This glossary of Shipping Abbreviations, displayed in alphabetical order, gives the abbreviations used in shipping and cargo operations.
A
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| AA | Always Afloat. |
| AAR | Against All Risks (insurance clause). |
| AAR | Association of American Railroads. |
| ABI | Automated Broker Interface |
| ACS | Automated Commercial Environment systems |
| ACE | Automated Commercial Environment systems |
| adm. | Admiralty |
| Agt. | Agent |
| A.I.D. | Agency for International Development |
| ANOA | Advanced Notice of Arrival |
| AMS | Automated Manifest System (The U.S. Customs) |
| A.Q | Any Quanity |
| ARB | Arbitrary |
| A.T.A. | American Trucking Association. |
| AIS | Automated Identification System |
| ATDNSHINC | Any time Day or Night Sundays & Holidays Included |
| AWB | Air Waybill |
| AWWL | Always within Institute Warranties Limits (Insurance purpose) |
B
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| BB | Ballast Bonus |
| Bare Boat |
| B/L | Bill of Lading |
| BBL | Barrel |
| BCO | Beneficial Cargo Owner |
| Bls. | Bales |
| BAF | Bunker Adjustment Factor |
| BOT | Build-operate-transfer |
| BOOT | Build-own-operate-transfer |
C
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| CAD | Cash Against Documents |
| CAF | Currency Adjustment Factor |
| CIA | Cash in Advance |
| CWO | Cash With Order |
| CBM (CM) | Cubic Meter |
| CE | Consumption Entry |
| CFS | Container Freight Station |
| CI | Cost and Insurance |
| CIF (Named Port) | Cost, Insurance, Freight (Named Port) |
| CIF&C | Price includes commission as well as Cost, Insurance, Freight |
| CIF&E | Cost, Insurance, Freight and Exchange |
| CIFCI | Cost, Insurance, Freight, Collection and Interest |
| CIFI&E | Cost, Insurance, Freight Interest and Exchange |
| CKD | Completely Knocked Down |
| CL | Carload |
| Container Load |
| CM | Cubic Meter (capital letters). |
| cm | Centimeters |
| COD | Collect (cash) on Delivery. |
| Carried on Docket (pricing). |
| COFC | Container On Flat Car ( for railway service) |
| COP | Customs Of the Port |
| CSI | Container Security Initiative |
| CT | Container Terminal |
| CTN | Cargo Tracking Note |
| C—TPAT | Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism |
| cu. | Cubic |
| CY | Container Yard |
| The designation for full container receipt/delivery. |
| Cwt. | Hundred weight (United States, 100 pounds; U.K.,112) |
D
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| D/A | Documents Against Acceptance |
| D/P | Documents Against Payment |
| D2D | Door to Door |
| D&H | Dangerous and Hazardous cargo |
| D.B.A. | Doing Business As |
| DCS | Destination Control Statements |
| DDC | Destination Delivery Charge |
| D.O.T. | U.S. Department of Transportation. The executive branch department that coordinates and oversees transportation functions in the United States. |
| DRFS | Destination Rail Freight Station |
| DSU | Delay in Start Up |
| DWT | Deadweight Tonnage |
E
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| ECA | Emission Control Areas |
| E.C.M.C.A. | Eastern Central Motor Carriers Association. |
| ECMC | The U.S. Exporters Competitive Maritime Council. An association primarily of U.S. engineering, procurement and construction companies and their freight forwarders that was formed jointly by the Maritime Administration in 1997 to seek solutions to transportation problems and enhance the export of U.S. project cargoes. |
| EDI | Electronic Data Interchange |
| EIR | Equipment Interchange Receipt |
| ETA, C, D, R, S | Estimated Time of Arrival, Completion, Departure, Readiness, or Sailing |
| Estimated Time of Availability. That time when a tractor/partner carrier is available for dispatch. |
| E.W.I.B. | Eastern Weighing and Inspection Bureau. |
| Ex Dec | Contraction for Shipper’s Export Declaration |
| EXIM Bank | Export–Import Bank of the United States |
F
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| FAK | Freight All Kinds |
| FAS | Free Along Ship |
| FCA | Free Carrier |
| FCL | Full Container Load |
| FD | Free Discharge |
| F.D.A. | Food and Drug Administration |
| FEU | Forty–Foot Equivalent |
| FI | Free in |
| FIO | Free In and Out |
| FIS | Free in Store |
| F.M.C. | Federal Maritime Commission |
| FO | Free Out |
| FOB | Free on Board |
| FOR | Free on Rail |
| FPPI | Foreign Principal Party of Interest |
| F.P.A | Free of Particular Average |
G
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| GATT | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade |
| GBL | Government Bill of Lading |
| GDSM | General Department Store Merchandise |
| Gen Set | Generator Set |
| GO | General Order |
| GMII | Global Maritime Intelligence Integration |
| GRI | General Rate Increase |
| GT | Gross Tonnage |
| GVW | Gross Vehicle Weight |
H
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| HS | Harmonized System Code |
| HAZ MAT | Hazardous Material |
I
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| I/A | Independent Action |
| ICC | Interstate Commerce Commission |
| International Chamber of Commerce |
| IE | Immediate Exit |
| IFM | Inward Foreign Manifest |
| I.M.C.O. | International Maritime Consultative Organization |
| I.M.D.G. Code | International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code |
