C

Cable Ship
A specially constructed ship for the laying and repairing of telegraph and telephone cables across channels, seas, lakes, and oceans.

CAD
See Cash Against Documents

CAF
See Currency Adjustment Factor

Cabotage

Cabotage Policies
Reservation of a country's coastal (domestic) shipping for its own flag vessels.

Call
The visit of a vessel to a port.

Call Sign
A code published by the International Telecommunication Union in its annual List of Ships' Stations to be used for the information interchange between vessels, port authorities and other relevant participants in international trade.
Note: The code structure is based on a three digit designation series assigned by the ITU and a one digit assigned by the country of registration. (PDHP =P&O Nedlloyd Rotterdam)

Camber
Slightly arched form of container-floors to strengthen the construction.

Capacity

Capacity Control
Process of registering and steering of capacity.

Captain's Protest
A document prepared by the captain of a vessel on arriving at port; shows conditions encountered during voyage, generally for the purpose of relieving ship owner of any loss to cargo and shifting responsibility for reimbursement to the insurance company.

Capstan
Mechanical device with drum having a vertical spindle used to tighten or slacken mooring ropes or to haul an anchor.

Carload Rate
A rate applicable to a carload of goods.

Car Pooling
Use of individual carrier/rail equipment through a central agency for the benefit of carriers and shippers.

Car Seal
Metal strip and lead fastener used for locking freight car or truck doors. Seals are numbered for record purposes.

Carfloat
A barge equipped with tracks on which up to about 12 railroad cars are moved in harbors or inland waterways.

Cargo

Cargo and Freight
Abbreviation : C& F or CFR.
Obsolete, albeit heavily used, term of sale meaning "cargo and freight" whereby Seller pays for cost of goods and freight charges up to destination port. In July, 1990 the International Chamber of Commerce replaced C&F with CFR.

Cargo Assembly
The separate reception of parcels or packages and the holding of them for later despatch as one consignment (air cargo).

Cargo Disassembly
The separation of one or more of the component parts of a consignment (from other parts of such consignment) for any purpose other than that of presenting such part or parts to customs authorities at the specific request of such authorities (air cargo).

Cargo Handling
All procedures necessary to enable the physical handling of goods.

Cargo Manifest
A manifest that lists all cargo carried on a specific vessel voyage.

Cargo NOS
Cargo Not Otherwise Specified. Usually the rate entry in a tariff that can apply to commodities not covered under a specific item or sub item in the applicable tariff.

Cargo Plan
A plan giving the quantities and description of the various grades carried in the ship's cargo tanks, after the loading is completed.

Cargo Preference
Reserving a portion of a nation's imports and exports to national-flag vessels.

Cargo Restriction Code
A code indicating that the use of a certain container is restricted to particular cargo.

Cargo Tonnage
Most ocean freight is billed on the basis of weight or measurement tons (W/M). Weight tons can be expressed in short tons of 2000 pounds, long tons of 2240 pounds or metric tons of 1000 kilos (2204.62 pounds). Measurement tons are usually expressed as cargo measurement of 40 cubic feet (1.12 meters) or cubic meters (35.3 cubic feet.)

Cargo Tracer
A document sent by the agent to all relevant parties, stating that certain cargo is either missing or over-landed.

Cargo Unit
A vehicle, container, pallet, flat, portable tank or any other entity or any part thereof which belongs to the ship but is not permanently attached to that ship.

Carnet
A Customs document permitting the holder to temporarily carry or send merchandise into certain foreign countries (for display, demonstration or similar purposes) without paying duties or posting bonds. Any of various Customs documents required for crossing some international borders.

Carriage
The process of transporting (conveying) cargo, from one point to another.

Carriage Paid To (...named place of destination)
Abbreviation: CPT
See Inco Terms

Carriage and Insurance Paid To (...named place of destination)
Abbreviation: CIP
See Inco Terms

Carriage of Goods by Sea Act.
Abbreviation: COGSA
U.S. federal codification passed in 1936 which standardizes carrier's liability under carrier's bill of lading. U.S. enactment of The Hague Rules.

Carrier
The party undertaking transport of goods from one point to another. The term is also used to refer to the vessels.

