Glossary

Every acronym used on this site. Inline in the text, each appears with a dotted underline — hover (desktop) or tap (mobile) to see the definition without leaving the page.

This page is auto-generated from a single data file, so every definition is consistent everywhere it appears.

General

3PL — Third-Party Logistics provider: Outsourced provider of warehousing, transportation, and/or value-added services.
4PL — Fourth-Party Logistics provider: Lead logistics integrator that manages other 3PLs on behalf of the shipper.
CoV — Coefficient of Variation: Standard deviation divided by the mean — a unit-free measure of transit-time variability.
ERP — Enterprise Resource Planning: Core business system that carries POs, GR events, and landed cost.
GR — Goods Receipt: ERP event posted when goods are scanned in at receiving — closes the inbound financial transaction.
JIS — Just-in-Sequence: JIT delivery with components sequenced in the exact order of assembly.
JIT — Just-in-Time: Replenishment strategy targeting zero idle inventory; common in automotive and CPG manufacturing.
KPI — Key Performance Indicator
MOQ — Minimum Order Quantity
MSA — Master Service Agreement
NPI — New Product Introduction
PO — Purchase Order
RFP — Request for Proposal
S&OP — Sales and Operations Planning
SCM — Supply Chain Management
SKU — Stock Keeping Unit
TMS — Transportation Management System
VAS — Value-Added Services: Labor-based operations done on goods in a warehouse — labelling, kitting, pick-and-pack, retail-ready prep, returns disposition.
WACC — Weighted Average Cost of Capital: The company-wide discount rate used to compute inventory carrying cost.
WMS — Warehouse Management System

Inbound

ASN — Advance Ship Notice: Electronic notification (often EDI 856) sent by the supplier or carrier detailing the contents of an incoming shipment.
CRD — Cargo Ready Date: The date goods are physically ready for pickup at the supplier's dock.
EDI — Electronic Data Interchange: Standardized electronic document exchange (850 PO, 855 ack, 856 ASN, 810 invoice, etc.).
IOR — Importer of Record: The legal entity responsible for ensuring imported goods comply with local laws; liable for duty, penalties, and post-entry audit.
MABD — Must Arrive By Date: The last acceptable day of receipt at the consignee; early arrival is often also penalized.
OTIF — On-Time, In-Full: Compliance metric measuring whether a shipment arrived within the MABD window with the full ordered quantity.
RMA — Return Material Authorization
RTV — Return to Vendor
TLC — Total Landed Cost: Unit cost + freight + duty + compliance + carrying cost + expected accessorials + shrinkage.
VMI — Vendor Managed Inventory: Supplier owns the stock until consumption; common in CPG, hardware, and automotive.

Documents

AWB — Air Waybill: IATA-standard air carrier contract of carriage and tracking document.
BL — Bill of Lading: Alternative abbreviation for BoL.
BoL — Bill of Lading: Ocean carrier's contract of carriage and document of title; can be negotiable (to-order) or non-negotiable (straight).
C/O — Certificate of Origin
CI — Commercial Invoice
CMR — Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road: UN convention; the CMR consignment note is the standard road-freight transport document in Europe.
HAWB — House Air Waybill: The individual shipper's AWB issued by the forwarder inside a consolidated MAWB.
HS — Harmonized System: WCO 6-digit global commodity classification that underlies every country's national tariff schedule.
HTS — Harmonized Tariff Schedule: The 10-digit US classification code (HTSUS) used to determine duty rate on imports; based on the global 6-digit HS.
MAWB — Master Air Waybill: The forwarder's consolidated AWB with the airline.
PoD — Proof of Delivery
SWB — Sea Waybill: Non-negotiable ocean transport document; faster to release than an original BoL but not a document of title.

