Abbreviations of Transport
 
  
 
A
aa always afloat
a.a.r. against all risks
AC account current
A/C for account of
acc. acceptance; accepted
acc. cop. according to the custom of the port
a.c.v. actual cash value
a.d. a/d after date
Add-on tariff (also proportional rate or arbitrary (in usa))
ad val. (a/v) ad valorem: according to value
ADP automated data processing
ADR european agreement concerning the inter-national carriage of dangerous goods by road
AETR european agreement concerning the work of crews of vehicles engaged in international
road transport
AFRA average freight rate assessment
Agcy agency
Agt. agent
a.g.wt. actual gross weight
AMT air mail transfer
A.O. account of
A/or and/or
A/P account paid
approx. approximately
A/R all risks (insurance)
arr. arrival
arrd. arrived
a/s after sight
A/S alongside
asap as soon as possible
ass. associate
ATA actual time of arrival
ATD actual time of departure
ATP agreement of the international carriage of perishable foodstuffs
Atty attorney
auth. authorized
aux. auxiliary
AWB air waybill
B
B.A.C. bunker adjustment charge
BACAT barge aboard catamaran
BAF bunker adjustment factor
Bags/Bulk part in bags, part in bulk
B.C. bulk cargo
B/D bank(er’s) draft
b.d.i. both dates (days) inclusive
bdth. breadth
Bdy. boundary
B/G bonded goods
Bk. bank
Bkge bokerage
B/L bill of lading
blk. bulk
BPO rail tariff balkans - near east (balkan proche orient)
brl. barrel
BUP bulk unit programme
B.W. bonded warehouse
bxs. boxes
C
CAC currency adjustment charge
C.a.d. cash against documents
C.A.F. currency adjustment factor
C.A.S. currency adjustment surcharge
CASS cargo accounts settlement system (iata)
C.B. container base
c. & d. collection and delivery
C. & I. cost and insurance
c.b.d. cash before delivery
cbm cubic metre
cc charges collect
CCL customs clearance
CCS consolidated cargo (container) service
C/D customs declaration
CEM european conference on goods train timetables
CFR cost and freight (incoterms)
CFS container freight station
C.H. carriers haulage
C.H.C. cargo handling charges
Ch. fwd charges forward
CI consular invoice
c.i.a. cash in advance
CIF cost insurance and freight (incoterms)
c.i.f. & e. cost, insurance, freight and exchange
c.i.f.i. & e. cost, insurance, freight, interest & exchange
c.i.f. & i. cost, insurance, freight and interest
C & f cost and freight
CIFC cost, insurance freight and commission
c.i.f.c. & e. cost, insurance, freight, commission and exchange
c.i.f.c. & i. cost, insurance, freight, commission and interest
c.i.f.i.c. cost, insurance, freight, interest, commission
c.i.f.L.t. cost, insurance and freight, london terms
c.i.f.w. cost, insurance and freight/war
CIM international convention concerning the carriage of goods by railway
CIP freight carriage and insurance paid to (incoterms)
CIP cargo investigation panel (iata)
CIV international convention on the carriage of passengers and luggage by railway
CKD completely knocked down/unassembled
clean B/L clean bill of lading
cm centimeter(s)
cm 3 cubic centimeter(s).
