English Maritime Terminology on Ship and Cargo Handling

Terminology of Customs, Shipping, and Maritime Transport

Core Terms

• Shipment: The process of transporting goods from one location to another.
• Consignee: The recipient of a shipment.
• Consignor: The sender of a shipment.
• Carrier: The party responsible for transporting the shipment.
• Freight Forwarder: A company that arranges transportation of goods on behalf of shippers.
• Customs Broker: A licensed professional who handles customs clearance procedures.

Customs Terms

• Customs Clearance: The process of clearing goods through customs, involving the payment of duties and taxes and compliance with customs regulations.
• Customs Duty: A tax imposed on imported goods.
• Import Duty: A tax levied on goods imported into a country.
• Export Duty: A tax levied on goods exported from a country.
• Customs Brokerage Fee: A fee charged by a customs broker for their services.
• Harmonized System (HS) Code: A standardized system of names and numbers to classify traded products.
• Bill of Lading (B/L): A legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper, acknowledging receipt of cargo for shipment.
• Commercial Invoice: A document that details the goods being shipped, including quantity, value, and description.
• Packing List: A document that lists the contents of each package or container.
• Certificate of Origin: A document certifying the country of origin of goods.

Shipping Terms

• FCL (Full Container Load): A shipment that fills an entire shipping container.
• LCL (Less than Container Load): A shipment that occupies only part of a shipping container.
• FOB (Free on Board): The seller is responsible for delivering the goods to a specified port.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight): The seller is responsible for the cost of the goods, insurance, and freight to a named port of destination.
• CFR (Cost and Freight): The seller is responsible for the cost of the goods and freight to a named port of destination, but not for insurance.
• EXW (Ex Works): The buyer is responsible for all transportation costs from the seller's premises.
• DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid): The seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the named place of destination, but not for import clearance or duties.
• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): The seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the named place of destination, including import clearance and duties.

Transportation Terms

• Mode of Transport: The method used to transport goods, such as sea, air, rail, or road.
• Intermodal Transport: The seamless transportation of goods using multiple modes of transport.
• Logistics: The overall process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods and related information from point of origin to point of consumption.  
• Supply Chain: A network of organizations involved in the production and distribution of goods and services.
• Transit Time: The time taken for a shipment to reach its destination.