Measurement

CBF — Cubic Foot: ≈ 0.0283 CBM. Used in US parcel and LTL classification.
CBM — Cubic Meter: 1 m × 1 m × 1 m of volume. Standard unit for LCL pricing.
FAK — Freight All Kinds: Single blended rate applied to mixed-commodity shipments, bypassing per-class NMFC pricing.
FEU — Forty-foot Equivalent Unit: Equivalent to two TEU.
HC — High Cube: 9'6" tall container (vs. 8'6" standard); ~68 CBM usable in a 40' HC.
LDM — Loading Meter: One meter of trailer length × full width × stackable height; the EU-standard LTL dim unit.
NMFC — National Motor Freight Classification: NMFTA-maintained US LTL classification system with 18 classes (50 to 500) based on density, stowability, handling, and liability.
TEU — Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit: One 20' container of equivalent capacity; the standard counting unit for container volumes.
VGM — Verified Gross Mass: SOLAS-required verified weight of a packed container, certified by the shipper before vessel loading.

Ports

CFS — Container Freight Station: Facility where LCL cargo is consolidated into or deconsolidated out of containers.
CY — Container Yard: Marine terminal or inland facility where containers are stacked and exchanged.
D&D — Demurrage and Detention: Demurrage = container overstay at the marine terminal. Detention = container or chassis held by shipper past free time.
FTZ — Foreign Trade Zone: A secure zone inside a country's borders legally treated as outside customs territory; duty deferred or avoided on qualifying goods.
IEP — Intermodal Equipment Provider: Chassis pool operator in the US market (e.g., TRAC, DCLI, FlexiVan).
POD — Port of Discharge
POL — Port of Loading
THC — Terminal Handling Charge: Terminal-side fee for moving containers between vessel and yard; billed separately from ocean freight.

Incoterms

CFR — Cost and Freight: Incoterms 2020 (sea only): Seller pays ocean freight to named port; risk transfers at origin on-board.
CIF — Cost, Insurance and Freight: Incoterms 2020 (sea only): Like CFR plus insurance at Institute Cargo Clauses (C).
CIP — Carriage and Insurance Paid To: Incoterms 2020: Like CPT, plus seller must procure insurance at Institute Cargo Clauses (A) level.
CPT — Carriage Paid To: Incoterms 2020: Seller pays main carriage to named destination; risk transfers when goods are handed to first carrier.
DAP — Delivered at Place: Incoterms 2020: Seller delivers to named place ready for unloading; buyer clears imports.
DDP — Delivered Duty Paid: Incoterms 2020: Seller does everything, including destination import clearance and duty payment.
DPU — Delivered at Place Unloaded: Incoterms 2020: Like DAP but seller also unloads. Replaced DAT in the 2020 revision.
EXW — Ex Works: Incoterms 2020: Seller makes goods available at its premises; buyer handles everything else including export clearance.
FAS — Free Alongside Ship: Incoterms 2020 (sea only): Seller delivers alongside the vessel at the named port.
FCA — Free Carrier: Incoterms 2020: Seller delivers export-cleared goods to a carrier nominated by the buyer at an agreed place.
FOB — Free on Board: Incoterms 2020 (sea only): Seller delivers onto the vessel; risk transfers when goods are on board. Not valid for containerized cargo.

