Shipping glossary

The words you meet on a quote, a bill of lading or a customs form, explained in plain language. Every term shows its name in English, Arabic, Chinese and Persian, so you can talk to a factory in Guangzhou and a broker in Dubai with the same words.

Parties and roles

Shipper (consignor)The party that sends the goods and is named as shipper on the transport document, usually the seller or its export agent.الشاحن (المرسل)发货人（托运人）فرستنده (Shipper)ConsigneeThe party to whom the goods are delivered, named in the consignee box of the bill of lading or other transport document.المرسل إليه收货人گیرنده (Consignee)Notify partyThe party the carrier informs when the cargo arrives, named on the bill of lading next to the consignee.الطرف المُخطَر通知方طرف اطلاع (Notify party)Freight forwarderA company that organises the transport of goods for its customers, booking carriers, preparing documents and coordinating customs along the route.وكيل الشحن货运代理（货代）فورواردر (شرکت حمل‌ونقل بین‌المللی)Customs broker (clearing agent)A licensed agent who prepares and files customs declarations on behalf of an exporter or importer.المخلّص الجمركي报关行（清关代理）ترخیص‌کار (کارگزار گمرکی)Carrier (shipping line)The company that actually carries the goods, such as the shipping line, trucking company or railway, under a contract of carriage.الناقل (الخط الملاحي)承运人（船公司）حامل (خط کشتیرانی)NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier)A carrier that issues its own house bills of lading to shippers without operating any ships, buying space from shipping lines.NVOCC (ناقل غير مشغّل للسفن)NVOCC（无船承运人）NVOCC (حامل بدون کشتی)Importer of recordThe person or company legally responsible for an import: the declaration, the duties and taxes, and compliance with import rules.المستورد المسجّل进口登记人（记录进口商）واردکننده رسمی (Importer of record)

Modes and equipment

FCL (full container load)A shipment where one shipper uses a whole container, sealed at origin and delivered to one consignee.FCL (حاوية كاملة)FCL（整箱）FCL (کانتینر کامل)LCL (less than container load)A shared-container shipment where your goods travel with other shippers' cargo and are charged by volume or weight.LCL (شحنة جزئية / مجمّعة)LCL（拼箱）LCL (خرده‌بار / بار تجمیعی)20GP / 40GP / 40HQ containersThe three standard dry shipping containers: 20 ft general purpose, 40 ft general purpose and 40 ft high cube, which is about 30 cm taller.حاويات 20GP / 40GP / 40HQ20GP / 40GP / 40HQ 集装箱کانتینر 20GP / 40GP / 40HQReefer (refrigerated container)A temperature-controlled container with its own cooling unit, used for chilled, frozen or temperature-sensitive goods.الحاوية المبرّدة (Reefer)冷藏箱（Reefer）کانتینر یخچالی (Reefer)FTL / LTL (full and part truckload)FTL means one shipper hires a whole truck; LTL means the cargo shares a truck with other shippers' goods.FTL / LTL (شاحنة كاملة / جزئية)FTL / LTL（整车 / 零担）FTL / LTL (کامیون دربست / خرده‌بار)CBM (cubic metre)A cubic metre, the unit used to measure cargo volume and to price LCL sea freight.CBM (المتر المكعب)CBM（立方米）CBM (متر مکعب)Chargeable weight (W/M)The billing quantity in LCL sea freight: the greater of the cargo's weight in tonnes or its volume in CBM.الوزن المحتسب (W/M)计费重量（W/M）وزن قابل محاسبه (W/M)TransshipmentMoving a container from one vessel to another at a hub port on the way to its final destination.إعادة الشحن (المسافنة)中转（转运）ترانشیپ (انتقال بین کشتی)Bonded transitMoving goods under customs control and seal from one customs point to another without paying duty until final clearance.العبور تحت الرقابة الجمركية (الترانزيت)保税转运（过境运输）ترانزیت تحت نظارت گمرکTIR carnetAn international customs transit document and guarantee that lets sealed trucks cross several borders with minimal customs checks.دفتر النقل البري الدولي TIRTIR证کارنه تیر (TIR)