Carrier Haulage
The inland transport service, which is performed by the sea-carrier under the terms and conditions of the tariff and of the relevant transport document.

Carriers Bill of Lading Ports
Terminal, Pre-terminal port or Post-terminal Port as per tariff, indicated on the Bill of Lading and which is not the port physically called at by Carriers' ocean vessels.
Note: Under normal circumstances in the B/L only ports should be mentioned which are actually called at.

Carrier's Certificate
A certificate required by U.S. Customs to release cargo properly to the correct party.

Carriers' Lien
When the shipper ships goods 'collect', the carrier has a possessory claim on these goods, which means that the carrier can retain possession of the goods as security for the charges due.

Carrying Temperature
Required cargo temperature during transport and storage.
See also: Setting/Air Delivery Temperature

Cartage
Usually refers to inter-city hauling on drays or trucks.
See Haulage

Cartment
Customs form permitting in bond cargo to be moved from one location to another under Customs control, within the same Customs district. Usually in motor carrier's possession while draying cargo.

Cash Against Documents
Abbreviation: CAD
Terms of payment: if the buyer of goods pays for the goods against transfer of the documents, entitling him to obtain delivery of the goods from the carrier.

Cash In Advance
Abbreviation: CIA
A method of payment for goods in which the buyer pays the seller in advance of the shipment of goods. Usually employed when the goods, such as specialized machinery, are built to order.

Cash On Delivery
Abbreviation: COD
Terms of payment: if the carrier collects a payment from the consignee and remits the amount to the shipper (air cargo).

Cash With Order
Abbreviation: CWO
A method of payment for goods in which cash is paid at the time of order and the transaction becomes binding on both buyer and seller.

Catamaran
A double or treble-hulled vessel constructed in wood, aluminum or reinforced glass fibre and is also composed of two or three hulls diagonally joined together by various methods. Normally no ballast is needed to counteract the center buoyancy since it enjoys good stability at sea.

Catamaran Tug
Abbreviation : CATUG
A rigid catamaran tug connected to a barge. When joined together, they form and look like a single hull of a ship; oceangoing integrated tug-barge vessels.

Catwalk
A raised bridge running fore and aft from the midship, and also called "walkway". It affords safe passage over the pipelines and other deck obstructions.

Caveat Emptor
Let the buyer beware, purchaser must ascertain the condition of the goods to be purchased prior to the purchase.

Cavitation
The formation of partial vacuum bubbles on submerged surfaces caused by low pressure arising from a hydrodynamic flow as a result of mechanical force, usually associated with the use of propellers. The collapse of the bubbles causes surface damage and pits.

Cell
The construction system employed in container vessels; permits ship containers to be stowed in a vertical line with each container supporting the one above it. The position on board a vessel in which a cargo container is stowed; designated by Bay-Column- Height in stow.

Cell Position
The location of a cell on board of a container vessel identified by a code for successively the bay, the row and the tier, indicating the position of a container on that vessel.

Cell-guide
Steel bars and rails used to steer containers during loading and discharging whilst sliding in the ship.

Cellular Vessel
A vessel, specially designed and equipped for the carriage of containers.

CENSA
Council of European and Japanese National Shipowner's Associations.

Central Warehouse
A warehouse which performs central functions for a number of warehouses.

Center of Gravity
The point of equilibrium of the total weight of a containership, 1truck, train or a piece of cargo.

Certificate
A document by which a fact is formally or officially attested and in which special requirements and conditions can be stated.

Certificate of Analysis
A document, often required by an importer or governmental authorities, attesting to the quality or purity of commodities. The origin of the certification may be a chemist or any other authorised body such as an inspection firm retained by the exporter or importer. In some cases the document may be drawn up by the manufacturer certifying that the merchandise shipped has been tested in his facility and found conform to the specifications.

Certificate of Classification
A certificate, issued by the classification society and stating the class under which a vessel is registered.

Certificate of Clearance:
The permission granted by Customs for a vessel or aircraft on an international voyage to depart Australia. It is issued when the master of the vessel or agent or pilot of the aircraft or agent lodges the outward manifest with Customs and complies with all other regulatory requirements.

