American Export & Import Standard

　

Term	Definition
A
Abandonment	The act of relinquishing claim or right to property
About	"About", "Approx.", and "Circa" are terms which when used in a letter of credit, are construed to allow a difference not to exceed 10% more or 10% less than the monetary amount, or the quantity, or the unit price stipulated in the letter of credit.
Absolute Advantage	An advantage of one nation or area over another in the costs of producing an item in terms of used resources.
Absorption	1. An economic term for the total expenditures by a nation's residents on goods and services. 2. The assumption by one carrier of the charges of another without any increase in the charges to the shipper.
Accelerated Tariff Elimination	The reduction of import duties faster than originally had been agreed upon or projected.
Acceptance	1. A draft calling for payment at a future date which the drawee has agreed to pay by signing "Accepted" on the draft. 2. An unconditional assent to an offer; or an assent to an offer conditioned on only minor changes that do not affect any material terms of the offer; 3. An agreement to purchase goods on specified terms. 4. Receipt of a shipment by a consignee thus terminating the liability of the carrier for delivery.
Acceptance Letter Of Credit	A letter of credit which instead of agreeing to pay the beneficiary immediately upon presentation of documents, requires presentation of a time draft drawn by the beneficiary upon the issuing bank or another bank. However, the beneficiary may, in effect, obtain prompt payment by discounting the draft.
Accepted Draft	A draft or a bill of exchange accepted by the drawee (acceptor) by putting his signature and "accepted' on its face. In doing so, he commits himself to pay the bill upon presentation at maturity.
Accepting Bank	A bank which by signing 'accepted' on a time draft accepts responsibility to pay when the draft becomes due.
Acceptor	The party that signs 'accepted' on a draft or obligation, agreeing to pay the stated sum at maturity.
Accession	Accession is a process by which a country becomes a member of an international agreement (usually an agreement that has already been accepted by other countries).
Accessorial Charges	In transportation, those charges made for additional, supplemental, or special services performed in addition to the basic transportation service.
Accessorial Services	`In transportation, services performed which are additional, supplemental, or special, in addition to the basic transportation service.
Accommodation	An arrangement or engagement made as a favor to another, not dependent upon a consideration received.
Accommodation Note Or Paper	A bill of exchange or banker's acceptance which is endorsed, accepted, or drawn by one party (the accommodating party) to benefit another party. The accommodating party generally does not charge or seek compensation for this act.
Accord And Satisfaction	A means of discharging a claim whereby the parties agree to give and accept something in settlement and perform the agreement, the agreement being the "accord" and its performance "the satisfaction."
Account Number	An identification number assigned in its records for purposes of faster and more accurate accounting and record keeping, by banks, institutions, and businesses of all kind to their depositors, users, members, subscribers, customers, vendors, or other entities.
Account Party	Same as Applicant, the party at whose request a bank issues a letter of credit.
Accounts Payable	A current liability representing the amounts owed to creditors for merchandise or services purchased on open account or short-term credit.
Accounts Receivable	The amount of money a business expects to receive for merchandise or services furnished by it to others on open account.
Accrual Of Obligation	The maturing of an obligation to the date when the obligated party must perform. (Such as a time draft which must be paid by the drawee on the date stated.)
Acquisition	The act of becoming owner of a property. In finance, it is the purchase of a company's assets or its common stock.
Act Of God	A violent act of nature such as lightning, flood, earthquake or hurricane which man can neither cause nor intervene with.
Action Ex Contractu	1. A legal action for breach of a promise stated in an express or implied contract. 2. An action arising out of a contract.
Action Ex Delicto	1. A legal action for a breach of a duty that is not stated in a contract but arises from the contract. 2. A legal action that arises from a wrongful act, such as fraud, fault, misconduct or malfeasance.
Ad Valorem Duty	Duty calculated on the basis of value (usually a percentage of the value.)
Address Of Record	The official or primary location for an individual, company, or other organization.
Adhesion Contract	A contract with standard, often printed, terms for sale of goods and services, offered to consumers who usually cannot negotiate any changes in the terms and cannot acquire the product unless they agree to them.
Adjustment Assistance	Financial, training and re-employment technical assistance to workers, and technical assistance to firms and industries, to help them cope with adjustment difficulties arising from increased import competition.
Admiralty	Any civil or criminal matter having to do with maritime legal issues.
Admiralty Court	A court of law that has jurisdiction over maritime legal issues.
Advance Against Collection	A short term loan or credit extended to a seller (usually the exporter) by the seller's bank once a draft has been accepted by the buyer (generally the importer).
Advance Arrangements	In transportation, advance arrangements must be made for certain kinds of cargo which require special handling: hazardous cargo, over weight, over sized, over normal quantity, time sensitive, shipped unpacked, live animals etc. Not every carrier can or will transport every kind of cargo.
Advanced Technology Products (ATP)	Products whose technology is from a recognized high technology field, represent leading edge technology in that field, and constitute a significant part of all items covered in the selected classification code.
Advice	1. A report from one party to another informing them of an occurrence with regard to some business transaction: a shipment, a collection, a manufacture etc.etc. 2. A notification by an advising bank on behalf of the issuing bank to a beneficiary informing them of the terms of a letter of credit,
Advised Credit	A letter of credit whose terms and conditions have been notified to the beneficiary by an advising bank on behalf of the issuing bank. The advising bank does not thereby commit itself to pay or guarantee the payment of the letter of credit.
Advising Bank	An 'advising bank' is a correspondent of a bank which issues a letter of credit, and, on behalf of the issuing bank, the advising bank notifies the beneficiary of the terms of the credit, without engagement on its part to pay or guarantee the credit.
Advisory Committee On Export Policy	A U.S. government interagency dispute resolution body that operates at the Assistant Secretary level.
Advisory Committee On Trade Policy And Negotiation	A U.S. government group appointed by the President to provide advice on matters of trade policy and related issues, including trade agreements.
Affiliate	A condition of being united, allied, associated, or attached. An affiliate company is one effectively controlled by another.
Affreightment Contract	A contract with a ship owner to hire all or part of a ship for transporting goods - may involve a charter.
Afloat	Refers to a shipment of cargo which is currently on board a vessel between ports
Aft	At or towards the stern of the ship or the tail of the aircraft.
After Date	A notation used on financial instruments (such as drafts or bills of exchange) to fix the maturity date as a fixed number of days past the date of drawing of the draft.
After Sight	A notation on a draft that indicates that payment is due a stated number of days after the draft has been presented to the drawee.
Agent	A person or legal entity authorized to act on behalf of another.
Agent Bank	1. A bank acting on behalf of another bank. 2. A bank acting for lenders and bondholders, similar to an indenture trustee.
Aggregated Shipments	Several shipments intended for one consignee from various shippers that are consolidated and treated as a single consignment.
Agreed Valuation	The value of a shipment that is agreed upon by both the shipper and the carrier to define the freight rate and/or the liability of the carrier.
Air Cargo	Property of any kind that is transported by aircraft (excluding passenger baggage and mail).
Air Express	Expedited air freight service.
Air Parcel Post	Parcels shipped through the mails to be transported by air.
Airwaybill	The shipping document used for the transportation of air freight: includes conditions, limitations of liability, shipping instructions, description of commodity, and applicable transportation charges. It is generally similar to a straight non-negotiable bill of lading and is used for similar purposes.
Alienable	Ability to be transferred or conveyed.
All-Cargo Aircraft	Any aircraft that is used for the sole purpose of transporting cargo or mail.
Allowance	A deduction or discount from the price permitted by a seller.
Alternative Tariff	In transportation, a tariff with two or more rates for the same goods, to and from the same points, with the opportunity available to the shipper to use the lowest of the charges.
Amendment	An addition, deletion, or modification of a document.
Amidships	The area of a vessel midway between the front (the bow) and the rear (the stern). When the term applies to an airplane, it is midway between the nose and the tail.
Amortization	1. The provision to pay a debt over a period of time. 2. The gradual repayment of borrowings in a series of installments. 3. A transaction or security where the principal reduces over the life of the agreement. 4. The writing off or reduction in value of an intangible asset over time (c.f.depreciation) 5. Allocation of the cost of an asset over its estimated useful life.
Antidumping Duties	Additional duties which are assessed on imported goods when those goods are sold to the importing country at a price that is less than "fair value", ("fair value" usually being defined as the price on the exporting country's domestic market or to third countries), and when those imported goods are found to cause or to threaten material injury to industry of the importing country.
Any Quantity	A cargo freight rate that applies to an article without regard to the weight or quantity shipped.
Applicant (also Account Party)	1. The party at whose request a bank issues a letter of credit. 2. A person who applies for something: a job, a passport, a visa, a license, a ticket etc. etc.
Appreciation	An increase in the value of something, - of goods, of currency, of shares of stock, etc,.
Approx. (Approximately)	Same as "about" and "circa"; terms which when used in a letter of credit are construed to allow a difference not to exceed 10% more or 10% less than the monetary amount, or the quantity, or the unit price.
Appurtenance	An accessory, adjunct, or appendage connected to a primary property and used in conjunction therewith.
Apron	1. Area of the airport where planes are parked. May be used for loading and unloading of aircraft. 2. Area along the waterside edges of a pier, not under cover, used for loading and unloading of vessels.
Arbitrage	A method of taking advantage of the fact that there may be different prices in different markets for identical goods such as gold, foreign exchange or commodities. Simultaneously, one buys in the lower price market and sells in the higher one.
As Is	Indicates goods for sale do not include a warranty , implied or expressed; the buyer takes the entire risk as to the quality or condition of the goods involved and must trust to his own inspection. In sum, the sale is "without recourse".
Assembly Service	A service under which a carrier or a forwarder or a warehouse combines multiple shipments from multiple shippers into one shipment for one receiver.
Assessment	1. The valuation, or determination as to value, of property. 2. The act of apportioning amounts to be paid. 3. An amount assessed or charged, for example: taxes or dues.
Assignment of Proceeds of a Letter Of Credit	If the bank agrees, the beneficiary assigns all or part of the proceeds to be paid to another party after the required documents have been presented.
At Sight	A notation on a draft which indicates that payment is due upon its presentation.
Athwartships	Across a vessel form side to side.
Automated Broker Interface (ABI)	(USA) A module of the U. S. Customs Automated Commercial System which provides a communications link for the transmission of entry and entry summary data on imported merchandise between ABI users and Customs.
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)	(USA) A US Customs electronic data system, which provides support for enforcing trade and contraband laws, ensuring trade compliance, and providing service and information to the international trade community. When completed, it will cover the full gamut of Customs activities.
Automated Commercial System (ACS)	(USA) The comprehensive electronic data system of U. S. Customs for tracking, controlling, and processing commercial importations.
Automated Information Exchange System (AIES)	(USA) A module of the Automated Commercial System of U. S. Customs which provides an automated method of exchanging information between Field Import Specialists and National Import Specialists.
Automated Manifest System (AMS)	(USA) A module of the Automated Commercial System of U. S. Customs designed to control imported merchandise from the time a carrier's cargo manifest is electronically transmitted to U.S. Customs until the cargo is properly entered, released by customs and delivered.
Avoidance Of Contract	The legal cancellation of a contract because an event occurs that makes performance of the contract terms impossible or inequitable and that releases the parties from their obligations.
B
Back Haul	The return of a carrier to the original point or area from which its journey began. If a carrier can obtain cargo to carry on the back haul route, that cargo may often obtain a favorable freight rate because otherwise the carrier would have to return empty.
Back Order	That portion of an order that cannot be delivered at the scheduled time, but will be delivered at a later date when available.
Bad Faith	The intent to mislead or deceive. It does not include misleading by an honest, inadvertent or uncalled-for misstatement.