Ocean

AMS — Automated Manifest System: US CBP electronic manifest filing required from ocean and air carriers prior to arrival.
BAF — Bunker Adjustment Factor: Fuel surcharge reflecting bunker fuel price changes.
BCO — Beneficial Cargo Owner: The actual importer/consignee (not the forwarder or NVOCC) — the economic owner of the cargo at the point of import.
BUC — Bunker Charge: Alternative name for BAF used by some carriers.
CAF — Currency Adjustment Factor: FX surcharge reflecting exchange rate movement between invoicing and receiving currencies.
DG — Dangerous Goods
EBS — Emergency Bunker Surcharge
ECA — Emission Control Area: IMO-designated sea area with stricter fuel sulphur limits; drives LSS pricing.
ENS — Entry Summary Declaration: EU equivalent of AMS; advance cargo information filing for goods entering the EU customs territory.
FCL — Full Container Load: Shipper books a whole container; single BoL, single commercial relationship.
GRI — General Rate Increase: Carrier-announced rate rise on a trade lane, often partially held in soft markets.
IMDG — International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code: IMO's nine-class DG framework governing ocean transport of hazardous cargo.
IPI — Interior Point Intermodal: Ocean carrier's through-bill service: port-to-inland-ramp-to-door under a single BoL.
ISF — Importer Security Filing: US CBP "10+2" rule: 10 data elements from importer + 2 from carrier, filed 24 hours before vessel loading; $5,000 penalty for non-compliance.
ISPS — International Ship and Port Facility Security Code: IMO-administered maritime security regime; surcharge line on most ocean quotes.
LCL — Less-than-Container Load: Shipment shares a container with other shippers' cargo, consolidated at origin CFS and deconsolidated at destination.
LSS — Low-Sulphur Surcharge: Fuel compliance surcharge related to IMO 2020 sulphur cap and ECA requirements.
MLB — Mini Land Bridge: Coast-to-coast all-rail move of ocean cargo after port discharge (e.g., LA discharge to NY ramp).
NVOCC — Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier: A carrier that issues its own BoL and buys slot capacity from asset carriers.
OOG — Out of Gauge: Cargo exceeding container internal dimensions in one or more axes; requires flat-rack or open-top and OOG surcharges.
ORC — Origin Receiving Charge: Origin-port local charge (distinct from THC) levied on LCL and some FCL tariffs, charged per shipment or per CBM by the forwarder.
PSS — Peak Season Surcharge
PTI — Pre-Trip Inspection: Reefer container readiness check before loading; most in-transit reefer failures trace to a missed PTI.
SI — Shipping Instructions: Shipper-issued data set the carrier uses to draft the BoL — consignee, notify party, marks, commodity, weights. SI cutoff precedes vessel ETD by 24–48 hours.
SOLAS — International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea: IMO convention underpinning VGM, stowage, and lifesaving requirements.

Air

ACC3 — Air Cargo or Mail Carrier operating into the Union from a Third country airport: EU air cargo security validation regime for carriers flying into the EU.
CEIV — Center of Excellence for Independent Validators: IATA certification program for pharma, perishables, lithium batteries, and live animals in air freight.
DGR — Dangerous Goods Regulations: IATA regulatory manual for air transport of hazardous materials.
IATA — International Air Transport Association: Air carrier trade body; sets the TACT tariff, DGR, chargeable weight formula, and ULD standards.
RA3 — Regulated Agent (Third Country): EU air-cargo security validation program for forwarders at non-EU origin airports.
SAF — Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Lower-carbon aviation fuel; commercially available as a book-and-claim premium on air freight.
TACT — The Air Cargo Tariff and Rules: IATA-published reference for general-cargo air tariffs, rules, and country-specific regulations.
TSA — Transportation Security Administration: US agency enforcing air cargo screening rules and the Known Shipper / Indirect Air Carrier programs.
ULD — Unit Load Device: IATA-standard air cargo containers and pallets (AKE, LD-3, PMC, PAG, etc.) used for build-up on aircraft.

Road

ADR — Accord Dangereux Routier: European agreement governing international road transport of dangerous goods.
AEO — Authorized Economic Operator: WCO-framework trusted-trader program, with EU, UK, and most Asia-Pacific equivalents. EU AEO is the broadest-used.
CTPAT — Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism: US CBP voluntary supply chain security program granting reduced exam rates to certified members.
DOT — Department of Transportation
ELD — Electronic Logging Device: Tamper-resistant driver-hours recorder mandated by FMCSA since 2017; EU equivalent is the smart tachograph.
FAST — Free and Secure Trade: US-Canada / US-Mexico commercial driver trusted-traveler program enabling expedited border crossings.
FMCSA — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: US regulator for commercial motor vehicle safety and driver hours.
FTL — Full Truckload: Shipper pays for a whole trailer; single pickup, single delivery typical.
HOS — Hours of Service: Regulatory caps on driver duty hours; US FMCSA and EU Regulation 561/2006.
LTL — Less-than-Truckload: Consolidated shipment priced by class and density; moves hub-and-spoke through carrier terminal network.
OTR — Over-the-Road: Long-haul trucking, typically 500+ mi per load.

