Shipping terms, in plain words.

20-foot Dry Van container

20DV · 20' DC · 20DC · 20' GP · 20GP

A 20' DV is the standard 20-foot closed steel container for general dry cargo. It is the smallest common ocean container.

20-foot Reefer container

20RF · 20' RE · 20' REF · 20' Reefer · 22R1

A 20' RF is a 20-foot refrigerated container. It has its own cooling unit and is used for heavy temperature-controlled cargo.

40-foot Dry Van container

40DV · 40' DC · 40DC · 40' GP · 40GP

A 40' DV is the standard 40-foot closed steel container for general dry cargo. It has about twice the space of a 20' container, but not twice the weight limit.

40-foot High Cube container

40HC · 40' HQ · 40HQ · High Cube · 40' High Cube

A 40' HC is a 40-foot container that is about 30 cm (one foot) taller than a standard 40'. It gives more space for light, bulky cargo.

40-foot High Cube Reefer container

40RH · 40' HR · 40RQ · 40' HC Reefer · 40' RF HC

A 40' RH is a 40-foot high cube refrigerated container. It is the most common reefer in use today.

45-foot High Cube container

45HC · 45' HQ · 45HQ · 45' High Cube · L5G1

A 45' HC is a high cube container that is 5 feet (about 1.5 m) longer than a 40' HC. It gives about 10 m³ more space.

A.TR Movement Certificate

A.TR is a movement certificate for trade between Turkey and the EU. It shows that the goods are in free circulation, so they can move without customs duty under the EU–Turkey customs union.

Actual Time of Arrival

ATA is the date and time when a ship, truck, or plane really arrived. It is a fact, not an estimate.

Admission Temporaire / Temporary Admission Carnet · ATA Carnet

An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that lets you take goods into another country for a short time without paying import duties and taxes, as long as you bring them back.

Actual Time of Departure

ATD is the date and time when a ship, truck, or plane really left. It is a fact, not an estimate.

Air Waybill

An air waybill (AWB) is the transport document for air freight. It is a receipt for the cargo and evidence of the contract with the airline. It is not a document of title.

Bill of Lading

A Bill of Lading (B/L) is the main document for sea freight. The carrier issues it when it takes the goods. It shows who can collect the goods at the destination.

Bunker Adjustment Factor

BAF is a surcharge on sea freight that covers changes in the price of ship fuel (called bunker).

A bonded warehouse is a warehouse under customs control. Imported goods can be stored there without paying import duties and taxes until they are released or sent abroad. In Turkey, it is called an “antrepo”.

A bulk carrier is a ship that carries unpacked dry cargo, such as grain, coal, ore, cement, or fertiliser, loose in its holds.

Currency Adjustment Factor

CAF is a surcharge on freight that protects the carrier against changes in exchange rates.

Car transporter · Car carrier · Auto carrier · Car hauler · Oto tasiyici

A car carrier (car transporter) is a truck and trailer with two decks and hydraulic ramps. It usually carries 7 to 10 passenger cars.

A certificate of origin is an official document that shows the country where the goods were made.

Cost and Freight

Under CFR (Incoterms® 2020), the seller pays the sea freight to the named port of destination. But the risk passes to the buyer earlier, when the goods are loaded on the ship at the port of shipment.

Chargeable weight is the weight the carrier uses to calculate the price. It is the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher.

Cost, Insurance and Freight

CIF (Incoterms® 2020) is like CFR, but the seller must also buy cargo insurance for the buyer. The risk still passes to the buyer when the goods are loaded on the ship at the port of shipment.

Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road · International road consignment note

A CMR is the standard transport document for international road freight. It shows that the carrier received the goods, and it travels with the truck.

A commercial invoice is the seller's bill to the buyer for the goods. Customs uses it to see what the goods are and how much they cost.