Bagged Cargo	Goods shipped in sacks.
Bailment	A delivery of goods or personal property by one person (the bailor) to another (the bailee) on an express or implied contract for a particular purpose related to the goods while in possession of the bailee, who has a duty to redeliver them to the bailor.
Balance Of Payments	A statement summarizing all the economic and financial transactions between companies, banks, private households and public authorities of one nation with those of the other nations of the world over a specific time period. It includes merchandise trade payments, payments and receipts on account of shipping services, tourist services, financial services, government expenditures, short and long term capital movements, interest and dividends, gold movements, etc.
Balance of Trade	The difference in value between a country's total imports and exports over a specific time period.
Balanced Economy	A condition of national finances in which imports and exports are equal.
Bale	A large bundle or package of compressed and bound goods, usually with an outer covering, often of burlap.
Bale Cargo	Cargo shipped in bales.
Ballast	Heavy material or water placed in the lower holds of a ship or in strategically placed tanks along the sides to improve its stability.
Bank Acceptance	A draft drawn on and accepted by a bank.
Bank Delivery Order to an Airline	A letter addressed to an air carrier from a bank who is shown as consignee on an airwaybill instructing the carrier to release a shipment. Often airlines will accept as a delivery order a bank's endorsement on the airwaybill, although an airwaybill is a non-negotiable document.
Bank Draft	A form of check drawn by a bank against its account in another bank.
Bank Guarantee	An indemnity letter in which the bank commits itself to pay a certain sum if a third party fails to perform or if any other form of default occurs. One use is when a bank wants a carrier to release a shipment which it has financed but the original bills of lading are not yet available for surrender to the carrier.
Bank Holding Company	(USA) Any company which directly controls, with power to vote, more than five percent of voting shares of two or more banks (as defined by the Bank Holding Company Act .
Bank Holiday	A day on which banks are closed.
Bank Note	A promissory note having the appearance of currency, issued by a bank or banker authorized to do so, payable to bearer on demand, and intended to circulate as money.
Bank Release	A document issued by a bank who is the consignee of a shipment authorizing a carrier to deliver a shipment.
Banker's Bank	A bank that is established by mutual consent by independent and unaffiliated banks to provide a clearinghouse for financial transactions.
Banker's Draft	A draft payable on demand and drawn by, or on behalf of, a bank upon itself or upon another bank, sometimes a foreign bank, where it maintains an account or a relationship.
Bankers Acceptance	A draft calling for payment at a future date on which the drawee is a bank, and the bank has agreed to pay by signing "accepted" on the draft.
Bankruptcy	The condition of a legal entity that does not have the financial means to pay their incurred debts as they come due. In the U.S. this status is established through legal procedures involving a petition by the bankrupt or by its creditors.
Bareboat Charter	The charter of a vessel where the charter party has the right to use his own master and crew on the vessel. Pays all operating expenses.
Barge	A flat bottomed cargo vessel primarily used on rivers and canals. Usually it is towed or pushed but it may be self-propelled.
Barratry	1. In maritime law the intentional misconduct of the ship's master or crew; includes theft, intentional casting away of vessel, or breach of trust. 2. The offense of frequently stirring up quarrels and suits, either at law or otherwise.
Barter	Trade of goods or services without the use of money.
Basing Point	A location which is used to set the selling price of goods and the freight rates to all points. A price is set at a given location chosen as the ex-factory basing point with freight to the place of delivery added to create a delivered price. Then like goods, wherever they may be sold from, are charged freight to their destination as if they were shipped from the same location (the basing point).
Basing Rate	A freight rate which is used for the sole purpose of determining other freight rates. For an explanation of how this works, see 'Basing Point'.
Basket of Currencies	A composite unit consisting of weighted amounts of the currencies of a group of designated nations.
Battens	1.The protruding fixtures on the inside walls of a vessel's hold which are used to keep the cargo away or to fasten it in place. 2. Similar structural parts to the above in truck bodies, containers and rail cars.
Bearer	The person in possession of a negotiable instrument, document of title, or security marked "payable to bearer", or the person in possession of one of these documents endorsed in blank.
Beggar-Thy-Neighbor Policy	A course of action through which a country tries to reduce unemployment and increase domestic output by raising tariffs and instituting non-tariff barriers that impede imports, and thus improve its own position at the expense of its trading partners.
Belly Pits or Holds	Compartments beneath the cabin of an aircraft used for the transport of cargo or baggage.
Beneficiary	1. In the case of a letter of credit, the individual or company who is entitled to draw or demand payment under its terms. 2. In the case of insurance, the person entitled to take the proceeds. 3. The person for whose benefit a contract, or trust, or will is executed or enforced.
Berth	The place beside a docking area where a ship is secured and cargo can be loaded or unloaded.
Bid Bond	A type of indemnity bond. A surety guarantee often required to be established by a bidder to guarantee fulfillment of his offer if accepted.
Bilateral Investment Treaty	A treaty between two countries with the goal of ensuring that investments made by either of them in the other receive treatment equal to that afforded their domestic entities or any third country entities.
Bilateral Trade	The commerce between two countries.
Bill	1. A "Bill of Exchange" or "Draft" (same thing). 2. A written statement of contract terms. 3 .The word "Bill" has many other international trade connotations - "Invoice" etc.
Bill of Credit	A written authority from one person to another, empowering the recipient of the document to receive money from the correspondents of the issuer abroad . (The usual issuer is a bank)
Bill of Exchange	Draft or Bill.
Bill of Health	An official certificate (Pratique) issued by the authorities upon the departure of a vessel or airplane showing the state of health at the place of departure, and of the passengers and crew.
Bill of Lading	A document issued by a carrier which is evidence of receipt of the goods, and is a contract of carriage. It describes the goods, the details of the intended voyage, and it specifies the conditions of transportation. If issued in negotiable form, i.e. "to order", it becomes documentary evidence of title to the goods.
Bill of Sale	A written document by which a party legally transfers ownership of goods to another party.
Bill-To Party	The party designated on purchase order, invoice, or bill of lading as the one to whom the bill should be sent for payment.
Billed Weight	The designated weight shown on the freight bill which is used to calculate the freight charges.
Billing Third Party	The transference of transportation charges to a party other than the shipper or consignee.
Biological Agents	A complex substance of organic origin which can treat or cause disease.
Black Market	Buying or selling of products that violate government restrictions.
Blanket Rate	In insurance, a rate of premium applied across the board when there is more than one kind of property which is the subject of insurance.
Blockade	Prevention of commercial exchange by physically preventing carriers from entering a port or nation.
Bona Fide	In or with good faith, honesty, and sincerity.
Bond	1. A written undertaking to perform or refrain from performing specified acts, usually guaranteed by a third party. 2. A security evidencing debt, specifying the date payment is due and usually specifying a rate of interest and its dates of periodic payment.
Bond of Indemnity	A bond to indemnify and save harmless the party to whom the bond is issued against some anticipated loss.
Bond System	(USA) An automated electronic system, part of the Automated Customs System, whose purpose is to control and track indemnity bonds issued to Customs to secure compliance with various laws.
Bonded	(USA) This term refers to goods which are held, stored or transported under circumstances where applicable duty or taxes have not yet been definitely determined or paid, and admissibility has not yet been arranged. Bonds must be posted by those who are responsible for the goods during this period (the carriers, warehouses, and/or importers) to indemnify the government if the goods are released improperly.
Bonded Terminal	(USA) A terminal approved by Customs for temporary storage of imported goods until Customs duties are paid or goods released. Bonds must be posted by the terminal operator to indemnify the government if the goods are released improperly.
Bonded Warehouse	(USA) An approved private warehouse used for the storage of goods until duties or taxes are paid and the goods are properly released by Customs. Bonds must be posted by the warehouse proprietor and by the importer to indemnify the government if the goods are released improperly.
Booking	The making of arrangements for a shipment with the representatives of a vessel or airline.
Bounties	A compensation paid to persons to induce certain actions. In this class are government payments to producers or exporters to strengthen their competitive position.
Box	1. Term referring to a trailer, semi-trailer, or container used in transportation. 2. A type of package of wood, cardboard, metal, plastic or other material.
Box Car	A closed railroad freight car.
Boycott	A concerted refusal to deal commercially with a person, firm, or country.
Breakage	1. A monetary allowance that a manufacturer allots for compensation to a buyer for breakage to goods (usually fragile) while in shipment. 2. A fractional amount due either party in a transaction, for example in computing interest. 3. In marine insurance, "breakage" refers to breakage of fragile goods such as glass and china.
Breakbulk	1. A breakbulk ship is one which transports cargo which is packed in cases, bales, cartons, drums, carboys etc., and this cargo is carried in the ship's cargo holds rather than in containers (although some loaded containers may be carried). 2. 'to breakbulk' is to unload packaged cargo from a 'breakbulk ship' or from a container and to distribute it.
Breakbulk Cargo	Cargo that is shipped in packing units such as cartons, cases, crates, bales, or drums, but not containerized.
Broker	One that acts as an agent for others, as in negotiating contracts, purchases, or sales in return for a fee or commission.
Bulk Cargo	Cargo that is made up of an unpacked commodity; examples include grain, oil, and ore.
Bulk Carrier	A vessel designed for the shipment of bulk cargo.
Bulk Freight	Cargo not in packages or containers.
Bulk Sale	The transfer or sale of substantially all of an inventory of an enterprise in a single transaction not in the usual course of business.
Bulk Solids	Dry cargo shipped loose, such as grain, ore, etc.
Bunker Adjustment Factor	An adjustment in shipping charges to offset price fluctuations in the cost of bunker fuel.
Bunker Fuel	The fuel used to power a ship.
Bunker(s)	1. A compartment (hold) of a ship for storage of fuel. 2. The fuel for a vessel
Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco And Firearms	The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is a law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Treasury with unique responsibilities dedicated to reducing violent crime, collecting revenue, and protecting the public. ATF enforces the Federal laws and regulations relating to alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson by working directly and in cooperation with others.
Bureau of Industry and Security	A U.S. government agency responsible for control of exports for reasons of national security, foreign policy and short supply.
Buy American Acts	U.S. federal and state government statutes that give a preference in government contracts to U.S. produced goods.

　

Term	Definition
C
Cabotage	1. Water transportation, navigation or trade along the coasts, between the ports of one nation. 2 Inland freight movements confined with the national boundaries of a nation are also sometimes called cabotage.
Call	1. A demand for early repayment of an obligation, or for the performance of a specific act under a contract. 2. A demand for the payment of money 3. The act of redeeming a bond earlier than the full term. 4. Short for "Call Option," a contract giving the holder the right to receive from the issuer a specified amount of a security at a specified price on or before a certain date. 5. Short for "Margin Call" - a call by a future or an options exchange, or by a broker to its clients, for additional collateral to that previously posted when the futures, options, or securities were purchased without posting their full value.
Call Money	Money lent by banks on a short term basis which the bank, as lender, can "call" (demand payment at any time, usually on 24 hours notice.)
Capacity To Contract	Legal competency to make a contract.
Capital Goods	1. Durable goods which are used to produce other goods for consumption: for example machinery, equipment, buildings 2. Also, material used or consumed to produce other goods.
Capital Market	The market for long term investment funds in the form of stocks, bonds, commercial paper etc.
Captain's protest	A written sworn statement of the master of a vessel to the effect that damage suffered by the ship during the voyage was caused by storm or other peril of the sea, without any negligence or misconduct on his own part.
Cargo	Merchandise hauled by transportation lines.
Cargo Agent	An agent appointed by an airline or shipping line to solicit and process international air and ocean freight shipments.
Cargo Manifest	A list of cargo being transported or warehoused.
Cargo Selectivity System	(USA) An Automated Customs System module which is used to identify high risk cargo and to apply more intensive examinations to it.
