The logistics dictionary

A cargo Manifest is a consolidated list of all the cargo that is on board a cargo vessel. The list of all cargo carried on the vessel will appear under the vessel name and identification marks of the vessel. It […]

A Carnet or ATA Carnet (pronounced kar-nay) is an international customs and temporary export-import document. It is used to clear customs in 87 countries and territories without paying duties and import taxes on merchandise that will be re-exported within 12 months*.  Carnets are also known as […]

Circumstances in which carriers are liable for damage to your stock. Often carriers limit the liability for an individual shipment, as well as for the total sum of shipments under one client account. Watch out for this to ensure that […]

Carrier onboard delivery is the use of an aircraft to ferry personnel, mail, supplies, and high-priority cargo and/or goods. This service is also called Hand Carry. Disclaimer Our content is not in any way legal advice or binding. The information […]

The Transport of perishable goods by air increases constantly with growing consumer demand for healthy products all year round. The most important aspects of air Transportation of perishables are time and temperature management to prevent food loss. The aviation industry […]

CEIV Lithium Battery (CEIV LiBa) is a certification program designed to enable shippers and Freight forwarders of lithium battery products to meet their safety obligation by complying with the applicable Transport regulations. Lithium batteries have become the preferred energy source […]

Animal Transportation by air is considered to be the most humane and expedient method of Transportation over long distances. However, it doesn’t come without its challenges which are due to the very specific requirements that supply chain stakeholders need to […]

The Transportation of temperature controlled and time-sensitive products, including vaccines, must meet pharmaceutical manufacturers’ requirements. IATA is taking a leading role in supporting aviation’s compliance efforts through its CEIV Pharma program. Building a network of certified pharmaceutical trade lanes that […]

A CEIV trade lane is a general classification of any transport-related activities between two defined countries. A trade lane is CEIV Pharma, CEIV Live Animals, CEIV Fresh or CEIV Lithium Battery certified if the origin and destination is being linked […]

A Center beam Flatwagon / car are railwagons used to carry lumber and other building supplies. Disclaimer Our content is not in any way legal advice or binding. The information provided by might not be the official legal or full […]

A certificate of conformity, or CoC, (also called Type Approval) is issued by an authorized party (sometimes the manufacturer, sometimes an independent laboratory such as ABS, TÜV, UL, CSA, KIWA) and states that the product meets the required standards or specification. Compliance […]

Certificates of insurance (COIs) are documents containing all the essential details of an insurance policy in an easily digestible, standardized format. COI is intended to prove a policy’s status, provide quick access to its coverage details, reduce exposure to risk, and […]

A Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO), also known as a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO), is a specified document certifying the country of origin of the merchandise required by certain foreign countries for tariff purposes. It sometimes requires the signature of the consulate of the country to which it is destined. Specifically […]

A Certificate of Origin (CO) is an important international trade document that certifies that goods in a particular export shipment are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country. They declare the ‘nationality’ of the product and also […]

The Certification of Origin Form A is a type of Certificate of Origin. The CO allows imports from the countries included in the GSP (General System of Preferences) to qualify for the elimination or reduction of tariffs as this system […]

CFR, Cost and Freight (insert named port of destination) is an IncoTerm which is restricted to goods transported by sea or inland waterway (barge). The seller is bears the responsibility for the costs and risks when bringing the goods to […]

Charter or Chartering, implies to rent a vehicle, especially an aircraft, for a special use and not as part of a regular service. A Charter is often dedicated rent for a certain purpose. Disclaimer Our content is not in any […]

CIF, Cost Insurance and Freight (insert named port of destination) is an IncoTerm whereby the use of this IncoTerm is restricted to goods transported by sea or inland waterway. The IncoTerm Cost, Insurance and Freight is very similar to Cost […]

Do you Transport goods abroad by train? Then you’ll need a Convention Internationale concernant le Transport des Marchandises par Chemin de Fer (CIM-freight note) or Internationale Spoor Vrachtbrief (International Railroad Freightnote, ISV). The document consists of 5 copies: one for […]

CIP, Carriage and Insurance Paid To (insert place of destination) is an IncoTerm which is roughly the same as CPT, Carriage Paid To, except for the fact that the seller is also obligated to arrange and pay a (minimum coverage) […]

CMNI means The Budapest Convention on the contract for the carriage of goods by inland waterways (Budapest, 22 June 2001).” The convention is intended to harmonise contractual and navigational standards on inland waterways in European countries. This Transport document is used when […]

A CMR Transport document or consignment note, constitutes a proof of the contract of carriage by road, determines the scope and responsibility for the operation performed and identifies the parties involved and the goods being transported. Its use implies adherence […]

Coilcars (also referred to as “steel coil cars” or “coil steel cars”) are modified Gondolas to Transport Coils of steel strip by rail. Disclaimer Our content is not in any way legal advice or binding. The information provided by might […]

A cold chain is a low temperature-controlled supply chain. An unbroken cold chain is an uninterrupted series of refrigerated production, storage and distribution activities, along with associated equipment and logistics, which maintain quality via a desired low-temperature range. It is used to preserve and […]

A document created by the seller with their contact information, and information on the products being shipped such as their value for customs and insurance. Commercial invoice is the statement of account of sale provided by the seller to the […]

A commodity code is a code used for defining the type of goods and the applicable tariffs when importing or exporting. A commodity code can be an HTS Code (Harmonized Tariff Schedule), which are product classification codes between 8-10 digits. […]

The consignee is the receiver of the goods being shipped.  A consignee is a customer or client. The ultimate owner of the product is the consignee, so it is important to keep in mind that shipments destined for a 3rd […]

A consignor is a person or a company that is responsible for initiating and organising a shipment. A consignor could be a seller or an exporter (who ships goods from one country to the other). This means the Consignor is […]

The Consular Invoice describes the shipment of goods and shows information such as the consignor, consignee, and value of the shipment. Certified by the consular official of the foreign country, it is used by the country’s customs officials to verify the value, […]

A container ship is a ship which is designed to carry goods stored in containers. Disclaimer Our content is not in any way legal advice or binding. The information provided by might not be the official legal or full definition. […]

A contract of carriage ofwel Transport document is a contract between a carrier of goods or passengers and the consignor, consignee or passenger. Contracts of carriage typically define the rights, duties and liabilities of parties to the contract, addressing topics such as acts of […]

Corporate Social Responsibility is a management concept whereby  companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business  operations and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR is generally  understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance  of economic, […]

A Coverd wagon os a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry freight. These Covered wagons are also called Boxcars, Covered (goods) Van, Louvre / Covered van. While not the simplest Freight car design, it is probably […]

Covered hopper wagons are used for cargo transported by rail that must be protected from the elements (chiefly rain) such as grain, sugar, and fertilizer. They are mostly self-discharging using gravity-unloading. They are also called Covered hopper car. Disclaimer Our […]

CPT, Carriage Paid to (insert place of destination) is an IncoTerm which can be used for any Transport mode, or where there is more than one Transport mode. The seller arranges the customs clearance, pays the export fees and arranges […]

A Curtain Van or Curtainside Trailer is generally a flatbed with an upper structure installed to the flatbed as a tarping system. This system works very just like an accordion or as a curtain. When pulled forward, the tarp exposes the […]

The customs value is value of the imported goods on which duties will be assessed. Usually includes the price of the goods themselves including the pro-rated price of the Freight or air shipping. Disclaimer Our content is not in any […]