Chassis · Skeletal trailer · Container trailer · Sase · Container carrier

A container chassis is a semi-trailer frame built to carry shipping containers. Twist-locks at the corners hold the container in place; there is no floor or body of its own.

Container prefix · Owner code · BIC code · ISO 6346 · Check digit

Every container has a unique number under the ISO 6346 standard, such as CSQU 305438 3: a 4-letter prefix, a 6-digit serial number, and one check digit.

A container ship is a cargo ship built to carry standard containers, stacked in its holds and on its deck.

Container sizes · Container dimensions · Container specifications

A side-by-side comparison of the common shipping container types: sizes, weights, capacity, pallet places, and typical cargo.

CSC Safety Approval Plate (International Convention for Safe Containers) · CSC Safety Approval Plate

CSC plate · Safety Approval Plate · CSC Convention

The CSC plate is a metal plate on the container door that shows the container is approved as safe under the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC, 1972).

A customs broker is a licensed professional who prepares and submits customs declarations for importers and exporters, and deals with customs for them.

A cut-off is the last date and time to deliver cargo, documents, or information to the carrier for a planned departure.

Delivered at Place

Under DAP (Incoterms® 2020), the seller delivers the goods to a named place in the buyer's country, ready for unloading. The buyer unloads the goods, clears them for import, and pays the import duties and taxes.

Delivered Duty Paid

Under DDP (Incoterms® 2020), the seller does almost everything: it delivers the goods to the named place in the buyer's country, clears them for import, and pays the import duties and taxes.

Demurrage is a fee the shipping line charges when a full container stays at the port longer than the free time. The fee is charged per day.

Detention is a daily fee the shipping line charges when you keep its container outside the port or terminal longer than the free time.

DD · 20DD · 40DD · 20' DD · 40' DD

A double door container, also called a tunnel container, has full doors at both ends. You can load and unload from either end.

BU · 20BU · 20' Bulk · Bulk container · Bulker

A dry bulk container is a 20' container with loading hatches in the roof and a discharge hatch at the bottom of the door end. It carries free-flowing dry goods without bags.

Electronic Bill of Lading

An eBL is the digital version of a paper Bill of Lading. It does the same jobs, but it moves between companies electronically instead of by courier.

Electronic FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading · Electronic FIATA Bill of Lading

The eFBL is FIATA's digital version of the FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FBL). Forwarders issue it electronically instead of on paper.

Estimated Time of Arrival

ETA is the date and time when a ship, truck, or plane is expected to arrive. It is an estimate, so it can change.

Estimated Time of Berthing

ETB is the date and time when a ship is expected to come alongside the berth (the place in the port where it is loaded or unloaded).

Estimated Time of Departure

ETD is the date and time when a ship, truck, or plane is expected to leave. It is an estimate, so it can change.

EUR.1 Movement Certificate

EUR.1 is a certificate of preferential origin. It can lower or remove import duty when goods move between countries that have a free trade agreement.

Extendable · Telescopic trailer · Stretch trailer · Uzayabilir dorse · Kafi keshoyi

An extendable trailer is a flatbed or low-loader whose deck can slide out (telescope) to carry very long loads, then close again for the trip back.

Ex Works

Under EXW (Incoterms® 2020), the seller only makes the goods ready at its own premises. The buyer arranges and pays for everything after that, including loading and export clearance.

FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading · FIATA Bill of Lading

The FBL is a standard Bill of Lading created by FIATA, the international federation of freight forwarders. A freight forwarder issues it, and it can cover a journey with more than one mode of transport.

Free Carrier

Under FCA (Incoterms® 2020), the seller clears the goods for export and hands them over to the carrier chosen by the buyer, at a named place. From there, the buyer pays the transport and takes the risk.

Full Container Load

FCL means you book a whole container only for your cargo. Nobody else's goods are inside, even if your cargo does not fill it.

A feeder vessel is a small container ship that carries containers between a large hub port and smaller ports nearby.