Cargo Tonnage	The weight of a shipment or of ship's total cargo expressed in tons.
Carnet	Called an "A T A Carnet". An international customs document which incorporates guarantees to be used in lieu of Customs documents to enter goods into certain countries temporarily without paying import duty or posting bonds.
Carriage Of Goods By Sea Act Of 1936	(USA) The basic law of ocean shipping in the U.S. Among other provisions, it establishes parameters for the carrier's liability for loss or damage to cargo.
Carrier	A legal entity that is in the business of transporting passengers or goods for hire.
Carrier's Certificate	(USA) A document issued by a carrier providing the particulars of a shipment and designating to customs who may make a customs entry on that shipment..
Cartel	A group of independent producers which regulates production, pricing, and marketing by members to maximize market power and limit competition.
Cash Against Documents (CAD)	A term used in collections supported by shipping documents which are released to the buyer only against payment. Same as Documents Against Payment (D/P).
Casus Major	An extraordinary casualty such as a fire, shipwreck etc.
Category Groups	A classification system which groups various products for statistical, export control or quota control purposes.
Caveat Emptor	Let the buyer beware, which is to say the purchaser buys at his own risk.
Cell	The space constructed on a ship into which one container fits.
Census Interface	(USA) An Automated Customs System module that captures trade data for the U.S. Bureau of Census.
Central Bank	An institution with the sole right to issue bank notes and power to dictate the monetary policy for a currency zone.
Certificate of Inspection	A certificate issued by an independent third party verifying the condition of cargo or of property.
Certificate of Manufacture	1. A certificate sometimes required from a manufacturer to attest that goods have been manufactured according to the contract; for example, to support payment under a letter of credit. 2. (USA) A form required to support a claim for duty drawback based on manufacture in the United States.
Certificate of Weight	A document certifying to the weight of a shipment.
Certification	1. Official proof of authenticity. 2. The formal assertion of some fact in writing.
Cession of Goods	A surrender or assignment of goods for the benefit of one's creditors.
CFR (Cost and Freight ...named port of destination)	The seller must pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination but the risk of loss of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time the goods have been delivered on board the vessel, is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail in the port of shipment. (Note: this Incoterm, CFR, has replaced the term C&F which has been in common usage)
Chargeable Weight	The weight or volume of a shipment used in determining freight charges.
Charter Service	Temporary hiring of an aircraft or vessel for the transportation of cargo or passengers.
Chartered Ship	A ship leased for a stated time, voyage, or voyages.
Chassis	1. A special trailer or undercarriage on which containers are moved over the road. 2. The undercarriage of a vehicle.
CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight... named port of destination)	The seller has the same obligations as under CFR but with the addition that he has to procure marine insurance against the buyer's risk of loss of or damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller pays the insurance premium and is only required to obtain minimum coverage.
CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid To...named place of destination)	The seller has the same obligations as under CPT but with the addition that the seller has to procure cargo insurance against the buyer's risk of loss of or damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller pays the insurance premium and is only required to obtain minimum coverage.
Circa	Same as "about" and "approx."; terms which when used in a letter of credit are construed to allow a difference not to exceed 10% more or 10% less than the monetary amount, or the quantity, or the unit price.
City Terminal Service	A service provided by some airlines that involves receiving or delivering cargo at terminals in-town instead of at airports.
Claim	1. A demand of payment. 2. In insurance, a demand for payment of money or property as the result of an insured loss.. 3. In transportation, a demand for return of overpaid charges. Also, a demand for reimbursement of losses due to loss or casualty to cargo or failure to deliver.
Classification	The categorization of merchandise:      In transportation - to permit determination of freight rates within a tariff.      In customs - to permit the determination of duty status within the Harmonized Tariff Schedules.
Claused Bill of Lading	A notation on a bill of lading which denotes a deficient condition of the goods or packaging, or other annotated conditions modifying the printed conditions on the Bill Of Lading.
Clean Bill of Lading	A bill of lading issued by a carrier for goods delivered in "apparent good order and condition" - bearing no notations or added clauses which may limit the liability of the carrier.
Clean Draft	A draft with no commercial documents attached.
Clearance	1. The completion of governmental requirements so that a carrier may arrive in a port and unlade cargo and passengers, or may lade cargo and passengers and depart for a foreign destination. 2. The accomplishment of the customs formalities necessary to allow goods to be imported or to be exported.
Closed-End Transaction	A credit transaction with a fixed amount of time for repayment.
Coastal Trade	Trade by vessel between the ports of one nation.
Collar	An agreement that puts upper and lower limits on the interest rate of a financial instrument or on the price of something, and through this device limits the possible amount of loss or gain from the rise or fall of interest or price of the thing "collared"
Collect Charges	1. Transportation practice where the receiver of the goods pays the freight and charges to the carrier. 2. Collection practice where the buyer is expected to pay the bank charges for handling the collection.
Collect on Delivery (C.O.D.)	A service where the purchase price of a shipment is collected by the carrier upon delivery of the shipment and subsequently paid to the shipper.
Collecting Bank	A bank involved in the collection process. In this process if presentation is made to the drawee, it becomes also "the presenting bank."
Collection	1. The presentation for payment of an obligation and the payment thereof. 2. A gathering of similar goods.
Collection Letter	Customer's written instructions to a bank on how to handle a collection. Many banks have an instruction form for use instead of a letter.
Collection Papers	Drafts, invoices, printed lists, documents which relate to a shipment, and other similar instruments presented to the designated buyer/ payee to obtain payment or acceptance.
Collection System	(USA) In U.S. Customs, it is the process that controls and accounts for payments collected by the agency.
Combination Aircraft	An aircraft capable of transporting both cargo and passengers on the same flight.
Combined Bill of Lading	A bill of lading covering a shipment of goods by more than one mode of transportation.
Combined Transport	Consignment sent by means of various modes of transport.
Comity	1. In international relations it is the recognition that one sovereignty allows within its territory to the legislative, executive or judicial acts of another sovereignty, with due regard to the rights of its own citizens. 2. Courtesy, respect, and good will.
Command Economy	An economic system where the decisions about allocation of resources, production, distribution and consumption are made by a central government authority instead of being determined by market forces. An example was the Nazi economy.
Commercial Bank	In the USA, a bank that is authorized to accept demand deposits. It may also receive time deposits, make loans, engage in trust services, issue letters of credit, accept and pay drafts, rent safe deposit boxes and engage in many other similar activities.
Commercial Invoice	A document which details the transaction between a seller and a buyer. It minimally should give the name and address of the seller and of the buyer, the date of the sale, a description of the goods sold, the quantity, the unit price, the terms of sale, and the total money amount due. If it is an invoice between buyer and seller of different countries it should also indicate the kind of currency.
Commercial Letter of Credit	An instrument by which a bank substitutes its credit for that of a customer to enable him to finance the purchase of goods or to incur other commitments. The bank issues a letter (or document) on behalf of its client to a supplier and agrees to pay them upon presentation of documentary evidence that the supplier has performed in accordance with the terms of the letter of credit.
Commercial Officers	Embassy and consular officials who assist their country's citizens and businesses in a foreign country through arranging appointments with local business and government officials and providing counsel on local trade regulations, laws, and customs.
Commercial Paper	Negotiable instruments used in commerce. Usually they are short term, unsecured, promissory notes issued by highly rated entities and are traded on the money markets.
Commercial Set	The documents required to evidence the shipment of goods; usually includes an invoice, packing list, and bill of lading; may include certificate of origin, certificate or policy of insurance, and other special documents.
Commercial Treaty	An agreement between two or more countries that establishes the conditions under which business may be conducted between their citizens within their countries..
Commingling	1. The packing or mingling of various goods subject to different rates of duty so that the value and quantity of each class of goods cannot be readily determined. 2. To combine funds or properties into a common mass.
Commission	1. A board or committee officially appointed to perform certain functions or exercise certain jurisdiction of a public nature. 2. The amount paid by a principal to an agent for their role in the completion of a transaction involving the sale of goods or services. 3.The authority under which one acts, transacts business or negotiates for another.
Commodity Code	The system of identifying a commodity by an assigned number.
Commodity Rate	The rate applicable to shipping a given commodity between points.
Common Point	1. A location serviced by two or more transportation lines. 2. A significant point over which aircraft fly and report to the air controllers.
Competitive Rate	Rate determined by one transportation line to compete with the rate of another transportation line.
Compradore	An agent in a foreign country employed by a domestic businessman to facilitate transactions with local businesses within the foreign country.
Concealed Damage	Damage to the contents of a package which is not evident from the appearance of the exterior of the package.
Concealed Loss	1. Loss from a package bearing concealed damage. 2. Damage, loss, or shortage of goods within a package which is not apparent from its exterior condition.
Confirming Bank	A bank which engages to honor a letter of credit issued by another, or engages that such letter of credit will be honored by the issuer or by a third bank.
Connecting Carrier	A carrier which has direct physical connection with another carrier or forms a connecting link between two or more carriers.
Consignee	The person or firm named in a freight contract to whom goods have been shipped or turned over for care.
Consignment	1. Goods or property sent by the aid of a carrier from one person (the consignor) to another (the consignee). 2. Entrusting of goods to another to sell as agent for the sender.
Consignor	The entity that ships goods to another. On a bill of lading, the shipper.
Consolidated Container	A shipping container that contains cargo from various shippers for delivery to various consignees.
Consolidation	1. In transportation, the combining of smaller shipments into a single shipment that is sent to a destination point. 2.The reorganization of corporations to combine two or more into a successor corporation.
Consolidator	A company that provides freight consolidation services.
Consular Invoice	An invoice covering a shipment of goods, usually required to be certified by the counsel of the country for which the merchandise is destined. It may be required to be on a special form and be subject to the payment of special fees.
Consulate	An office of a country within another country (often there are several, located in the larger commercial centers). These offices represent the commercial interests of the citizens of their country.
Consumer Goods	Any goods produced for the express use of individuals rather than the production or manufacturing of other goods.
Consumption Entry	(USA) A "consumption entry" is the filing with Customs in proper form of an "entry summary for consumption" on imported goods , and payment of estimated duties, taxes, and fees, if any, resulting in the release of the goods by Customs. When the release is unconditional, the importer may dispose of the goods.
Container	A reusable, rigid, exterior "box" in which merchandise is shipped by air, vessel, truck, or rail.
Container Freight Charge	Charge made for the packing or unpacking of cargo from ocean freight containers.
Container Load	A shipment of cargo that, according to weight or volume, will fit a standard container.
Container on Flatcar	A container without wheels put on railcars for transport inland,
Container Part Load	A shipment of cargo that according to weight or volume will not fill a standard container on its own but is expected to be shipped in a container, if necessary with other shipments which are also too small to take up a full container themselves.
Container Vessel	An ocean going vessel designed specifically to handle the loading, carriage and removal of standard freight containers.
Contraband	Any product that a nation has made unlawful to possess, produce, transport, import, or export.
Contract Carrier	Excluding common carriers, any person who under contract will transport passengers or goods for agreed upon compensation.
Convertibility	The attribute of being exchangeable, such as a currency freely able to be exchanged for another, or as preferred stock or bonds to be exchanged for common stock.
Core Inflation	The basic level of inflation over a period of time as opposed to temporary fluctuations.
Corporate Dumping	The practice of exporting banned or out of date goods to a foreign market where restrictions on that product are not as severe.
Cost Plus	A pricing method where the purchaser agrees to pay the production cost of the good plus a fixed percentage to the seller for profit.
Countervailing Duties (CVD)	(USA) Duties which are assessed, in addition to regular duties, to offset the effects of foreign subsidies or bounties upon the export of merchandise to the United States which has been found to materially injure, or threaten material injury to, an American industry.