Certificate of Delivery
A certificate, indicating the condition of a vessel upon delivery for a charter including ballast, available bunkers and fresh water.

Certificate of Free Sale
A certificate, required by some countries as evidence that the goods are normally sold on the open market and approved by the regulatory authorities in the country of origin.

Certificate of Origin
A certificate, showing the country of original production of goods. Frequently used by customs in ascertaining duties under preferential tariff programmes or in connection with regulating imports from specific sources.

Certificate of Redelivery
A certificate, indicating the condition of a vessel upon redelivery from a charter including ballast, available bunkers and fresh water.

Certificate of Registry
A document specifying the nation registry of the vessel.

Certification Authority (Key Management)
The certification authority is the central party of a key management system. It provides certificates to the users so that "trust" can be established between different users based on the "trust" between the Registration Authority and users. These certificates are furthermore made available in one or more directories which can be accessed by all users.

Chain Conveyor
A conveyor consisting of two or more strands of chain running in parallel tracks with the loads carried directly on the chains.

Chain-Locker
Compartment at the forward part of the ship designed for the storage of the anchor chain.

Chandler
A person who deals in the selling of provisions, dried stores, etc.

Charge
An amount to be paid for carriage of goods based on the applicable rate of such carriage, or an amount to be paid for a special or incidental service in connection with the carriage of goods.

Charge Type
A separate, identifiable element of charges to be used in the pricing/rating of common services rendered to customers.

Charter Contract
See Charter Party

Charter Party

Charter Rates
The tariff applied for chartering tonnage in a particular trade.

Charterer
The legal person who has signed a charter party with the owner of a vessel or an aircraft and thus hires or leases a vessel or an aircraft or a part of the capacity thereof.

Chassis
A frame with wheels and container locking devices in order to secure the container for movement.

Chief Mate
The officer in the deck department next in rank to the master; second in command of a ship. He is next to the master, most especially in the navigation and as far as the deck department is concerned. The chief mate assumes the position of the Master in his absence.

Chock
A piece of wood or other material placed at the side of cargo to prevent rolling or moving sideways.

Claim
A demand made upon a transportation line for payment on account of a loss sustained through its alleged negligence.

Classification
Arrangement according to a systematic division of a number of objects into groups, based on some likeness or some common traits.

Classification Clause:
A clause in a cargo insurance contract which specifies the minimum class of vessel required to carry the insured goods. If the carrying vessel is below the class specified, an additional premium is charged by underwriters for the additional risk involved.

Classification Rating
The designation provided in a classification by which a class rate is determined.

Classification Society
Worldwide experienced and reputable societies. which undertake to arrange inspections and advise on the hull and machinery of a ship. A private organization that supervises vessels during their construction and afterward, in respect to their seaworthiness, and the placing of vessels in grades or "classes" according to the society's rules for each particular type. It is not compulsory by law that a shipowner have his vessel built according to the rules of any classification society; but in practice, the difficulty in securing satisfactory insurance rates for an unclassed vessel makes it a commercial obligation.

Classification Yard
A railroad yard with many tracks used for assembling freight trains.

Clean Bill of Lading
A Bill of Lading which does not contain any qualification about the apparent order and condition of the goods to be transported (it bears no stamped clauses on the front of the B/L). It bears no superimposed clauses expressly declaring a defective condition of the goods or packaging (resolution of the ICS 1951).

Cleaning in Transit
The stopping of articles, such as peanuts, etc., for cleaning at a point between the point of origin and destination.

Clean on Board
When goods are loaded on board and the document issued in respect to these goods is clean. Note: Through the usage of the UCP 500 rules the term has now become superfluous.

Clean Ship
Refers to tankers which have their cargo tanks free of traces of dark persistent oils which remain after carrying crudes and heavy fuel oils.

Clearance Terminal
Terminal where Customs facilities for the clearance of goods are available.

Cleared Without Examination
Abbreviation: CWE
Cleared by customs without inspection.

Client
A party with which a company has a commercial relationship concerning the transport of e.g. cargo or concerning certain services of the company concerned, either directly or through an agent.
Refrigeration equipment attachable to an insulated container that does not have its own refrigeration unit.

Clip on Unit
Abbreviation: COU
Detachable aggregate for a temperature controlled container (Conair).