CMR convention on the contract for the international carriage of goods by road
C/N consignment note
cnee consignee
cnmt/consgt. consignment
C/O certificate of origin
C.O.D. cash on delivery
C.O.F.C. container-on-flat-car (rail flatcar)
Coltrainer collapsible container
COMBITERMS delivery terms for international groupage traffic (among forwarders)
COP customs of port
C.O.S. cash on shipment
COTIF convention concerning international carriage by rail (cim - civ)
C.P. customs of port
CP carriage paid
C/P charter party
C/P blading charter party bill of lading
CPLTC conference port liner term charges
CPT carriage paid to
CSC international convention of the safe transport of containers (un)
CST conatiner service tariff
C/T container terminal
C.T. conference terms
CT combined transport
CTD combined transport document
CTO combined transport operator
C.T.P.C. cargo traffic procedures committee (iata)
cu.ft. cubic foot (feet)
cu.in. cubic inch(es)
CVGK customs value per gross kilogram
CVGP customs value per gross pound
CWE cleared without examination
cwt hundredweight
CWO cash with order
CY container yard
cy currency
D
D/A documents against acceptance
DAF delivered at frontier (incoterms)
D.A.S. delivery resp. delivered alongside ship
Dbk drawback
DCAS distribution cost analysis system
DCP freight carriage paid to (incoterms)
DDP delivered duty paid (incoterms)
DDU delivered duty unpaid
DEQ delivered ex. quai
DES delivered ex. ship
dia diameter
dir. direct
dm 3 cubic decimeter(s).
D/O delivery order
D/P documents against payment
DWCC dead weight cargo capacity
DWT dead weight ton
E
E. & O.E. errors and ommissions expected
E.B.C. european barge carrier system
ECE Con- international convention for the harmoniza
vention tion of frontiers, controls of goods
ECU european currency unit
EDI electronic data interchange
EDP electronic data processing
e.g. for example
EIR equipment interchange receipt (containers)
EMA european monetary agreement
EMARA europe middle east rate agreement
ETA expected time of arrival
ETD expected time of departure
ETS expected time of sailing
excl. excluding
EXW ex works - costs and risks to be accepted ex
  factory (incoterms)
F
F.a. free alongside
F.A.A. free of all average
FAB forwarder air bill
f.a.c. fast as can (loading or discharge)
F.A.C. forwarding agent’s commission
FAF fuel adjustment factor
FAK freight all kinds
FALPRO special programme on trade facilitation (unctad)
F. and D. freight and demurrage
FAQ free alongside quay or free at quay
f.a.q. fair average quality
FAS free alongside ship (incoterms)
F.b.h. free on board harbour
FBL fiata negotiable combined transport bill of lading
FCA free carrier (named point) (incoterms)
FEFC far eastern freight conference
FCL full container load
Fco. franco, free
FCR forwarders certificate of receipt (fiata document)
FCSR & CC free of capture, seizure, riots and civil commotions
FCT forwarders certificate of transport (fiata document)
f.g.a. free of general average
FHEX friday and holidays excepted
f.i. free in
f.i.o. free in and out
f.i.a.s free in and stowed
F.I.B. free into barge
f.i.c. freight, insurance, carriage
f.i.h. free in harbour
firavv first avialable vessel
FIS freight, insurance and shipping charges
f.i.w. free into waggon
FLT forklift truck
F.o. free out
FOB free on board (incoterms)
F.O.C. flags of convenience
F.O.D. free of damage
F.O.Q. free on quay
F.o.r free on rail
f.o.s. free on steamer or ship
FOT free on truck (rail) (incoterms)
FOW free on wharf
f.o.w. first open water
F.P.A. free of particular average
FPAD freight payable at destination
FR flat rack (container)
Frt. fwd. freight forward
ft. ppd. freight prepaid
frt. ton freight ton
ft foot (feet)
FWC full loaded weight & capacity (container)
fwdr. forwarder
G
G.A. general average
G.A.A. general average agreement (bond)
G.A.C. general average contribution
GATT general agreement on tariffs and trade
G.B.L. government bill of lading
G.C. general cargo
G.C.R. general cargo rates
GDP gross domestic product
GMT greenwich meantime
GFA general freight agent
GNP gross national product
GRT gross registered tonnage
GSA general sales agent
GW gross weight
H
HAWB house air waybill
Hague Rules international convention of the unification of certain rules relating to bills
of lading (1924)
Hague/Visby Rules protocol to amend the interntaional convention for the unification of certain
rulesof law relating to bills of lading (brussels 1968)
Hamburg/Visby united nations cnovention on the carriage of rules goods by sea (1978)
hdlg handling
HERMES handling european railway message echange-system
hgt height
h/lift heavy lift
H.Q. headquarters
h.p. horse power
I
i.a.w. in accordance with
I.C.C. institute cargo clauses
ICD inland clearance depot
i.e. that is
IMDG international maritime dangerous goods code
in. inch(es)
incl. including
INCOTERMS standard conditions for sale and delivery of goods (issued by icc paris)
INMARSAT international convention on the international maritime satellite organization
INTRM intermediate point
inv. invoice
I.P.A. including particular average
ITI customs convention on the international transit of goods (ccc)
IUV unit of value (iata)
i.o.u. i owe you
J
JIG an outline to confirm an aircraft interior
JIT contour when building up pallet loads just in time
K
kg(s) kilogram(s)
km kilometer
km.p.h. kilometers per hour
km 2 square kilometer.