Country of Departure	The country from which a shipment of goods, a carrier, or a passenger has or is scheduled to depart.
Country of Destination	The country that is the ultimate destination for a shipment of goods. For a carrier, it is the country in which it intends to complete its current voyage or flight.
Country of Dispatch	The country from which a cargo is shipped.
Country of Export Destination	The country to which goods are going in order to be consumed, further processed, or manufactured, as presumed by the shipper at the time of exportation.
Country of Exportation	The country from which goods are shipped with intention to separate them from the mass of goods in that country.
Country of Origin	The country in which goods were produced, mined, grown or manufactured.
Country Risk	The financial risks of a transaction which relate to the political, economic, or social instability of the country of the debtor, and is over and above the credit risk of the borrower.
Courier	1. Attendant who accompanies shipments. 2. Express company which handles shipments of documents and small packages on an expedited basis and may or may not have the shipments accompanied by attendants,
CPT (Carriage Paid To...named port of destination)	The seller pays the freight for the carriage of the goods to the named destination. The risk of loss of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time the goods have been delivered to the carrier, is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods have been delivered into the custody of the carrier.
Customs	The government service which is responsible for the administration of Customs law and the collection of duties and taxes relating thereto, and which has responsibility for the application of other laws and regulations relative to the importation , transit, and exportation of goods.
Customs Electronic Bulletin Board (CEBB)	(USA) Customs Electronic Bulletin Board (CEBB): An electronic bulletin board accessible by computer, sponsored by U.S. Customs, providing the trade community with up-to-date information, clearance requirements, and operation instructions.
D
DAF (Delivered At Frontier ...named place)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available, cleared for export, at the named point and place at the frontier, but before the customs border of the adjoining country.
Damages	1. A loss or harm to a person or their property. 2. The pecuniary compensation or indemnity which may be recovered by any person who has suffered loss, detriment or injury to his person, property or rights through the unlawful act, omission, or negligence of another.
Dangerous Goods	Goods which are capable of posing a health or safety risk.
Date Draft	A draft which matures a specified number of days after the date it is issued.
Date of Issue	The arbitrary date on a contract or on a financial instrument fixed as the date from which the term runs. (Neither the actual date on the instrument, nor the date the instrument was actually signed, nor the date the instrument was executed, nor the date the instrument was delivered, are considered to be the "Date of issue" or the "issuance date".)
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid...named place of destination)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available at the named place in the country of importation. The seller has to bear the risks and costs, including duties, taxes and other charges of delivering the goods thereto, cleared for importation.
DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid... named place of destination)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available at the named place in the country of importation. The seller has to bear the costs and risks involved in bringing the goods thereto (excluding duties, taxes and other official charges payable upon importation as well as the costs and risks of carrying out customs formalities). The buyer has to pay any additional costs and bear any risks caused by his failure to clear the goods for import in time.
Deadweight	1. In maritime terms, the deadweight of a vessel is the maximum weight of the cargo, crew, stores and bunkers that it can carry when loaded so that it settles in the water to the Plimsoll line. This is also measurable by the weight of the water the vessel displaces when fully loaded less the displacement when it was unloaded. 2. Deadweight cargo is cargo of such high density that a long ton (2240 lbs.) of such cargo can be stowed in less than 70 cubic feet.
Dealer	An individual or firm who purchases goods for resale.
Debtor Nation	A nation that is owed less foreign currency obligations than it owes other nations.
Deck Cargo	Cargo that is shipped on the deck of a vessel rather than in holds below.
Declared Value For Carriage	The value of goods declared to the carrier by the shipper for the purposes of determining charges and establishing the liability of the carrier.
Declared Value for Customs	The value of a shipment according to the customs laws of the destination country required to be declared by the shipper on the shipping documents or by the importer when he presents the goods for customs clearance.
Deferred Air Freight	Arrangements can be made according to the tariffs of some air carriers to have less urgent freight delivered at a lower cost on later flights which are more convenient for the airline.
Deferred Payment Letter of Credit	A letter of credit that allows the buyer to take possession of goods by agreeing to pay the issuing bank or the confirming bank at a fixed future date.
Del Credere Risk	A situation where a sales agent sells on credit and for an additional commission guarantees to his principal the credit of the purchaser and the performance of the contract.
Delivery	1. In the case of transportation, the act of transferring physical possession. 2. The act of actually or of constructively placing goods or property within the possession or control of another.
Delivery Carrier	The transport carrier whose responsibility it is to place a shipment at the disposal of the consignee at the named destination.
Delivery Instructions	Specific delivery instructions for the freight forwarder or carrier stating exactly to whom, where and when goods are to be delivered.
Delivery Order	A document from the consignee, shipper, or owner of freight ordering the release of freight to another party.
Demise	1. A lease of property. 2. Death. (Isn't English an interesting language?)
Demise charter	A lease of a vessel in which all control is relinquished by the owner to the charterer, and the charterer bears all the expenses of operation. Similar to bareboat charter.
Demurrage	1. In international transportation, a charge for the failure to remove cargo from a terminal within the allowed free time. Also, a charge for failure to load or unload a ship within the allowed period. 2. (USA) In domestic transportation, a penalty charge against users for use of carriers' equipment beyond the allowed free time.
DEQ (Delivered Ex Quay - Duty Paid - ...named port of destination)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when he has made the goods available to the buyer on the quay (wharf) at the named port of destination, cleared for importation. The seller has to bear all risks and costs including duties, taxes and other charges of delivering the goods thereto. (Note: If the parties wish the buyer to clear the goods for importation and pay the duty, the words "duty unpaid" should be used instead of "duty paid", and other costs of importation can also be excluded from the seller's obligations if this is made clear by adding words to this effect.)
DES (Delivered Ex Ship...named port of destination)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available to the buyer on board the ship uncleared for import at the named port of destination. The seller must bear all the costs and risks involved in bringing the goods to the named port of destination.
Destination	The place to which a shipment or person is going..
Detention	The act of keeping back or withholding either accidentally or by design a person or thing.
Devanning	The unloading of cargo from a shipping container.
Developed Countries	A term used to describe the industrialized nations.
Developing Countries	A term used to describe countries that lack strong amounts of industrialization, infrastructure, and sophisticated technology, but are beginning to build these capabilities.
Differential	An amount added to or deducted from a base shipping freight rate between two given locations to determine a new rate to or from some other point or via another route.
Direct Mail Collection (DMC)	A seller may forward his documents and instructions for collecting payment directly to a collecting bank in a foreign country, without going through the intermediary of the seller's own domestic bank.
Discharge	1. To release; liberate; annul; unburden; disencounter; dismiss. To extinguish an obligation; terminate all employment of a person; release, as from prison or military services. 2. The unloading of passengers or cargo from a vessel, vehicle, or aircraft.
Discharging	The unloading of cargo from a carrier, or of the contents from a container.
Discounted Bill	An accepted draft against which a loan is made and the interest is deducted immediately.
Discounting	1. The sale at less than original price of a commodity or monetary instrument, often for immediate payment. 2. A loan by a bank with a deduction of the interest in advance.
Discrimination	A failure to treat all persons or parties equally where no reasonable distinction can be found between those favored and those not favored. It mat be reflected in treatment, service or rates.
Dishonor	1. The refusal by a drawee to accept a draft or to pay it when due. 2. The act of disrespect or insult.
Dispatch	1.An amount paid by a vessel's operator to a charterer if loading or unloading is completed in less time than stipulated in the charter agreement. 2. a message or report to a newspaper from a correspondent, or between government services such as state or military. 3. to send to a destination.
Distribution Service	A transportation service that accepts a shipment from a shipper and at destination separates and sorts the packages and distributes them to many receivers.
Distributor	An agent who sells for a supplier at wholesale and usually maintains an inventory of the supplier's products.
Diversion	Any change in the routing of a shipment once it has been received by the carrier at point of origin and prior to delivery at destination.
Dock	1. A loading or unloading platform at an industrial location or carrier terminal. 2. A ship's berth or wharf.
Dock Examination	(USA) Examination of imported merchandise by Customs at the terminal where it is discharged from the import carrier.
Dock Receipt	A receipt issued by a vessel agent that certifies that goods have been received.
Documents Against Acceptance (D/A)	As a procedure to collect payment on an exported shipment. instructions are given that documents necessary to obtain the merchandise from customs and the carrier are to be released to a buyer only against the buyer's acceptance of a time draft drawn upon him.
Documents Upon Payment (D/P)	As a procedure to collect payment for an export shipment, instructions are given that the documents necessary for the buyer to obtain the shipment from customs and the carrier are to be released to him only upon payment of the draft. (Same as CAD)
Dolly	A piece of equipment with wheels used to move freight with or without a tractor.
Domestic Exports	Exports of goods which were grown, produced, mined, or manufactured in the country from which exported.
Domicile	That place where a person or organization has their principal residence with intent to make it their permanent home.
Door-To-Door	Shipping service from shipper's door to consignee's door.
Double-Column Tariff	A customs tariff schedule with two columns of rates, one for preferred trading partners and one for imports from others.
Downstream Dumping	The sale of products below cost or below fair value by a producer to a another producer in its own domestic market by whom the product is then further processed and exported to another country at a price lower than would otherwise be charged and thus causing injury in that country.
Drawback	(USA) A refund of duty and taxes which may be obtained upon the exportation or destruction of certain articles under certain conditions.
Drawback System	(USA) An Automated Customs System module that provides the means for processing and controlling all types of drawback entries.
Dray	A vehicle used to haul cargo or goods, usually drawn by a horse.
Drayage	The charge made for hauling freight via carts, drays or trucks.
Drop Shipment	At the request of a wholesaler, a shipment of goods from a manufacturer directly to a dealer or consumer, avoiding delivery to the wholesaler.
Drop-off	The delivery of a shipment by a shipper to a carrier for transportation.
Dry Cargo	Cargo which is of solid, dry material. It is not liquid or gas, and generally the term excludes cargo requiring special temperature controls.
Dry-Bulk Container	A shipping container designed to carry unpackaged free-flowing dry solids such as grain or sand.
Dry-Cargo Container	Any shipping container designed to transport goods other than liquids or gasses.
Dual Exchange Rate	The existence of two exchange rates for a single currency for use in different circumstances as mandated by the government.
Dual Pricing	The selling of identical products in different markets for different prices.
Dumping	The sale of goods in a foreign country at less than" fair value" (a price lower than that at which it is sold within the exporting country or to third countries), and which thereby materially injures, or threatens to materially injure, that industry in the foreign country.
Dunnage	Materials placed around cargo to prevent shifting or damage while in transit.
Durable Goods	Any product which is not consumed through use.
Dutiable List	The list of Items in a country's tariff schedule on which it charges import duty.
Duty	A tax levied by a government on the import or export of goods. (Note: The U.S. Constitution forbids the levying of taxes by the U.S. on exports. However, most foreign governments do not have this restriction,)
E
Easement	A right to use another person's property.
Edge Act Corporations	Banks that are subsidiaries either to bank holding companies or other banks established to engage in foreign business transactions.
Electronic Commerce	A system of integrated communications, data management, and security services that allow business applications within different organizations to automatically interchange information.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)	Electronic transmission of data and information according to particular protocols .
Electronic Funds Transfer	System of transferring funds from one account to another by electronic means.
Electronic Meat Health Certificate	(USA) A demonstration project that illustrates the electronic transmission of fresh meat health certificates.
Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS)	(USA) An electronic data system via which participating foreign governments transmit electronically to the U. S. Government details of shipments of quota controlled textile goods they have made to the U.S.
Embargo	A government prohibition of exports or imports with respect to specific products or specific foreign countries.