Closed Ventilated Container
A container of a closed type, similar to a general purpose container, but specially designed for carriage of cargo where ventilation, either natural or mechanical (forced), is necessary.

Co-Insurance:
The sharing of an insurance risk between two or more parties, other than a contract of reinsurance

Co-loading
The loading, on the way, of cargo from another shipper, having the same final destination as the cargo loaded earlier.

Co-makership
The long-term relationship between e.g. a supplier or a carrier and a customer, on the basis of mutual confidence.

Co-shippership
See Co-makership

Coaming
Structure around the hatch or door opening of a ship intended to provide seating for the cover, to stiffen the deck or plates and to prevent the ingress of water.

Coaster
A relative small ship plying between coastal ports.

Coastwise
Domestic shipping routes along a single coast.

Code
A character string that represents a member set of values.

Code List
The complete set of code values for a data item.

Cofferdam
An empty space on board of a vessel between two bulkheads or two decks separating oil tanks from each other and/or the engine room or other compartments.

Collapsible Container
Container with hinged sides, top etc. designed to be folded down to a small proportion (mostly about one quarter) of its erected volume. The term may also denote freight container, the major components of which can be dissembled and later reassembled for use.

Collecting
A bank that acts as an agent to the seller's bank (the presenting bank). The collecting bank assumes no responsibility for either the documents or the merchandise.

Collection
A draft drawn on the buyer, usually accompanied by documents, with complete instructions concerning processing for payment or acceptance.

Collier
Vessel used for transporting coal.

Collision Avoidance System
Electronic system commonly used to prevent collisions in inland navigable waterways.

COMBI
Combination passenger/cargo vessel; a vessel specifically designed to carry both containers and conventional cargoes.

Combination Charge
An amount which is obtained by combining two or more charges.

Combination Chassis
A chassis which can carry either one forty foot or thirty foot container or a combination of shorter containers e.g. 2 x 20 foot.

Combination Export Mgr.
A firm that acts as an export sales agent for more than one non-competing manufacturer.

Combination Rate
A rate made up of two or more factors, separately published.

Combined Transport
Intermodal transport where the major part of the journey is by one mode such as rail, inland waterway or sea and any initial and/or final leg carried out by another mode such as road.

Combined Transport Bill of Lading
See Bill of Lading R302

Combined Transport Document
Abbreviation: CTD
Negotiable or non-negotiable document evidencing a contract for the performance and/or procurement of performance of combined transport of goods. Thus a combined transport document is a document issued by a Carrier who contracts as a principal with the Merchant to effect a combined transport often on a door-to-door basis.

Combined Transport Operator
Abbreviation: CTO
A party who undertakes to carry goods with different modes of transport.

Comitè Maritime International
Abbreviation: CMI
The international agency of national maritime law associations, authors of the Hague Rules.

Commercial Invoice
Represents a complete record of the transaction between exporter and importer with regard to the goods sold. Also reports the content of the shipment and serves as the basis for all other documents about the shipment. Article shipped. For dangerous and hazardous cargo, the correct commodity identification is critical.

Commixture:
A mixture of two or more cargoes which cannot be separated into the relevant consignments.

Commodity
1. Indication of the type of goods. Commodities are coded according to the harmonized system.
2. Article shipped. For dangerous and hazardous cargo, the correct commodity identification is critical.

Commodity Box Rate
A rate classified by commodity and quoted per container.

Commodity Code
Code used in the Harmonised System for the classification of goods, which are most commonly produced and traded.

Commodity Item Number
Specific description number required in air transport to indicate that a specific freight rate applies.

Commodity Rate
A rate published to apply to a specific article or articles.

Common Access Reference
A key to relate all subsequent transfers of data to the same business case or file.

Common Carrier
A transportation company which provides service to the general public at published rates.

Compass
Instrument used for showing the direction of north and the relative heading of the ship compared with this direction.

Complement
The number of officers and crew employed upon a vessel for its safe navigation and operation.

Completely Knocked Down.
Abbreviation : CKD
Parts and subassemblies being transported to an assembly plant.

Component
A uniquely identifiable product that is considered indivisible for a particular planning or control purpose, and/or which cannot be decomposed without destroying it.
Note: A component for one organisational group may be the final assembly of another group (e.g. electric motor).