| IMO | International Maritime Organisation |
| IPI | Inland Point Intermodal |
| I.S.O | International Standard Organisation |
| ISPS | International Ship and Port Security Code |
| I.T. | Immediate Transport |
| In—Transit Entry |
J
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| JIT | Just in Time |
K
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| KG | Kilogram |
| KD | Knocked Down |
| KT | Kilo or metric ton. 1,000 Kilos or 2,204.6 pounds. |
L
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| L/C | Letter of Credit |
| LASH | Lighter Aboard Ship |
| LAYCAN | Laydays/Cancelling (date) |
| LCL | Less than Container Load |
| LNG | Liquefied Natural Gas |
| LNGC | Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier |
| LOLO | Lift-On / Lift-Off |
| LTC | Less than Truckload |
M
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| M | Meter |
| MDA | Maritime Domain Awareness |
| MI | Mile |
| MBM | Meter Board Measure |
| MCFS | Master Container Freight Station see CFS |
| MLB | Mini Landbridge |
| M.M.F.B. | Middlewest Motor Freight Bureau |
| MSA | Maritime Security Act |
| MSP | Marine Security Program |
| MSSIS | Maritime Security and Safety Information System |
| M/T | Measurement Ton |
| MT | Metric Ton |
| MTSA | Maritime Transportation Security Act |
N
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| NM | Nautical Mile |
| NCAGS | Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping |
| NCB | National Cargo Bureau |
| N.C.I.T.D. | National Committee on International Trade Documentation |
| NEC | Not Elsewhere Classified |
| NES | Not Elsewhere Specified |
| NET | Net Tonnage |
| NK | Nippon Kaiji Kyokai |
| N.M.F.C. | National Motor Freight Classification |
| NOI | Not Otherwise Indexed |
| NOIBN | Not Otherwise Indexed By Name |
| NOS | Not Otherwise Specified |
| NVOCC | Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier |
| NOR | Notice of Readiness (when the ship is ready to load.) |
| N.P.C.F.B. | North Pacific Coast Freight Bureau. |
| NRT | Net Register Ton |
O
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| OBL | Original Bill of Lading |
| OCP | Overland Common Point |
| ODS | Operating Differential Subsidy |
| O.E.C.D | Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OGMSA | Office of Global Maritime Situational Awarenes |
| O.P.I.C | Overseas Private Investment Corporation |
| O/N | Order-Notify |
| ORFS | Origin Rail Freight Station |
| OS&D | Over, Short or Damaged |
P
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| P&I | Protection and Indemnity |
| PADAG | Please Authorize Delivery Against Guarantee |
| PL | Packing List |
| POD | Port of Discharge |
| Port of Destination |
| Proof of Delivery |
| Port of Loading |
| POL | Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants |
| Ppd | Prepaid |
| PPI | Principal Party of Interest (see USPPI and FPPI) |
| PSGP | Port Security Grant Program |
R
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| RFP | Request for Proposal |
| RFQ | Request for quotation |
| RT | Revenue Ton |
| RMG | Rail-mounted gantry |
| Ro/Ro | Roll on / Roll off |
| RTG | Rubber-tired gantry |
| RVNX | Released Value Not Exceeding |
S
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| S/D | Sight draft |
| Sea damage |
| SCAC | Standard Carrier Alpha Code |
| SED | Shipper's Export Declaration |
| SFI | Secure Freight Initiative |
| SHINC | Saturday and Holidays Included |
| SIC | Standard Industrial Classification |
| SIGTTO | Society of International Gas Transport and Terminal Operators |
| SITC | Standard International Trade Classification |
| SL&C | Shipper’s Load & Count |
| SOLAS | Safety of Life at Sea |
| SPA | Subject to Particular Average |
| SSHEX | Saturday and Holidays Excluded |
| SSS | Short Sea Shipping |
| ST | Short Ton |
| STB | Surface Transportation Board |
| STC | Said to contain |
| STO-RO | Stowable Ro-Ro |
| STTC | Standard Transportation Commodity Code |
| STW | Said to Weigh |
T
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| T.&E. | Transportation and Exportation |
| T&E | Transportation and Exit |
| Trf. | Tariff |
| TBN | To Be Nominated (when the name of a ship is still unknown) |
| TEU | Twenty foot Equivalent Unit |
| TIR | Transport International par la Route |
| TL | Trailer Load |
| TOFC | Trailer on Flat Car |
| TW | Tare Weight |
| TWIC | Transportation Worker Identification Credential |
U
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| UCP | Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits |
| UCF | Uniform Freight Classification |
| ULCC | Ultra Large Crude Carrier. A tanker in excess of 320,000 dwt |
| USPPI | United States Principal Party of Interest |
V
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| VLCC | Very Large Crude Carrier |
| VLFO | Vessel Load Free Out |
| VSIE | Vessel Supplies for Immediate Exportation |
W
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|
| WB | WayBill |
| WDEX | Warehouse Withdrawal for Transportation Immediate Exportation |
| WDT | Warehouse Withdrawal for Transportation |
| WDT&E | Warehouse Withdrawal for Transportation Exportation |
| Whfge. | Wharfage |
| W/M | Weight or Measurement |
| WM | Weight or Measurement |