En Route	In transit (referring to goods, passengers, or vessels).
Entrepot	An intermediary storage facility (often in an intermediate country) where goods are kept temporarily for distribution.
Entrepot Trade	The import and export of goods which receive no further processing but are distributed from the entrepot facility which is chosen for its location and lack of restrictions on trade,
Entry	1.That documentation required to be filed with the appropriate customs officer to secure the release of imported merchandise from customs custody. 2. The act of filing that documentation.
Entry Documents	The documents required to complete customs entry to secure the release of imported merchandise.
Entry Summary	(USA) Documentation which is necessary to enable US Customs to collect duties, collect statistics, and determine whether other requirements of law or regulations are met upon importation. In the US, the importer must classify the goods, determine their customs value, and calculate duties, taxes and fees.
Entry Summary System	(USA) An Automated Customs System module that automates the entry processing cycle.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	(USA) An independent agency in the executive branch whose mandate is to control and abate pollution in the areas of air, water, solid waste, pesticides, radiation, and toxic substances.
Equalization	In transportation, a money allowance given the customer if the transport company picks up the goods at origin points or delivers them to destination points other than those named on the bill of lading.
Escape Clause	1. A provision in a bilateral or multilateral commercial agreement permitting a signatory nation to change their obligations when imports threaten serious harm to the producers of competitive domestic goods. 2. A provision in a contract or other document permitting parties to avoid liability for nonperformance under certain conditions.
ETA	The expected date and time of arrival of a carrier.
ETD	The expected date and time of departure of a carrier.
Eurobond	A bond issued in a Euro-currency, usually Euro-dollars
Ex Factory	This term is still widely used but it is being replaced by the Incoterm EXW - Ex Works. It is a sale term where the title to goods passes to the buyer when they leave the vendor's dock and consequently at that point the liability for loss or damage and the expenses of shipment also pass from vendor to buyer.
Exchange Rate	The price of one currency expressed in terms of another.
Excise Tax	Taxes on the manufacture, sale, or consumption of goods, or upon licenses to pursue certain occupations, or upon corporate privileges. In current usage it covers various license fees imposed by government and practically every internal revenue tax from any source except the income tax.
Exculpatory Clause	1. A contractual clause that releases one party from liability in case of wrong doing by the other party involved. 2. A contractual clause which excuses a trustee from liability where he executes a power in good faith.
Expiry Date	The "End", specifically: the cessation; termination by lapse of time as the expiration of a lease, insurance policy, or statute. Coming to a close or termination. The expiry date is the date on which these events occur. It is the last date that options or warrants can be executed.
Export	To send or transport goods abroad out of a customs territory; to sever them from the mass of things belonging to one country with the intention of uniting them to the mass of things belonging to a foreign country.
Export Broker	A firm that specializes in bringing foreign buyers and domestic sellers together for a fee but usually does not participate in the actual business transaction.
Export Control	The establishment of procedures for the governmental control of exports for statistical or strategic purposes.
Export Declaration	(USA) The Shipper's Export Declaration is a required customs document for exportation of goods from the United States which provides statistics and facilitates control where applicable.
Export Draft	A documentary order in the form of a draft drawn on the importing party to pay the seller for the exported goods.
Export Duty	A tax imposed by some nations on their exports.
Export License	A license issued to exporters by governments to permit them to export certain goods to certain countries. Such goods may be of strategic importance, or simply in short supply, or are controlled to comply with foreign agreements.
Export Management Company	A private firm that serves as the export department for several manufacturers and handles the exporting aspect of the business for a commission or fee.
Export Merchant	A company that buys domestic and foreign products and sells to foreign purchasers. Usually an export merchant is able to compete because of specialized knowledge of the products in which they deal, detailed knowledge of foreign markets, and expertise in international trading techniques.
Export Processing Zone	Industrial parks designated by a government to provide tax and other incentives to export firms.
Export Quotas	Specified maximums which a nation places on the value or volume of certain of its exports.
Export Restraints	Restrictions which a nation places upon its exports, often to avoid more burdensome restrictions being applied by the importing nations.
Export Statistics	The statistics that cover the exports from one country to other countries.
Export Subsidies	Government payments to induce exportation by domestic producers.
Export Trading Company	A corporation organized for the principal purpose of exporting goods and services.
Exporter	An individual or company that ships goods from one country to another in the course of trade.
Exporter Identification Number	(USA) An identification number assigned to exporters of goods from the United States which is required to be shown on the Shipper's Export Declaration for all shipments from the USA..
External Value	The purchasing power of a currency abroad, converted using the exchange rate.
Extradition	The surrender by one state or country to another of an individual accused or convicted of an offense within the jurisdiction of the other.
EXW (Ex Works ...named place)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when he has made the goods available at his premises (i.e. works, factory, warehouse, etc.) to the buyer. In particular, he is not responsible for loading the goods on the vehicle provided by the buyer or for clearing the goods for export, unless otherwise agreed. The buyer bears all costs and risks involved in taking the goods from the seller's premises to the desired destination.

　

F
Facilitation	1. Programs designed to expedite the flow of international commerce. 2. The act of freeing more or less completely from obstruction or hindrance.
Factor	1. An agent who receives merchandise under consignment or under a bailment contract, who sells it for the principal or in the factor's own name, and who is paid a commission for each sale. 2. A financing company which purchases accounts receivable under agreed conditions and at agreed discounts and thus makes funds immediately available to approved sellers.
Factor's Lien	The right of a factor to retain possession of designated assets of the principal until the factor receives full compensation from the principal.
Factorage	The commission or other compensation paid to a factor.
Fair Value	(USA) In dumping evaluations, it is the price at which the items being reviewed should have been sold in the home market in order to be considered as goods offered for export in the usual course of trade at fair market value and not guilty of being dumped.
FAS (Free Alongside Ship...named port of shipment)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have been placed alongside the vessel on the quay or in lighters at the named port of shipment. The buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss or of damage to the goods from that moment.
FCA (Free Carrier...named place)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when he has handed over the goods, cleared for export, into the charge of the carrier named by the buyer at the named place or point.
FDA	Food And Drug Administration.
Federal Reserve System	(USA) The equivalent of the central bank of the USA and the coordinator of monetary policy.
Feeder Vessel	A vessel which is part of a cargo network in which the larger, faster vessels only call at the major ports at both ends of the area being covered, and the smaller ports are served by the smaller feeder vessels which transfer the cargo to and from the major port terminals and thus keep the larger vessels filled closer to capacity and spare them the expense and loss of time in loading and unloading in the subsidiary ports.
FEU	Forty foot equivalent units of shipping containers. (Two 20 ft containers = 1 FEU).
Financial Instrument	A document which has a monetary value or is evidence of a monetary transaction, such as drafts, bills of exchange, checks and promissory notes.
Financial Market	Market for the exchange of capital and credit in an economy.
First World Countries	"Western, industrialized, non-communist countries," was the previously accepted criteria, but in view of the emergence of Japan as an economic power and the rising status of Russia and China, "industrialized" is probably the only remaining valid criterium for a "First World Country" at this time.
Five Dragons	Term used to describe the emerging economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Fixed Charges	1. Charges which do not increase or decrease with a change in volume. 2. Expenses that have to be borne whether any business is done or not.
Fixed Exchange	1. When Governments or their Central Banks administratively set the exchange rate for their currency. 2. An administratively set exchange rate where no rate fluctuations are permitted.
Fixing	The setting of a price by a known method at regular times. For example, the establishment of an official exchange rate, interest rate, or security or commodity price.
Flag	A reference to the country of registry of a vessel.
Flag of Convenience	The national flag flown by a ship that is registered in a country other than that of its owners. (Usually arranged in order to save taxes and operating expenses)
Flight of Capital	The movement of capital to another country to avoid loss.
Floating	Free determination of rates based on supply and demand, for example exchange rates or interest rates.
Flotsam	Floating debris or wreckage of a ship and its cargo.
FOB (Free On Board ... named port of shipment)	The seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have passed over the ship's rail at the named port of shipment. The buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss or damage to the goods from that point.
Force Majeure	A condition of superior or irresistible force such as Acts of God, including earthquakes and floods, which cannot be avoided by the exercise of due care and is included in contracts to excuse parties from performance when such events occur.
Foreign Bond	An international bond usually denominated in the currency of the country where it is issued.
Foreign Commerce	Trade between individuals or legal entities in different countries.
Foreign Currency	The currency of any foreign country which is authorized by that country as the medium of circulation.
Foreign Exchange	Currency of countries exchangeable for other currencies according to their relative values based on supply and demand.
Foreign Exchange Contract	A contract for the sale or purchase of the currency of one country to be paid for with the currency of another country, specifying an amount, an exchange rate, and delivery date.
Foreign Exchange Rate	The rate or price of the currency of one country in terms of the currency of another.
Foreign Exports	1. (USA) Exports from the United States of foreign origin merchandise. (for the purposes of USA export statistics) 2. Exports by other countries..
Foreign Flag	The national identification of a carrier registered in a foreign country. A vessel flies the national flag of the country in which it is registered, and it may be registered in a country different from that of its owner.
Foreign Income	Income gained by residents of one country from another country.
Foreign Investment	The purchase of assets which are abroad.
Foreign Market Value	From the American point of view it is the price at which merchandise is sold at wholesale in the principal markets of the country from which it is exported.
Foreign Parent	The first foreign person or entity outside the United States in an affiliate's ownership chain that has direct investment in the affiliate.
Foreign Person	1. A person belonging to or under citizenship of another country. 2. Using the United States as an example, a person who resides outside of the United States or is subject to the jurisdiction of another country other than the United States is a "foreign person".
Foreign Remittances	The transfer of any funds across national boundaries.
Foreign Trade Zone Act (FTZA)	(USA) The act which established foreign trade zones in the USA.
Forward Foreign Exchange	An agreement to purchase or sell an amount of foreign currency at a future date at a predetermined price.
Foul Bill of Lading	A bill of lading issued with notations on it which limit the carrier's liability; for example, a notation that the goods were received damaged, or short, or improperly packaged.
Fractional Currency	Any currency that is smaller than a standard money unit.
Franco	Free from duties, transportation charges and other levies.
Free Domicile	"Free Domicile" is still a widely used pricing term to describe when the shipper pays all the applicable duties and all the transportation and other charges until delivered to the buyer's premises. The term is being replaced by Incoterm "DDP - Delivered Duty Paid ... named point of destination."
Free In and Out	A pricing term indicating that the vessel operator is responsible for the cost of loading and unloading.
Free List	A schedule of items in a customs tariff that are not subject to the payment of duties.
Free Market	A market in which there is unrestricted trading of goods with prices determined by supply and demand. Internationally, there is an unrestricted movement of goods in and out , and it is unhampered by the existence of tariffs or other trade barriers.
Free Port	An area where imported goods may be brought without payment of duties.
Free Time	1. The time allowed shippers and receivers to load or unload rail cars before demurrage or detention. 2. The time allowed consignees to take physical delivery of cargo before storage or demurrage is assessed.
Free Zone	An area within a country (a seaport, airport, warehouse or any designated area) regarded as being outside its customs territory where importers may bring goods of foreign origin without paying customs duties and taxes, pending their eventual processing, transshipment or re-exportation.
Free-Astray	A shipment or part of a shipment which has been dropped off at a wrong location by a carrier
Freight	1. All merchandise, goods, products, or commodities shipped by rail, air, road, or water, other than baggage, express mail, or regular mail. 2. The compensation paid for the transport of goods.
Freight Charge	The charge assessed for transporting cargo.
Freight Claim	1. A demand upon a carrier for the repayment of overcharge. 2. A demand upon a carrier for cargo loss or damage.