Compradore
A local advisor or agent employed by a foreign party or company who acts as an intermediary in transactions with local inhabitants.

Computer Virus
A program that can infect other programs by modifying them to include a possibly evolved copy of itself.

Conair Container
Thermal container served by an external cooling system (e.g. a vessel's cooling system or a Clip On Unit), which regulates the temperature of the cargo.
Note: Conair is a brand name.

Concealed Damage
Damage that is not evident from viewing the unopened package.

Conditions
1). Anything called for as requirements before the performance or completion of something else.
2). Contractual stipulations which are printed on a document or provided separately.

Conditions of Carriage
The general terms and conditions established by a carrier in respect of the carriage (air cargo).

Conditions of Contract
Terms and conditions shown on the Air Waybill (air cargo).

Conference Ship:
A ship operated by a signatory to a shipping conference agreement.

Cones
Devices for facilitating the loading, positioning and lashing of containers. The cones insert into the bottom castings of the container.

Conference
An affiliation of shipowners operating over the same route(s) who agree to charge uniform rates and other terms of carriage. A conference is "closed" if one can enter only by the consent of existing members of the conference. It is "open" if anyone can enter by meeting certain technical and financial standards. Conference members are common carriers. See Liner conference

Confirmed Letter of Credit
A letter of credit, issued by a foreign bank, whose validity has been confirmed by a domestic bank. An exporter with a confirmed letter of credit is assured of payment even if the foreign buyer or the foreign bank defaults.

Confirming Bank
The bank that adds its confirmation to another bank's (the issuing bank's) letter of credit and promises to pay the beneficiary upon presentation of documents specified in the letter of credit.

Congestion
Accumulation of vessels at a port to the extent that vessels arriving to load or discharge are obliged to wait for a vacant berth.

Connecting Carrier
A carrier which has a direct physical connection with, or forms a link between two or more carriers.

Connecting Road Haulage
See Drayage

Consensus
General agreement, characterised by the absence of sustained opposition to substantial issues by any important part of concerned interests and by a process that involves seeking to take into account the views of all parties concerned and to reconcile any conflicting arguments. Consensus needs not to imply unanimity.

Consignee
The party such as mentioned in the transport document by whom the goods, cargo or containers are to be received.

Consignee Mark
A symbol placed on packages for identification purposes; generally a triangle, square, circle, etc. with letters and/or numbers and port of discharge.

Consignor
The person named in the bill of lading as the one from whom the goods have been received for shipment.

Consignment
A separate identifiable number of goods (available to be) transported from one consignor to one consignee via one or more than one modes of transport and specified in one single transport document.

Consignment Instructions
Instructions from either the seller/consignor or the buyer/consignee to a freight forwarder, carrier or his agent, or other provider of a service, enabling the movement of goods and associated activities. The following functions can be covered:

Consignment Note
A document prepared by the shipper and comprising a transport contract. It contains details of the consignment to be carried to the port of loading and it is signed by the inland carrier as proof of receipt.

Consignment Stock
The stock of goods with an external party (customer) which is still the property of the supplier. Payment for these goods is made to the supplier at the moment when they are sold (used) by this party.

Consignor
See Shipper

Consolidate
To group and stuff several shipments together in one container.

Consolidated Container
Container stuffed with several shipments (consignments) from different shippers for delivery to one or more consignees.

Consolidation
Cargo containing shipments of two or more shippers or suppliers. Container load shipments may be consolidated for one or more consignees.

Consolidation Point
Location where consolidation of consignments takes place.

Consolidator
A person or firm performing a consolidation service for others. The consolidator takes advantage of lower full carload (FCL) rates, and savings are passed on to shippers.

Consolidator:
A transport contractor, carrier, or forwarder who undertakes the transportation of small shipments (see LCL) in groupage. The consolidator assembles such LCL shipments in a container which will be stripped by his receiving agent in the destination area.

Consortia:
Number of shipping companies who have combined their vessel facilities and capital resources in order to offer a shipping service for the carriage of containers.

Consortium
Consortium is a form of co-operation between two or more carriers to operate in a particular trade.