| A.I.D. |
|
| Agency
for International Development. |
|
| A.T.A. |
|
| American
Trucking Association. |
|
| AA |
|
| Always
Afloat (In some ports the ship aground when approaching, or
at berth.) |
|
| AAR |
|
| Abbreviation
for:- Against All Risks (insurance clause). - Association of
American Railroads. |
|
| Abaft |
|
| A
point beyond the midpoint of a ships length, towards the
rear or stern. |
|
| Abandon |
|
| A
proceeding wherein a shipper/consignee seeks authority to
abandon all or parts of their cargo. |
|
| Abatement |
|
| A
discount allowed for damage or overcharge in the payment of
a bill. |
|
| ABI |
|
| U.S.
Customs' "Automated Broker Interface," by which
brokers file importers' entries electronically. |
|
| Aboard |
|
| Referring
to cargo being put, or laden, onto a means of conveyance. |
|
| Absorption |
|
| One
carrier assumes the charges of another without any increase
in charges to the shipper. |
|
| Acceptance |
|
| A
time draft (or bill of exchange) that the drawee (payer) has
accepted and is unconditionally obligated to pay at
maturity. - Broadly speaking, any agreement to purchase
goods under specified terms. |
|
| Accessorial
Charges |
|
| Charges
that are applied to the base tariff rate or base contract
rate, e.g., bunkers, container, currency,
destination/delivery. |
|
| Acquiescence |
|
| When
a bill of lading is accepted or signed by a shipper or
shipper's agent without protest, the shipper is said to
acquiesce to the terms, giving a silent form of consent. |
|
| Acquittance |
|
| A
written receipt in full, in discharge from all claims. |
|
| ACS
(A.C.S.) |
|
| U.S.
Customs' master computer system, "Automated Commercial
Systems." |
|
| Act
of God |
|
| An
act beyond human control, such as lightning, flood or
earthquake. |
|
| Ad
Valorem |
|
| A
term from Latin meaning, "according to value." |
|
| Administrative
Law Judge |
|
| A
representative of a government commission or agency vested
with power to administer oaths, examine witnesses, take
testimony, and conduct hearings of cases submitted to, or
initiated by, that agency. Also called Hearing Examiner. |
|
| Admiralty
(Adm.) |
|
| Refers
to marine matters such as an Admiralty Court. |
|
| Advance |
|
| To
move cargo up line to a vessel leaving sooner than the one
booked. (See "Roll.") |
|
| Advanced
Charge |
|
| Transportation
charge advanced by one carrier to another to be collected by
the later carrier from the consignor or consignee. |
|
| Adventure |
|
| Shipment
of goods on shipper's own account. A bill of adventure is a
document signed by the master of the ship that carries goods
at owner' risk. |
|
| Advice
of Shipment |
|
| A
notice sent to a local or foreign buyer advising that
shipment has gone forward and containing details of packing,
routing, etc. A copy of the invoice is often enclosed and,
if desired, a copy of the bill of lading. |
|
| Advising
Bank |
|
| A
bank operating in the seller's country, that handles letters
of credit in behalf of a foreign bank. |
|
| Affreightment,
Contract of |
|
| An
agreement by an ocean carrier to provide cargo space on a
vessel at a specified time and for a specified price to
accommodate an exporter or importer. |
|
| Aft |
|
| Movement
toward the stern (back end) of a ship. |
|
| Agency
Tariff |
|
| A
tariff published by an agent on behalf of several carriers. |
|
| Agent
(Agt.) |
|
| A
person authorized to transact business for and in the name
of another person or company. Types of agent are: (1)
brokers, (2) commission merchants, (3) resident buyers, (4)
sales agents, 5) manufacturer's representatives. |
|
| Aggregate
Shipment |
|
| Numerous
shipments from different shippers to one consignee that are
consolidated and treated as a single consignment. |
|
| Agreed
valuation |
|
| The
value of a shipment agreed upon in order to secure a
specific freight rate. |
|
| Agreed
Weight |
|
| The
weight prescribed by agreement between carrier and shipper
for goods shipped in certain packages or in a certain
number. |
|
| Air
Waybill |
|
| The
forwarding agreement or carrying agreement between shipper
and air carrier and is issued only in nonnegotiable form. |
|
| All
In |
|
| The
total price to move cargo from origin to destination,
inclusive of all charges. |
|
| Alongside |
|
| A
phrase referring to the side of a ship. Goods delivered
"alongside" are to be placed on the dock or barge
within reach of the transport ship's tackle so that they can
be loaded. |
|
| Alternative
Rates |
|
| Privilege
to use the rate producing the lowest charge. |
|
| Ambient
Temperature |
|
| The
temperature of a surrounding body. The ambient temperature
of a container is the atmospheric temperature to which it is
exposed. |
|
| American
Bureau of Shipping |
|
| U.S.
classification society which certifies seagoing vessels for
compliance to standardized rules regarding construction and
maintenance. |
|
| AMS |
|
| The
U.S. Customs' "Automated Manifest System." |
|
| Anti-Dumping
Duty |
|
| A
tariff imposed to discourage sale of foreign goods,
subsidized to sell at low prices detrimental to local
manufacturers. |
|
| Any
Quantity (A.Q.) |
|
| Usually
refers to a rating that applies to an article regardless of
size or quantity. |
|
| Apparent
Good Order |
|
| When
freight appears to be free of damage so far as a general
survey can determine. |
|
| Appraisement |
|
| Determination
of the dutiable value of imported merchandise by a Customs
official who follows procedures outlined in their country's
tariff, such as the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930. |
|
| Appraiser's
Stores |
|
| The
warehouse or public stores to which samples of imported
goods are taken to be inspected, analyzed, weighed, etc. by
examiners or appraisers. |
|
| Arbitrary |
|
| A
stated amount over a fixed rate to one point to make a rate
to another point. |
|
| Arrival
Notice |
|
| A
notification by carrier of ship's arrival to the consignee,
the "Notify Party," and - when applicable - the
"Also Notify Party." These parties in interest are
listed in blocks 3, 4 and 10, respectively, of the Bill of
Lading. |
|
| ASC
X12 |
|
| American
Standards Committee X12 responsible for developing EDI
standards for the United States. |
|
| Assignment |
|
| A
term commonly used in connection with a bill of lading. It
involves the transfer of rights, title and interest in order
to assign goods by endorsing the bill of lading. |
|
| Astern |
|
| Behind
a vessel. Move in a reverse direction. |
|
| ATDNSHINC |
|
| Any
time Day or Night Sundays & Holidays Included. |
|
| Athwartships |
|
| A
direction across the width of a vessel. |
|
| Average |
|
| See
insurance. |
|
| Avoirdupois
Pound |
|
| Same
as 0.4535924277 kilograms. |
|