Freighter	A ship or airplane used primarily to carry cargo.
Fungibles	Goods that, for commercial purposes, are identical with other goods and interchangeable in all situations.
Futures Contract	A contract for the future delivery of a specified commodity, currency or security on a specific date at a rate determined in the present.
G
Gang	Maritime: A group of longshoremen under a supervisor who are assigned to load or unload a portion of a vessel.
Gangway	1. The opening through which a ship is boarded. 2. A platform connecting quarterdeck and forecastle of a ship.
Gantry Crane	A specialized crane which travels on a structure which can span a wide area and raises and lowers cargo. Some of them span the deck of a vessel.
Gateway	1. A major airport or seaport; 2. or the port where customs clearance takes place; 3. or a point at which freight moving from one territory to another is interchanged between transportation lines.
Geisha Bond	Bond issued on the Japanese market in currencies other than yen.
General Agreement On Tariffs And Trade (GATT)	Both a multilateral trade agreement aimed at expanding international trade and the organization which oversees the agreement. The main goals of GATT are to liberalize world trade and place it on a secure basis thereby contributing to economic growth and development and the welfare of the world's people. The organization, GATT, has been succeeded by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
General Average	1. loss that affects all cargo interests on board a vessel as well as the ship herself. 2. An internationally accepted rule of the sea which says when a peril threatens the survival of the ship, there may be sacrificed (thrown overboard) any cargo or supplies or ships' furnishings, and any expense incurred necessary to save the ship. If the vessel is saved, all cargo owners, ship owner, and owners of the freight revenue share pro rata in the loss.
General Cargo Rate	The rate a carrier charges for the transportation of cargo which does not qualify for a lower special class or commodity rate in the carrier's tariff.
General Cargo Vessels	A vessel designed to handle breakbulk cargo such as bags, cartons, cases, crates and drums, either individually or in unitized or palletized loads.
General Commodity Rate	In a maritime tariff, a freight rate applicable to all commodities except those for which specific rates have been filed.
General Imports	The total physical arrivals of merchandise into one country from foreign countries during a period of time..
General Liability	Unlimited responsibility for an obligation, such as payment of debts of a business.
General Order	(USA) The customs requirement that goods not cleared within a specific number of days after arrival of the carrier must be taken into custody of customs and deposited in a warehouse at the risk and expense of the consignee.
General Order Warehouse	(USA) A bonded warehouse authorized by customs to store goods sent to General Order.
General Partnership	A partnership where all partners have joint ownership. They share the profit, losses and management equally and each has personal liability for all the debts.
General Tariff	A tariff that applies to countries that do not enjoy either preferential or most favored nation tariff treatment.
Generalized System Of Preferences (GSP)	A program providing for free rates of duty for merchandise from beneficiary developing independent countries and territories to encourage their economic growth.
Global Bond	A bond that can be traded in any United States capital market and in the Euromarket with special arrangements made for transferability between the markets.
Global Quota	A quota set by a nation on the total imports of a product from all countries.
Gold Exchange Standard	A monetary system adopted by some countries which did not have enough gold to go onto the gold standard so they deposited their gold with one of the leading gold standard countries and made their currency more or less freely convertible to the currency of that country.
Gold Reserves	Gold retained by a nation or its central banks contributing to the nation's creditworthiness in the issuance of bonds and currency, although there may be no commitment by it to exchange gold for its currency.
Gold Standard	A monetary system whereby every form of currency issued by a country is convertible on demand into its legal equivalent in gold or gold coin
Gondola Car	An open railway car with sides and ends, used principally for hauling coal, sand, etc.
Goods	Merchandise; supplies; raw materials; wares; commodities; products. The meaning may vary in various situations but for purposes of a contract for storage or transportation, or with reference to collateral for security, it means all things treated as movable.
Grantee	1. One to whom a grant is made; a grant being the giving or permitting as a right or privilege, an authority, a power, a license, or a property. 2. (USA) As to foreign trade zones in the US, a corporation to which the privilege of establishing, operating, and maintaining a foreign trade zone has been granted by the Foreign Trade Zone Board.
Green Card	A popular name for an identity card (visa) issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service entitling a foreign national to enter and reside in the United States as a permanent resident.
Grid	Fixed margin within which exchange rates are allowed to fluctuate.
Gross	1. 12 dozen or 144 articles. 2. Total (as in "Gross Weight".)
Gross Domestic Product	A measure of the market value of all goods and services produced within the boundaries of a nation. It excludes income from external enterprises or investments.
Gross National Product	A measure of the market value of all goods and services produced within the boundaries of a nation plus receipts from foreign business activities and investments beyond the national boundaries.
Gross Weight	The total weight of a package or a shipment, including goods and packaging.

　

H
Hallmark	1. Originally an impression made on gold and silverware introduced in the beginning of the fourteenth century in England to identify the quality of the metal used. Later, a mark to identify the maker and year of production. 2. Figuratively, a distinguishing characteristic.
Harbor Fees	Charges assessed to users for use of a harbor, used generally for maintenance of the harbor.
Harbor Master	An officer who is commander of harbor activities and directs the berthing, etc. of ships in a harbor.
Hard Loan	A foreign loan that must be paid in hard money.
Hard Money	Currency of a nation having stability in the country and a reputation abroad for economic strength, and as a result it has wide and ready acceptability on world markets.
Harmonized System (HS)	A multipurpose international goods classification system designed to be used by manufacturers, transporters, exporters, importers, customs, statisticians, and others in classifying under a single commodity code goods moving in international trade.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)	(USA) An organized listing of goods and their duty rates which is used as the basis for classifying imported products and identifying the rates of duty to be charged on them. It is based on the international Harmonized System Convention.
Harter Act	(USA) An 1893 Federal Statute regarding ocean bills of lading and limitation of some carrier liabilities. It has been substantially superseded by the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act of 1936 and others.
Hatch	The opening in the deck of a vessel which gives access to a cargo hold.
Haulage	1. The local transport of goods. 2. Also the charge(s) made for hauling freight on carts, drays or trucks. 3. Also called cartage or drayage.
Hazardous Materials	A substance or material which has been determined to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce.
Heavy Lift	Any article deemed by rules in a vessel's tariff to be beyond a certain weight. It may be too heavy for the ship's tackle and require special equipment such as a floating crane.
Heavy Lift Charge	In a maritime tariff, a charge made for lifting heavy articles to load or unload them.
Heavy Lift Vessel	A vessel with heavy lift cranes and other equipment designed to be self-sustaining in the handling of heavy cargo.
Hedge	To reduce one's risk of loss by compensating transactions on the other side. For example, buy goods for future delivery priced in a foreign currency. Hedge by buying the foreign exchange needed at the rate then in effect. Or, another way of hedging is to buy a forward exchange contract. In both cases the buyer will have a known cost in its own currency. This is a hedge against the risk of foreign exchange fluctuation; it is not a hedge against a change in the price of the goods.
Hedge Ratio	The amount of future exchange contracts, options, or underlying financial instruments, purchased or sold against a position to accomplish a hedge of the position.
High Density	High density cargo is cargo whose weight is high compared to its volume. A vessel tariff in which freight is charged according to weight or volume, whichever yields the highest freight charge, will result in high density freight being charged on a weight basis.
Hitchment	In maritime situations, if the tariff of the steamship company provides for it, portions of a shipment originating in different places may be joined together under one bill of lading from one shipper to one consignee at one destination.
Hold	1. The interior of a vessel below deck where cargo is carried. 2. to delay; to pause (verb); a delay; a pause (noun). 3. A verb with multiple other meanings than those noted above such as: to retain, to contain, to maintain, to bind, to bear, to own.
Hold For Pickup	Freight to be held at the carrier's destination location for pickup by the recipient.
Hold Harmless Contract	An agreement by which one party accepts responsibility for all damages and other liability that arise from a transaction, relieving the other party of any such liability.
Honor	To accept a bill of exchange; or to pay a note, check or draft at maturity.
Horizontal Export Trading Company	An export trading company which exports a range of similar or identical products supplied by a number of manufacturers who may be competitors on the domestic market.
House Air Waybill	1. A bill of lading issued by a freight forwarder for consolidated air freight shipments. 2. An airwaybill issued by an airfreight forwarder by which the forwarder assumes the risk and obligations of being "the carrier."
House-To-House	A shipping term indicating that a container will be offered by the carrier for use by the shipper and the receiver for the transport of the contents from the domicile of one to the domicile of the other, but the carrier only contracts to transport the loaded container from terminal at origin to terminal at destination.(usually called C/Y to C/Y - container yard to container yard.)
Hub And Spoke Routing	Air cargo routing pattern that feeds traffic from many places to a central airport where it is sorted and rerouted on other aircraft to final destinations.
Hull	The outer shell of a vessel.
Hump	An essential feature of a railcar sorting yard . The "hump" is that part of the track which is elevated so that when a car is pushed up on it and uncoupled, it runs down the other side by gravity and is switched onto the siding where a train is being made up for the desired destination.
Hundredweight Pricing	In transportation, special pricing for multiple-piece shipments (weighing over 100 pounds in total) traveling to one destination, which are rated on the total weight of the shipment as opposed to rating on a per package basis.
I
Irrevocable Corporate Purchase Order	A purchase order completed by a buyer on corporate letter head indicating type and quantity of products being ordered from a supplier.
Identical Merchandise	(USA) For U.S. Customs purposes of appraisement, identical merchandise means merchandise identical in all respect to and produced in the same country and by the same person as, the merchandise being appraised.
Immediate Delivery(ID)	(USA) In certain circumstances, merchandise may be released by U. S. Customs under a special permit for immediate delivery with entry summary (details) and duty to be submitted subsequently. It is a procedure principally utilized along the land borders.
Immediate Transportation Entry	(USA) A form of U.S. Customs entry which allows imported merchandise to be transported under bond to another port for customs clearance thereat.
Immigration	The entry of foreign nationals into a country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence.
Implied Conditions	Certain implied conditions are not written into marine insurance policies, but they are so basic to the understanding between the underwriter and the assured that the law gives them much the same effect as if written. (In many other types of contracts there also may be "implied conditions," for example a seller of goods implies that they are fit for the purpose they purport to serve.)
Import	The act of bringing or causing any goods to be brought into a customs territory.
Import Credit	A commercial letter of credit issued for the purpose of financing the importation of goods.
Import Duty	Customs duty which is collected on in connection with the importation of goods.
Import License	An import license (or import permit) is an authorization by a competent authority for the importation of goods which are subject to restriction.
Import Quota	A protective device establishing limits on the quantity of a particular product that may be imported into a country.
Import Quota Auctioning	The process of auctioning the right to import specified quantities of quota-restricted goods.
Import Relief	Any of several measures imposed by a government to temporally restrict imports of a product or commodity to protect domestic producers from competition. Or, any of several measures to strengthen domestic producers such as subsidies, educational assistance to workers, training assistance to workers, low interest loans to producers, tax relief to producers etc.
Import Restrictions	Any one of a series of tariff and non-tariff barriers imposed by an importing nation to control the volume of goods coming into the country from other countries.
Import Sensitive Producers	Domestic producers whose economic viability is threatened by competition (quality, price or service) from imported products.
Import Substitution	A national economic strategy to build up a domestic economy by emphasizing the replacement of imports by domestically produced goods.
Importer	The individual, firm or legal entity that brings goods, or causes goods to be brought from a foreign country into a customs territory.
Importer Number	(USA) An identification number assigned by the U.S. Customs Service to each importer to track entries and other transactions. In most cases the Taxpayer's Identification Number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service is the number also used by Customs.
Imports	Goods brought into a customs territory.
Imports For Consumption	The total of merchandise that has physically cleared through the customs of a country either entering domestic consumption channels immediately or entering after withdrawal for consumption from bonded warehouses or from foreign trade zones.
