom are 2, G, M, VP-VQ, VS, ZB-ZJ, ZN-ZO and ZQ. The prefix is usually followed by 2 or 3 alphanumeric characters. Maximum length is 7 characters. For example, Cunard Lines Queen Mary 2 has the Call Sign W6RO.

The operational capacity of a vessel on a specific voyage. This capacity considers all limiting factors such as the physical capacity on-board, but it also allows for constraints in the terminals to load / discharge the vessel for the specific voyage

The time the operations on the vessel are delayed.

The national flag of the country under which a vessel is registered.

The time the vessel is alongside berth before or after cargo operations.

The unique reference for a registered Vessel. The reference is the International Maritime Organization (IMO) number, also sometimes known as the Lloyd's register code.

Departure-to-Arrival covers all activities and documentation processes related to one vessel AND one port call 1.) Activities required to execute a port call successfully 2.) Preparation of vessel arrival and follow-up post vessel departure The Vessel journey in the Industry Blueprint 3.0 will exclude: 1.) Ongoing activities carried out during sea passage 2.) Activities carried out by third parties incl. terminal operators and port authorities. 1.) Husbandry activities e.g. order tugs, pilots, linesmen. 4.) Vessel operations related to crewing, ongoing maintenance etc.

The name of the Vessel given by the Vessel Operator e.g. Emma Maersk.

The operator of the vessel. It is the party that: Reports the vessel to Port Authorities, conducts the stowage planning & aligns berthing with the terminal.

The order and sequence in which a vessel calls the ports on its route.

The timetable of departure and arrival times for each port call on the rotation of the vessel in question.

An agreement between two or more carriers agreeing to share vessel capacity in specific trades using a specified number of vessels.

The time a vessel waits before she arrives at her berth in the port.

A part of a service roundtrip that normally changes at the geographical “end-point” of a vessel rotation and as such that specific port call can have two voyages – One for the discharge of final shipments on the “current” voyage, and a new voyage number identifying the commencement of loading shipments (for allocation purposes). One rotation will normally have 2 voyages, one on each haul / direction.

A carrier specific voyage identifier.

Order for specific transportation work carried out by a third-party provider on behalf of the issuing party.

A waypoint is an intermediate point or place during transit of shipment