FR · 20FR · 40FR · Flat · Collapsible flat rack

A flat rack is a container with a strong floor and two end walls, but no side walls and no roof. It carries large, heavy cargo that does not fit in a closed box.

Flatbed · Flat trailer · Platform trailer · Acik kasa · Kafi

A flatbed is an open semi-trailer with a flat deck and no roof or fixed sides. Cargo is loaded from any side or from above by crane.

Flexitank · Flexibag · Flexi bag · Flexi

A flexitank is not a container. It is a large, single-use plastic bag that is placed inside a standard 20' dry container to carry non-hazardous liquids in bulk.

Free On Board

Under FOB (Incoterms® 2020), the seller clears the goods for export and loads them on board the ship chosen by the buyer, at the named port of shipment. The risk passes to the buyer when the goods are on board.

Free time is the number of days you can use a container, or keep it at the port, without paying extra charges.

These terms show who pays the main freight and where. “Freight prepaid” means it is paid at origin, usually by the shipper. “Freight collect” means it is paid at destination, usually by the consignee.

HT · 20HT · 40HT · 20' HT · 40' HT

A hard top container has a removable steel roof. The roof can be lifted off so heavy cargo can be loaded from above by crane.

House B/L vs Master B/L · House Bill of Lading and Master Bill of Lading

A Master B/L (MBL) is issued by the shipping line to the freight forwarder. A House B/L (HBL) is issued by the forwarder to the real shipper of the goods.

Harmonized System Code

An HS code is a number that classifies a product for customs. It decides which duty rate and which rules apply to the goods.

IN · 20' IN · Thermal container · Porthole container · Conair

An insulated (thermal) container has insulated walls, roof, floor, and doors, but no cooling unit of its own. It slows down temperature changes inside.

ISO Tank · Tank container · TK · 20TK · 20' Tank

An ISO tank is a steel tank fixed inside a 20-foot container frame. It carries liquids, gases, and powders in bulk, and it moves by ship, truck, and train like a normal container.

Jumbo · Road train · Truck and trailer · Drawbar combination · Kamyon römork

A jumbo is a rigid truck with its own load body that pulls a drawbar trailer. Together they give about 15.4 m of loading length and around 115 m³ — the most volume on the road.

Landed cost is the total cost of getting a product to your door: the price of the goods plus freight, insurance, duties, taxes, and all other fees on the way.

Less than Container Load

LCL means your cargo shares a container with cargo from other shippers. You pay only for the space your goods use.

Lowbed · Low-loader · Lowboy · Semi-low-loader · Kamarshekan

A low-loader is a trailer with a very low deck, so tall and heavy machines can be carried without going over the height limit. Many have ramps so vehicles can drive on.

Mega · Mega trailer · Mega tenteli · Low-deck trailer · Volume trailer

A mega trailer is a tilt or curtainsider trailer with a low deck and small wheels, so it has about 3 m of inside height and about 100 m³ of space.

HMT · Hydraulic Modular Trailer · Modular trailer · Modular axle lines · Axle lines

A modular trailer is built from axle lines that are coupled end to end and side by side. Hydraulic suspension keeps the load level, and the capacity grows with every axle line — up to hundreds of tonnes.

Out of Gauge

Out of gauge · Over-height · Over-width · Over-length · Oversized cargo

OOG cargo is cargo that sticks out beyond the normal outside size of a container — too high, too wide, or too long. It usually travels on a flat rack, open top, or platform.

OS · 20OS · 20' OS · Side door · Side opening

An open side container has doors along one long side that open fully, as well as normal doors at one end. It can be loaded from the side by forklift.

OT · 20OT · 40OT · 20' OT · 40' OT

An open top container has no fixed roof. It is covered with a removable tarpaulin, so cargo can be loaded from above with a crane.

A packing list shows how the goods are packed: the number of packages, what is in each one, and their weights and sizes.