kn knot(s)
kW kilowatt
kWh kilowatt-hour
Kyoto Convention international, convention on the simplification and harmonization of customs
 procedures (1973)
L
LASH lighter aboard ship
lb(s) pound(s)
L/C letter of credit
LDG leading
l. & d. loss and damage
l. & u. loading and unloading
LCL less than container load (less than car load)
LEL lower explosive limit
LFL lower flammable limit
lgt. long ton; long tons
Lkg/Bkg leakage & breakage
LNG liquified natural gas
L.O.A. length over all
LO/LO lift on, lift off
load loading
LPG liquified petrochemical gas
LSD landing, storage and delivery charges
LT letter telegram
L.T. local time
L/T liner terms
LTA lighter than air system (airships)
ltge lighterage
lump lump sum
M
M minimum (rate classification)
m meter(s)
m3 cubic meter(s)
MACH modular automated container handling
MFN most favoured nation
M.H. merchants haulage
M/R mate’s receipt
M + R maintenance and repair (center)
MAWB main air waybill
Mdse merchandise
MIC mature industrialized country
MMT material movement ticket
msbl missing bill of lading
msca missing cargo
MT motor tanker
MTD multimodal transport ocument
MTO multimodal transport operator
M/V motor (merchant) vessel
M/S motor ship
M/w measurement/weigh
N
N normal (rate classification)
NAABSA not always afloat but safely aground
NAOCC non aircraft operating common carrier
n.c.v non customs/commercial value
n.e.s not elsewhere specified
n.f.o. not free out
NGO non governmental organization
n.l.t. not later than
n/n non-negotiable
N.,Nr number
N/O no orders
n.o.e. not otherwise enumerated
non-sked non-scheduled airline or flight
n.o.p. not otherwise provided
N.O.R not otherwise rated
no show a person who reserves space on an aircraft but neither uses or cancels the reservation
N.O.S. not otherwise specified not of readiness
N/R NRT net registered ton
Nt. net weight
n.v.d. no value declared
NVOCC non-vessl operating common carrier
O
OBO ore bulk oil carriers
O.B.S. oil bunker surcharge
Oc B/L ocean bill of landing
ODS operating differential subsidy
OFA ocean freight agreement
O/P. on deck
O.R. owner's risk
O.R.B. owner's risk of breakage
O.R.D. owner's risk of damage
O.R.F. owner's risk of fire
OT open top (container)
o.t.o.r on truck or railway
P
p.a. per annum - per year
p.A. particular avarage
para paragraph
P.B.A. paid by agent
P & D pick up and delivery
P. & I. protection and indemnity association
P. & I. Clause protection and indemnity clause
P. & I. Club protection and indemnity clug
P. & L. profit and loss
payt. payment
P/C paramount clause
pd. paid
p.D. partial delivery
p.h.d. per hatch / per day
PIM international prescription for handling of rail consignments (cit)
Pkge package
P.L. partial loss
PLP parcel post
PLTC port liners term charges
Pmt prompt
P/N promissory note
P.O.B. post-office-box
P.O.D payment on delivery; paid on delivery
POD port of debarkation (or disembarkation)
POE port of embarkation
POR port of refuge
ppd. prepaid
p.t. per ton
pt/dest port of destination
pt/disch port of discharge
PTL partial total loss
ptly pd partly paid
p.t.w. per ton weight
Q
Q quantity (rate classification)
Q.c.o. quantity at captein's option
Qn. quotation
q.v. quod vide (which see)
R
R reduced class rate (rate classification)
R/c return cargo
Rcd. received
RCU rate construction unit
REMCE remittance