Impost	1. A tax, especially an import duty. 2. To classify an impost in order to fix the duty. (rarely used). (Note: an imposter is one who imposts. Another definition of an imposter is a "pretender" but that is not the meaning intended here.).)
Impound	To seize or hold; or to place in custody by order of a court.
In Bond	(USA) A procedure under which goods are transported, stored, or handled, prior to clearance and release by customs, and the government's interest is secured by indemnity bonds.
In Bond Shipment	An import or export shipment which has not been cleared by Customs and is transported, stored, or handled with security to the government provided by indemnity bonds.
In-Bond System	(USA) A part of U.S. Customs' Automated Commercial System, controls merchandise from the point of unloading at the place of arrival, while handled or transported further in bond, until customs cleared.
Incentive	A motivational force that stimulates people to greater activity or increased efficiency.
Income	Money or its equivalent, earned or accrued, arising from the sale of goods or services.
Incoterms	An abbreviation of "International Commercial Terms" published by the International Chamber of Commerce. It is a set of rules for the interpretation of the most commonly used trade terms in foreign trade which parties to a contract can agree upon to avoid misunderstandings, disputes and litigation.
Indemnify	1. To compensate for actual loss sustained. 2. To give security for the reimbursement of a person in case of an anticipated loss falling upon him.
Indemnity	1. A compensation to make a person whole from a loss already sustained. 2. A contract or assurance by which one engages to secure another against an anticipated loss.
Independent Action	The right of a conference member to depart from the common freight rates, terms or conditions of the conference without the need for prior approval of the conference.
Indexed	In finance this term means "measured by" and/or "adjusted according to," thus an interest rate on a note may be, by agreement, "indexed" i.e. adjusted according to the market at time the interest is due. Or a note denominated in a foreign currency may have its exchange rate "indexed," adjusted according to the market rate in effect at the time of payment.
Indexed Currency Borrowings	Borrowings in a foreign currency where the rate of interest is linked to an agreed scale, and/or the rate of exchange at repayment is linked to an agreed scale.
Indexed Currency Option Note	Note denominated and paying interest in one currency but whose redemption value is linked to an exchange rate for another currency.
Industrial List	(USA) The Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls industrial list contains dual-use items (usable for military or nuclear purposes in addition to normal commercial uses) and as a result whose export is controlled for strategic reasons.
Industrial Policy	Encompasses traditional activist governmental policies intended to provide a favorable economic climate for the development of industry in general or specific industrial sectors.
Infant Industry Argument	The view that "temporary protection" for a new industry or firm in a particular country through tariff and non-tariff barriers to imports can help it to become established and eventually competitive in world markets, in which case the protective measures will no longer be needed.
Inflation	Loss of purchasing power of money caused by growth of the amount of money in circulation and reflected in a rise in prices without a proportionate increase in value of the things purchased..
Informal Entry	(USA) A simplified import entry procedure accepted at the option of Customs for any baggage or commercial shipment that does not exceed a specified value.
Informed Compliance	(USA) A term that describes the improved ability of a entity to comply with Federal rules and regulations through easy access to up-to-date information.
Infrastructure	The institutions and fundamental organizations which support the basic structure of a nation's economy, among these are: the educational system, the transportation systems, the banking system, the public utilities, the water supply system, the sanitation system, the health maintenance network, the public security and safety systems, the communication systems, the postal system etc.
Inherent Vice	The inherent physical properties of goods which may cause them to suffer deterioration or damage without outside influence. (For example: spontaneous combustion, rust etc.)
Injury	1. (USA) A finding by the U.S. International Trade Commission that an import is causing harm (material injury) or threatening to cause harm (material injury) to a U.S. industry...(If caused by sales to the U.S. at "less than fair value", it may be considered "dumping" and trigger "antidumping duties", or if it is caused by foreign subsidies or bounties, it may trigger "countervailing duties"). 2. A wrong or damage done to another, either in his person, rights, reputation, or property. 3. The invasion of any legally protected interest of another.
Inland Bill of Lading	A bill of lading used in transporting goods overland.
Inland Carrier	A transportation line which hauls cargo inland: truck, rail, barge, inland waterways, or domestic airline flights.
Inspection Certificate	A document describing the condition of goods and confirming that they have been inspected.
Instrument	Any written document that gives formal expression to a legal agreement or act.
Integrated Cargo Service	A blend of all segments of the cargo system providing the combined services of carrier, forwarder, handlers, and agents, utilizing all forms of transport.
Integrated Carriers	Carriers that have multiple varieties of fleets (i.e. air and ground, truck and rail, etc.).
Intellectual Property	Non-tangible property that is the result of creativity such as copyrights and patents.
Interbank Dealings	Dealings between banks.
Interchange Agreement	An agreement that specifically lays out the terms of leasing or temporarily borrowing equipment from a carrier. A frequent use of an interchange agreement is between an ocean carrier and a trucking company when the trucking company takes a container from the pier for delivery to the consignee.
Interchange Point	A location where one carrier delivers freight to another carrier.
Interline Shipping	The movement of a single shipment on two or more carriers.
Intermodal Compatibility	The physical capability of a shipment of goods to be transported from one form of transportation to another.
Intermodal Transport	Coordinated transport of freight using multiple methods of transportation.
International Trade	The business of buying and selling commodities beyond national borders.
International Trade Data System	A proposed electronic system that would integrate the different government trade and transportation data processes into a system that provides a standard means of gathering, processing, storing and disseminating import and export trade data. See IT06.
Interstate Carrier	(USA) A common carrier whose business extends beyond the boundaries of one state.
Interstate Commerce	(USA) Trade, transport, and communication between or among the several states of the United States.
Invisible Barriers to Trade	Government regulations (national and local), and cultural conditions that do not directly restrict trade but hinder it with excessive and obscure requirements.
Invisible Trade Balance	The balance of trade reflecting the import and export of services.
Invoice	A written account or itemized statement, usually on a printed form with the name and address of the seller, listing merchandise sold or shipped to a purchaser, consignee, factor etc., showing their name and address, and containing a description of the merchandise, the quantity, values or prices and charges, and other significant details of the transaction such as the terms of sale and the currency of the purchase.
Inward Foreign Manifest (IFM)	(USA) A U.S. Customs mandated document requiring the complete listing by bill of lading number or airwaybill numbers of an arriving carrier's cargo. It should give the commercial particulars of the goods including: consignors, consignees, marks and numbers, number and kind of packages, their weights or measures, descriptions and quantities of the goods, their port of loading and intended port of discharge.
Irrevocable Letter of Credit	A letter of credit which cannot be amended or canceled without prior mutual consent of all parties to the credit.
Issuance	1. The execution, validation, and tender of delivery of a contract or financial instrument to the appropriate party. 2. The act of sending forth, promulgating, or the giving of a thing its first inception. The first delivery of an instrument to a holder or remitter.
Issuance Date of the Documents	The date indicated on documents as their date of preparation, subject to correction when necessary as noted above under the term "issuance" and under the definition of "Date of Issue" elsewhere in this glossary.
IT06	An initiative calling for the development of an international trade data system sponsored by the US Government that will meet the needs of Federal agencies involved in international trade as well as the trade information needs of businesses and the general public.

　

S
Sales Agreement	A written document (a contract) by which a seller agrees to convey property to a buyer for a stipulated price under specified conditions.
Sales Tax	A tax placed by a state or municipality on items at the time of their sale, usually a percentage of the purchase price.
Salvage	1. Compensation paid for the rescue of a ship, its cargo or passengers from the perils of the sea; 2. or, the act of saving a ship or its cargo from possible loss; 3. or, property saved from a wreck or fire.
Samurai Bond	Bond issued on the Japanese market in yen for non-Japanese borrowers.
Sanction	1. A punitive act taken by one or more nations against another nation which has violated a treaty or international law. 2. A proviso in a law to secure its enforcement by imposing a penalty for its violation or offering a reward for its observance.
Seal	A mark or sign that is used to attest the execution of an instrument, contract, or other document.
Seaworthiness	The fitness or safety of a vessel for its intended use.
Secured	Guaranteed as to payment by the pledge of something valuable as security or collateral.
Security	1. Property pledged as collateral to a debt. 2. Protection; assurance; indemnification. 3. A document that indicates evidence of indebtedness or of equity interest - including notes, bonds, debentures, stocks, certificate of interest, etc. which may be traded on an exchange.
Seizure	The act of taking possession of property.
Seller's Market	Exists when goods are in short supply compared to the demand, at which point the economic forces of business tend to cause goods to be priced at the vendor's estimate of value.
Selling Rate	Rate at which a bank is willing to sell foreign exchange or to lend money.
Service A Loan	To pay interest due on a loan.
Settlement Date	The date on which payment for a transaction must be made.
Shared Foreign Sales Corporation	(USA) A foreign sales corporation formed to make export sales and earn favorable tax treatment thereon. A Shared Foreign Sales Corporation requires more than one and less than 25 unrelated exporters.
Ship's Manifest	A list of the individual shipments constituting the ship's cargo.
Ship's Papers	The documents a ship must carry to meet the safety, health, immigration, commercial and customs requirements of a port of call or of international law.
Ship's Stores	The food, medical supplies, spare parts and other provisions carried for the day-to-day running of a vessel.
Shipment	1. Delivery of cargo to a carrier for transportation. 2. The transportation of goods. 3. The property which is the subject of transportation.
Shipped On Deck	Goods shipped on the deck of a vessel. The bill of lading covering goods shipped on deck must be annotated to that effect.
Shipper	1. One who transports goods for a charge. In normal usage, such a person would be called a carrier, but carriers are also called "shippers" 2. One who tenders goods to a carrier for transportation. 3. The sender of goods to be transported as distinct from the receiver or the consignee.
Shipping Order	Instructions from a shipper to a carrier for the transportation of goods.
Short Form Bill of Lading	A bill of lading on which the detailed conditions of transportation are not listed in full, but instead there is a statement which declares them to be incorporated by reference, and states the place where they are available.
Short of Exchange	The position of a foreign exchange trader who has sold more foreign currency of a particular country than he has in possession to cover sales.
Short Weight	Any shipment found to weigh less than the documents indicate, be it a bill of lading, a dock receipt, a warehouse receipt, an inspection certificate, or a weight tally.
Shortage	A deficiency in quantity shipped, stored, or received.
Sling	A contrivance into which freight is placed to be hoisted into or out of a ship.
Slip	A vessel's berth between two piers.
Small Package Service	A specialized service to guarantee the delivery of small parcels within specified express time limits.
Smuggling	Moving goods across a customs frontier in a clandestine manner, evading customs control. It may be goods on which duty and taxes have been avoided, or it may be goods which are not permitted to be imported or exported.
Soft Currency	The currency of a country that is not readily accepted by other countries and is not readily converted into currencies which are readily acceptable (hard currencies).
Soft Loan	A loan made with easy or generous terms such as low or no interest and long payback.
Sovereign Credit	A direct borrowing or a borrowing guaranteed by the government of a sovereign state.
Sovereign Risk	1. The risk to a lender that the government of a sovereign state may default on its financial obligations. 2. Also, the risk to a lender that unfavorable changes in the borrowers overall currency exchange position might imperil the payment of a loan. 3. Also the risk to a lender that unfavorable political events in the country of the debtor might imperil repayment.
Special Rates	Rates that apply to cargo traffic under special conditions and usually to and from a limited number of points.
Specific Commodity Rate	With reference to freight rates, it is a favorable freight rate usually applicable to certain classes of commodities which move in large volume shipments.
Specific Rate of Duty	A specified amount of duty per unit of weight or other quantity.