Documents

Commercial invoiceThe seller's final invoice for the goods, used by customs in China and at destination as the basis for the customs value.الفاتورة التجارية商业发票فاکتور تجاری (Commercial invoice)Packing listA document listing every package in a shipment with its contents, weights, dimensions and marks.قائمة التعبئة装箱单لیست بسته‌بندی (پکینگ لیست)Proforma invoice (PI)A preliminary invoice or quotation issued by the seller before shipment, stating goods, price, Incoterm and payment terms.الفاتورة المبدئية (Proforma)形式发票（PI）پیش‌فاکتور (Proforma invoice)Bill of lading (B/L)The sea transport document that serves as receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and title to the goods when negotiable.بوليصة الشحن (B/L)提单（B/L）بارنامه دریایی (B/L)House B/L and master B/LThe shipping line issues the master B/L to the forwarder; the forwarder issues the house B/L to the actual shipper and consignee.البوليصة الفرعية والبوليصة الرئيسية货代提单与船东提单（HBL / MBL）بارنامه فرعی و بارنامه اصلی (HBL / MBL)Telex release (surrendered B/L)Release of cargo at destination without paper originals, after the original bills of lading are surrendered to the carrier at origin.الإفراج بالتلكس (Telex release)电放（Telex release）تلکس ریلیز (Telex release)Sea waybillA non-negotiable sea transport document; the named consignee collects the cargo on identification, without any original.بوليصة الشحن البحري غير القابلة للتداول (Sea waybill)海运单（Sea waybill）راه‌نامه دریایی (Sea waybill)CMR consignment noteThe international road consignment note under the CMR Convention, serving as receipt and evidence of the road transport contract.سند الشحن البري CMRCMR国际公路运单بارنامه جاده‌ای CMRSMGS and CIM rail waybillsThe international rail consignment notes: SMGS for China, Central Asia and Russia, CIM for Europe, Turkey and some Middle East states.بوليصة السكك الحديدية SMGS وCIM国际铁路联运运单（SMGS / CIM）بارنامه ریلی SMGS و CIMCertificate of origin (CO)An official document that states the country where the goods were made.شهادة المنشأ (CO)原产地证（CO）گواهی مبدأ (CO)Delivery order (D/O)The carrier's or agent's release document that authorises collection of the cargo from the port or warehouse at destination.إذن التسليم (D/O)提货单（D/O）ترخیصیه / دستور تحویل (D/O)Arrival noticeA notice from the carrier or its agent telling the consignee and notify party that cargo is arriving and which charges are due.إشعار الوصول到货通知اعلامیه ورود (Arrival notice)Customs declarationThe formal filing to customs that declares goods for export, import, transit or another procedure.البيان الجمركي报关单（海关申报）اظهارنامه گمرکیHS code (tariff code)The international classification number for goods that determines the duty rate, permits and statistics for a product.رمز النظام المنسق (HS code)HS编码（海关编码）کد تعرفه (HS code)Letter of credit (L/C)A bank's undertaking to pay the seller once it presents documents that comply exactly with the credit's terms.الاعتماد المستندي (L/C)信用证（L/C）اعتبار اسنادی (LC)Insurance certificateA document issued by an insurer proving that a specific shipment is covered by cargo insurance.شهادة التأمين保险单（保险凭证）گواهی بیمهFumigation certificate (ISPM 15)Proof that wood packaging or cargo was treated against pests, under the international ISPM 15 standard for solid wood.شهادة التبخير (ISPM 15)熏蒸证书（ISPM 15）گواهی فومیگاسیون (ISPM 15)MSDS / SDS (safety data sheet)A document from the manufacturer describing a product's hazards, safe handling and transport classification.صحيفة بيانات السلامة (MSDS / SDS)MSDS / SDS（化学品安全技术说明书）برگه اطلاعات ایمنی مواد (MSDS / SDS)

Costs and charges

Ocean freightThe main charge for carrying goods by sea from the port of loading to the port of discharge.أجرة الشحن البحري海运费کرایه دریایی (Ocean freight)THC (terminal handling charge)The charge for handling containers at the port terminal, billed at origin to the shipper and at destination to the consignee.THC (رسوم مناولة المحطة)THC（码头操作费）THC (هزینه تخلیه و بارگیری ترمینال)BAF (bunker adjustment factor)A fuel surcharge added by shipping lines to the base ocean freight to reflect changes in the price of ship fuel.BAF (رسوم تعديل الوقود)BAF（燃油附加费）BAF (سرشارژ سوخت)War risk surchargeAn extra charge carriers add when a route passes through conflict or high-risk areas, covering higher insurance and operating costs.رسوم مخاطر الحرب战争附加费（战争风险附加费）سرشارژ ریسک جنگDemurrageA charge from the shipping line for keeping a full container inside the port terminal beyond the free time.غرامة التأخير في الميناء (Demurrage)滞港费（Demurrage）دموراژ (Demurrage)DetentionA charge from the shipping line for keeping its container outside the port beyond the free time, until the empty is returned.غرامة احتجاز الحاوية (Detention)滞箱费（Detention）دیتنشن (Detention)Free timeThe number of days a shipping line allows before demurrage and detention charges begin.فترة السماح免费期（免费用箱期）مهلت رایگان (Free time)Customs dutyA tax on imported goods, calculated in the GCC mainly as a percentage of the CIF value.الرسوم الجمركية关税حقوق گمرکیVAT (value added tax)A consumption tax charged on imported goods at the border, calculated on the customs value plus duty.ضريبة القيمة المضافة (VAT)增值税（VAT）مالیات بر ارزش افزوده (VAT)CIF valueThe cost of the goods plus insurance and freight to the port of entry, used as the customs value in the GCC.القيمة سيف (CIF value)CIF价值（到岸价）ارزش سیف (CIF value)

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