PW · PWC · 20' PW · 40' PW · 45' PW

A pallet-wide container is a little wider inside than a standard container, so two Euro pallets fit side by side lengthwise. This gives more pallet places.

PL · 20PL · 40PL · Platform · Bolster

A platform is a container base with no walls, no ends, and no roof — just a very strong floor with corner fittings. It carries very large, heavy pieces.

RF · RH · REF · RE · Reefer

A reefer is a refrigerated container. It has its own cooling unit and keeps the cargo at a set temperature during the journey.

Frigo · Reefer trailer · Refrigerated trailer · Frigorifik · Yakhchali

A reefer trailer is an insulated box trailer with its own cooling unit. It keeps chilled or frozen cargo at a set temperature for the whole road journey.

Rigid truck · Box truck · Lorry · Straight truck · Kamyon

A rigid truck has its cargo body fixed on the same chassis as the cab — there is no separate trailer. It is used for smaller loads and city or regional deliveries.

Roll-on/Roll-off · Roll-on/Roll-off ship

A Ro-Ro ship carries cargo on wheels. Trucks, trailers, cars, and machines drive on and off the ship over ramps, without cranes.

Truck types · Trailer types · Road freight vehicles

A side-by-side comparison of the trucks and trailers used in road freight: load space, payload, volume, pallet places, loading method, and typical cargo.

A sea waybill is a sea transport document that is not a document of title. The consignee named on it can collect the goods without presenting an original.

Shipper-Owned Container vs Carrier-Owned Container

SOC · COC · Shipper owned container · Carrier owned container

A COC is a container owned (or leased) by the shipping line. A SOC is a container that the shipper owns or leases itself and gives to the line to carry.

Self-Propelled Modular Transporter

SPMT · Self-Propelled Modular Transporter · Self-propelled trailer

An SPMT is a modular platform with its own engine and drive. It needs no tractor unit, is steered by remote control, and can move extremely heavy loads over short distances.

Storage is a fee for keeping cargo or a container at a port, terminal, airport, or warehouse. It is usually charged per day after a free period.

T1 Transit Declaration · T1 Transit Document

A T1 is a customs transit declaration. It lets goods travel through a customs territory under customs control, without paying import duties and taxes on the way.

Tanker · Tank trailer · Tank truck · ADR tanker · Silo trailer

A tanker is a truck or semi-trailer with a fixed tank for liquids, gases, or powders in bulk. It is filled and emptied through valves and hoses.

Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit

TEU is the standard unit for counting containers. One 20-foot container is 1 TEU, and one 40-foot container is 2 TEU.

Terminal Handling Charge

THC is a charge for handling a container at the port terminal, for example lifting it on or off the ship and moving it in the yard.

Tilt · Tilt trailer · Curtainsider · Curtain-sider · Tarpaulin trailer

The standard European semi-trailer: a 13.6 m loading area covered by a tarpaulin. It can be loaded from the rear, the sides, or the top.

Tipper · Dump truck · Dumper · Tipping trailer · Damperli

A tipper (dump truck or tipping trailer) has an open body that a hydraulic ram lifts to tip the cargo out at the rear. It carries loose bulk goods.

Transports Internationaux Routiers (International Road Transport) Carnet · TIR Carnet

A TIR Carnet is an international customs document that lets a sealed truck carry goods across several countries with customs checks mainly at the start and the end of the journey.

Transit time is how long the cargo is expected to travel from the start point to the end point. It is an estimate, not a fixed promise.

VH · VE · 20VH · 20' VH · Coffee container

A ventilated container is a dry container with small openings along the top and bottom rails. Air flows through it, which helps stop condensation (“container rain”) on organic cargo.

Verified Gross Mass

Verified Gross Mass · SOLAS VGM · Container weight declaration

VGM is the checked total weight of a packed container: cargo, packaging, dunnage, and the container itself. The shipper must give it to the line before the container can be loaded on a ship.