Spot Cash	Immediate cash payment on a transaction.
Spot Exchange	The purchase and sale of foreign exchange for delivery and payment at the time of the transaction.
Spot Exchange Rate	The price of one currency expressed in terms of another currency at a given moment in time.
Spot Market	The market for a commodity or foreign exchange available for immediate delivery.
Spot Operations	Foreign exchange dealings and commodity trading in which settlement of the mutual delivery and payment commitment is made immediately.
Spot Price	The selling of goods or commodities for immediate delivery.
Spot Rate	The rate (price per unit) for purchase or sale of a commodity or foreign exchange for immediate delivery.
Spotting	The placing (or parking) of a container in the place where required, to be loaded or unloaded, or held for further action.
Standby Commitment	A bank commitment to loan money up to a specified amount for a specific period, to be used only in a certain contingency.
Standby Letter of Credit	A letter of credit which a bank issues on behalf of its customer to serve as a guarantee to the beneficiary of the letter of credit that the bank's customer will perform a specified contract with the beneficiary. If the customer defaults, the beneficiary may draw funds against the letter of credit as penalties or as payments, whichever the terms of the credit provide.
Steamship (or steamer)	Vessels powered by steam engines. However, the term is often used to describe powered vessels in general, and companies who operate ocean going cargo vessels are often called "steamship companies" despite the fact that the use of steam power for ocean going vessels is obsolete, the modern standard being diesel engines fueled by oil.
Steamship Indemnity	A contract of indemnity issued by a bank to an ocean carrier indemnifying the carrier for any loss incurred for release of goods without surrender of the original bill of lading properly endorsed.
Stevedore	1. A person having charge of the loading and unloading of ships in port. 2. Sometimes used to indicate those laborers who actually perform the physical work of loading and unloading a ship (usually called longshoremen.)
Storage	The keeping of goods in a warehouse or other repository.
Storage Demurrage	A storage charge made on property remaining on the dock or terminal past the permitted "free-time period".
Storage in Transit	The stopping of freight traffic at a point located between the point of origin and destination to be stored and reforwarded at a later date.
Store-Door Delivery	The movement of goods to the consignee's place of business, customarily applied to movement by truck.
Stowage	The arranging and packing of cargo in a vessel for shipment.
Stowage Instructions	Specific instructions given by the shipper or his agent concerning the way in which cargo is to be handled or stowed. It may refer to the location in the hold, whether a particular side is to be on top, the kind of other cargo it may not be near, the number of pieces which may be stacked, what implements may not be used to move it, such as "use no hooks" on bales, etc.
Stowplan	A diagram showing where cargo has been placed in a vessel (also known as a stowage plan.)
Straight Bill of Lading	A nonnegotiable bill of lading that designates a consignee who is to receive the goods and obligates the carrier to deliver the goods to that consignee only.
Strike Clause	An insurance clause which may be included in policies to cover against losses as a result of strikes, riots and civil commotions.
Stripping	The unloading of cargo from a container or truck; (also called devanning.)
Stuffing	The loading of cargo into a container.
Subsidiary	Any organization more than 50 percent of whose voting stock is owned by another firm.
Subsidy	A grant paid by a government to producers or exporters of goods to strengthen their competitive position.
Supply Access	Assurances sought by importing countries that they will, in the future, have fair and equitable access at reasonable prices to supplies of raw materials and other essential imports.
Surcharge	A charge or tax above the usual or customary charge.
Surety	A bond or other security that protects a person, corporation, or other legal entity in case of another's default in the payment of a given obligation, improper performance of a given contract, malfeasance of office, etc. The one who undertakes to be the surety is primarily liable in case of the default.
Survey	1. To examine and report on the condition of a vessel for purposes of establishing seaworthiness, value, or dimensions. 2. To examine and report on the condition of goods or a structure. 3. To examine and report on the condition of goods or property after a casualty to determine the extent of the loss and the probable cause. (Often to support an insurance claim, - although there may be a claim without insurance being involved.) 4. The reports described above, generally conducted by an independent third party, called "a surveyor."
Sushi Bond	Eurodollar bonds issued by Japanese corporations on the Japanese market for Japanese investors.
Swap (transactions)	A kind of financial transaction which has many variations, usually highly complex. They generally involve a simultaneous exchange of assets (the swap) by counterparties for other different assets of comparable value. The assets may be commodities or they may be financial instruments involving interest rates, cash flows, foreign exchange, debts or equities. In addition to financial profits, the swaps have many purposes such as limiting risks, overcoming restrictions in certain markets, or balancing portfolios.
Switch Arrangements	A form of countertrade in which the seller sells on credit and then transfers the credit to a third party at a discount. Or, in another type of switch, the rights to purchase certain goods, resulting from a countertrade operation, are sold to a third party at a discount.
T
Tare Weight	The weight of a container and/or packing materials, but without the goods being shipped. The gross weight of a shipment less the net weight of the goods being shipped. (In other words, the weight of the packing.)
Tariff	1. A comprehensive list or "schedule" of merchandise with applicable duty rates to be paid or charged for each listed article; together with governing rules and regulations.(A "customs" Tariff.) 2. A schedule of rates and charges applied by a business, especially a common carrier, together with a description of the services offered and the rules and regulations applicable.
Tariff Anomaly	In a customs tariff, a tariff anomaly exists when the tariff on raw materials or semi-manufactured goods is higher than the tariff on the finished product.
Tariff Escalation	In a customs tariff, a situation in which duties on raw materials are nonexistent or very low; duties on semi-processed goods are moderate; and duties on manufactured goods are relatively high.
Tariff Rate Quotas	(Customs) Application of a higher duty rate to imported goods after a specified quantity of the item has entered the country at a lower prevailing rate.
Tariff Schedule	(Customs) A comprehensive list of the goods which may be imported into a country, and the import duties applicable to each product.
Tariff War	(Customs) When one nation increases the tariffs on goods imported from, or exported to another country, and that country then follows by raising tariffs itself in a retaliatory manner.
Tax Haven	A nation offering low tax rates and other incentives for individuals and businesses of other countries to locate there.
Temporary Importation (Admission Temporaire)	A customs procedure under which certain goods can be brought into a customs territory temporarily, conditionally relieved from the payment of import duties and taxes; such goods must be imported for a permitted purpose and must be intended for exportation within the permitted period.
Tender	1. A small vessel which serves a larger vessel in a port for the purpose of supplying provisions and carrying passengers to and from ship to shore. 2. An offer of money. An offer to supply something. An offer to present something. 3. To satisfy a claim, an unconditional offer to perform coupled with a manifest ability to carry out the offer. 4. A car connected behind a steam railroad locomotive to carry coal and water. (Almost obsolete).
Tenor	The term fixed for the payment of a draft or debt.
Terminal	An facility which is used by a rail, ship, air, or truck line as a place for receiving and delivering cargo; loading; unloading; transferring; temporarily storing; recoopering; and similarly handling freight; and repairing and servicing equipment..
Terminal Charge	A charge made for services performed at transportation terminals.
Terms of Trade	The ratio of the index of export prices to the index of import prices. (Note the difference from "Trade Terms"
Third World Countries	Developing countries, especially in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Through Bill of Lading	A single bill of lading covering receipt of cargo at a point of origin for delivery to an ultimate consignee, usually involving multiple carriers and multiple modes of transport.
Through Rate	A shipping rate applicable to transportation from point of origin to destination where multiple carriers and multiple modes of transport may be involved.
Tied Loan	A loan made by a government that requires a foreign borrower to spend the proceeds in the lender's country.
To Order	A term on a financial instrument or title document indicating that it is negotiable and transferable.
Tracer	A request upon a transportation line to trace a shipment for the purpose of locating its whereabouts, expediting its movement or establishing delivery.
Tracking	A carrier's system of recording movements of shipments from origin to destination.
Trade Acceptance	A draft drawn by the seller of goods upon the buyer who agrees to pay by signing "accepted" on the draft.
Trade Deficit	A nation's excess of imports over exports over a period of time.
Trade Name	The name under which an organization conducts business, or by which the business or its goods and services are identified.
Trade Promotion	Encouragement of the progress, growth, or acceptance of trade. (Note: Some would define it solely as the encouragement of exports.)`
Trade Surplus	A nation's excess of exports over imports over a period of time.
Trade Terms	The setting of responsibilities of the buyer and seller in a sale including sale price, the payment of costs such as shipping, insurance, and customs; the arranging of the performance of these activities; and the determination of when title passes. (Note the difference from "Terms of Trade")
Trailer	A vehicle without motor power designed to be drawn by another vehicle.
Tramp Line	A transportation line operating tramp steamers in waterborne commerce.
Tramp Steamer	A vessel which does not operate under any regular schedule from one port to another, but calls at any port where cargo may be obtained and charges a negotiated amount of freight. Usually they transport breakbulk or bulk cargo.
Trans-Ship	1. To transfer goods from one transportation line to another, or from one ship to another, or from one airline to another in order to complete a delivery . 2. To ship to one country, and then to re-export to another. (Sometimes the second exporting country may be incorrectly represented as the country of origin.)
Transaction Value	(USA) The price actually paid or payable for merchandise imported.
Transfer Of Technology	The movement of modern or scientific methods of production or distribution from one enterprise or country to another.
Transfers (mail, wire, cable)	A transfer is the remittance of a sum of money to a party in another place. This may be accomplished by mailing cash or drafts or using the services of a commercial bank or a wire transfer company for a fee.
Transit Zone	An area in a port of entry in a coastal country that is established as a storage and distribution center for the convenience of a neighboring country which lacks adequate port facilities or access to the sea.
Transmittal Letter	In international commerce, a letter from the shipper or their agent transmitting documents relative to a shipment. Usually there will be included a list of the documents enclosed and details covering the transportation of the shipment such as the name of the carrier, date of departure etc. .
Transparency	The extent to which laws, regulations, agreements, and practices affecting international trade are open, clear, measurable, and verifiable.
Transport Documents	All types of documents evidencing acceptance, receipt and shipment of goods.
Transportation and Exportation Entry	(USA) Customs entry used when merchandise arrives in the U.S. and is moved in bond to another U.S. port for re-export to a foreign country.
Traveler	One who passes from place to place, whether for pleasure, instruction, business or health.
Traveler's Checks	A check designed for business travelers and tourists, issued by a financial institution of sufficient importance that it will be readily accepted or cashed by businesses and banks. For safety it is often designed to be countersigned twice by the traveler in order to be valid, once at issuance and once upon being cashed.
Triangular Trade	Trade between three countries which creates a more favorable flow of trade for each than would exist between only two of them dealing directly with each other.
Tropical Products	Agricultural goods grown in tropical zones ...coffee, tea, spices, bananas, and tropical hardwoods etc,
Trust Receipt	A written declaration by a customer to a bank that ownership in goods released by the bank is retained by the bank, and that the client has received the goods in trust only. Such a trust receipt may be is given by the customer to the bank to induce the bank to issue a letter of indemnity to a carrier to release a shipment.
Turnkey	A term for a method of construction whereby the contractor assumes total responsibility from design through completion of the product and release to the client in a stage so complete that the buyer need only to turn the key to open the door and walk into a facility that is ready to operate.
Turnkey Contract	An agreement under which a contractor agrees to complete a product so that it is ready for use when delivered to the other contracting party.
Two-tier Market	An exchange rate regime employed in some countries with managed currency exchange rates where the more favorable rates are maintained for selected activities..
Tying Arrangement	A condition that a seller imposes on a buyer, requiring that if the buyer desires to purchase one product (tying product), the buyer must also agree to purchase another product (tied product), which the buyer may or may not want. The laws of some countries prohibit certain tying arrangements, for example in the U.S. the Clayton and the Sherman anti-trust Acts.