Rentcon rent-a-container
rest. restrict(ed)
retd. returned or retired
R.I. reinsurance
RID international regulations concerning the international carriage of dangerous
 goods by rail
RMD rhine-main-danube navigation system
RNR rate not reported
R/O routing order
R.O.G. receipt of goods
RO/RO roll-oll/roll-off
ROT reference our telex
round round charter party
C/P P.P. reply paid
r.t.b.a. rate to be arranged
Ry. railway
S
S surcharge (rate classification)
SAD single administrative document
S/C surcharge
s & c shipper and carrier
S. & F.A. shipping and forwarding agent
SHEX sunday and holidays expected
SCR specific commodity rate
S/D saling date
S.d. small damage
S/d sight draft
SDR special drawing rights
SDT shippers declaration for the transport of dangerous good
(fiata approved)
SITC standard international trade classification
sl. & c. shippers's load and count
S.L. / NL. ship lost or not lost
SLI shippers letter of instruction
S.O.L. shipowner's liability
SOLAS international convention on the safety of life at sea
S.P.A. subject to particular average
sq.cm(s) square centimeter(s)
sq.in(s) square inch(es)
SRCC strike, riots, civil commotions
S/S steamship
stvdrs stevedores
sub L/C subject to letter of credit being opened
sub licence subject to licence being granted
S.W.I.F.T. society for world wide interbank finencial telecommunication
T
T.A. telegraphic address
TACT the air cargo tariff
TBL through bill of lading
TBN to be named (ship)
T/C time charter
T.C. traffic conference area (iata)
TC transcontainer
TCC transport and communications commission
TD time of departure
TDI trade data interchange (edp)
TDO telegraph delivery order
TEC trans-european combined rail service
TECE trans-european-continer express rail service
TEEM trans-european-express marchandises rail service
TEU twenty foot equivalent unit (container)
TIF international transit by rail
TIR customs convention on the international transport of goods under cover
of tir carnets
TIS international declaration of goods carried byrail (customs)
TL total loss
TLF tariff level factor
tnge tonnage
T.O.D time of dispatch
TOFC trailer onboard flatcar
T.O.R. time of receipt
TOT time of transmission
TOW tier on weight (container stacking according to weight)
TPND theft, pilferage, non delivery
T.T. terms of trade
U
u.c. usual conditions
U.D. under deck
U.DK upper deck
ULCC ultra large crude (oil) carrier
ULD unit load device (aircraft)
USC united states currency
U/w underwriter
V
val. value
VAT value added tax
V.C. vessels convenience
Ves. vessel
VIC very important cargo
VIO very important object
VIP very important person
VLCC very large crude (oil) carrier
v.v vice versa
W
Warsaw Convention convention for the unification of certain rules relating to international
carriage by air -1929
W.A. with average (institute cargo clause)
W/B waybill
w.c.c.o.n whether cleared customs or not
W/d working day(s)
wdt/wth width
w.e.f. with effect from
whf wharfage
Whse warehouse
WIPON whether in port or not
WP weather permitting
w.p.a. with particular average
W.R. warehouse receipt
W.R.I. war risk insurance
w/t weight tons
w/v weight/volume
WW warehouse warrant
wwd weather working days
X
x l & u l exlusive of loading and unloading
xp express paid
x pri without privileges
Y
y/c your cable
yday yesterday
y/l your letter
y/o your order