Rail

ETCS — European Train Control System: The interoperable signaling standard being rolled out across EU rail corridors.
IMC — Intermodal Marketing Company: Asset-light intermediary that sells domestic intermodal capacity from the Class I railroads.
STB — Surface Transportation Board: US federal rail regulator overseeing Class I carrier service metrics and rate disputes.
TEN-T — Trans-European Transport Network: EU transport infrastructure framework including rail freight corridors.

Parcel

USPS — United States Postal Service

Specialty

HLV — Heavy Lift Vessel: Specialized ship for cargo above standard deck-crane limits, often with onboard 400+ tonne cranes.
MAFI — MAFI Trailer: Specialty heavy-duty roll-trailer (brand-name-turned-generic) used to roll non-wheeled project cargo into ro-ro vessels.
Ro-ro — Roll-on / Roll-off: Vessel configured as a multi-deck parking garage; cargo drives on and off or rolls on MAFI trailers.
SPMT — Self-Propelled Modular Transporter: Hydraulic multi-axle transporter used for heavy and oversize project cargo over short distances.

Customs

ADD — Antidumping Duty: Commodity- and country-specific tariff imposed in response to below-cost pricing findings; rates can exceed 100%.
CBP — US Customs and Border Protection
CBSA — Canada Border Services Agency
CVD — Countervailing Duty: Tariff offsetting foreign government subsidies that distort import pricing.
FMC — Federal Maritime Commission: US ocean-shipping regulator; issued the 2024 D&D Rule.
HMF — Harbor Maintenance Fee: US import fee of 0.125% of customs value; ocean-only.
ICC — International Chamber of Commerce: Publisher of the Incoterms® rules; current revision is Incoterms 2020.
IMO — International Maritime Organization: UN agency setting global maritime safety and environmental rules (SOLAS, MARPOL, IMDG).
MPF — Merchandise Processing Fee: US import fee of 0.3464% of customs value (min/max bounded); charged on most formal entries.
WCO — World Customs Organization: Maintains the global HS classification and SAFE framework for trusted-trader programs.

Sustainability

CBAM — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: EU carbon price on imported cement, iron & steel, aluminum, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen. Transitional phase 2023–25; definitive phase from 2026.
CDP — CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project)
CSRD — Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: EU reporting mandate phased in from 2024; requires Scope 3 disclosure including logistics emissions.
ETS — Emissions Trading System: Cap-and-trade framework; EU ETS has extended to maritime emissions from 2024.
GLEC — Global Logistics Emissions Council (Framework): Smart Freight Centre's GLEC Framework — the industry-standard method for logistics emissions accounting, aligned with ISO 14083.
SBTi — Science Based Targets initiative

Benchmarks

Cass — Cass Freight Index: Long-running US freight shipment and expenditure index published monthly.
CCFI — China Containerized Freight Index: Shanghai Shipping Exchange weekly contract-rate companion to SCFI.
DAT — DAT Freight & Analytics: Major US truckload spot rate benchmark source (RateView, TruckersEdge).
FBX — Freightos Baltic Index: Freightos-published daily container spot rate benchmark across major trade lanes.
SCFI — Shanghai Containerized Freight Index: Shanghai Shipping Exchange weekly spot index out of Shanghai.
TAC — TAC Index: Leading global air cargo spot rate index, published weekly.
WCI — World Container Index: Drewry's weekly global container freight rate index.

Trade

AfCFTA — African Continental Free Trade Area: Pan-African trade framework ratified 2019; implementation gradual since 2021.
BRI — Belt and Road Initiative: China-led infrastructure investment framework spanning Asia, Europe, and Africa.
USMCA — United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement: Successor to NAFTA; entered force July 2020.