Freight documentation is written in acronyms, and nobody explains them because everyone in the industry assumes you already know. Below are the ones that actually appear on quotes, bookings and invoices, grouped by where you will meet them.
Documents
| Abbrev. | Means | What it is |
|---|
| B/L | Bill of Lading | Receipt, contract of carriage and often document of title — see the types explained |
| HBL | House Bill of Lading | Issued by the forwarder to you |
| MBL | Master Bill of Lading | Issued by the carrier to the forwarder |
| SWB | Seaway Bill | Non-negotiable; no original to surrender |
| AWB | Air Waybill | The air equivalent; never a document of title |
| HAWB / MAWB | House / Master Air Waybill | Same house-and-master structure as ocean |
| COO | Certificate of Origin | Where the goods were made; drives preferential duty |
| CI | Commercial Invoice | The customs valuation document |
| P/L | Packing List | Carton-level contents, weights and dimensions |
| SLI | Shipper's Letter of Instruction | Your instructions to the forwarder |
| D/O | Delivery Order | Authorises release of cargo at destination |
| L/C | Letter of Credit | Bank payment undertaking against exact documents |
| LOI | Letter of Indemnity | Given when releasing cargo without originals |
Parties
| NVOCC | Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier — issues its own B/L without owning ships (difference explained) |
| OTI | Ocean Transportation Intermediary — the US licence category covering forwarders and NVOCCs |
| CHB | Customs House Broker — licensed to file entries |
| 3PL / 4PL | Third / Fourth Party Logistics provider |
| IOR / EOR | Importer / Exporter of Record — legally responsible for the declaration |
| SSL | Steamship Line — the vessel operator |
Places and equipment
| POL / POD | Port of Loading / Port of Discharge |
| CY | Container Yard — where full containers are received and released |
| CFS | Container Freight Station — where LCL cargo is consolidated and stripped |
| ICD | Inland Container Depot |
| FCL / LCL | Full / Less than Container Load (compared) |
| FTL / LTL | Full / Less than Truckload |
| GP / HC | General Purpose / High Cube container (dimensions) |
| OOG | Out of Gauge — exceeds the container envelope (what changes) |
| RORO | Roll-on/Roll-off — wheeled cargo driven aboard |
| SOC / COC | Shipper Owned / Carrier Owned Container |
| ULD | Unit Load Device — the air cargo container or pallet (types) |
Timing and cut-offs
| ETD / ETA | Estimated Time of Departure / Arrival |
| ATD / ATA | Actual Time of Departure / Arrival |
| T/T | Transit Time (estimator) |
| SI cut-off | Shipping Instruction deadline — miss it and B/L details cannot be filed |
| VGM cut-off | Deadline to declare verified gross mass, before the CY cut-off |
| CY cut-off | Last time the full container can be delivered to the terminal |
| Free time | Days before demurrage or detention begins accruing |
Charges on your invoice
| THC | Terminal Handling Charge — at origin, destination, or both |
| BAF | Bunker Adjustment Factor — fuel |
| CAF | Currency Adjustment Factor |
| PSS | Peak Season Surcharge |
| GRI | General Rate Increase |
| ISPS | Port security charge |
| DDC | Destination Delivery Charge |
| DEM / DET | Demurrage (container in terminal) / Detention (container off-terminal) — calculator |
All of these decoded in detail: freight surcharges decoded.
Weight and measurement
| CBM | Cubic Metre — cargo volume (calculator) |
| GW / NW | Gross / Net Weight |
| VW / DIM | Volumetric / Dimensional Weight |
| CW | Chargeable Weight — the greater of actual and volumetric (calculator) |
| VGM | Verified Gross Mass — mandatory SOLAS declaration (calculator) |
| TEU / FEU | Twenty / Forty foot Equivalent Unit — the container counting standard |
Customs and compliance
| HS / HTS | Harmonized System / Harmonized Tariff Schedule code (assistant) |
| ISF | Importer Security Filing, the US "10+2" advance filing |
| AMS | Automated Manifest System — US advance cargo data |
| ENS | Entry Summary Declaration — the EU equivalent |
| AEO | Authorised Economic Operator — EU trusted trader status |
| CTPAT | US supply chain security partnership |
| IMDG / DGR | Dangerous goods codes for sea / air (explained) |
| ISPM 15 | Wood packaging treatment standard (why it stops shipments) |
| MSDS / SDS | Safety Data Sheet, required for hazardous cargo |
Incoterms
EXW Ex Works · FCA Free Carrier · FOB Free On Board · CFR Cost and Freight · CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight · DAP Delivered at Place · DPU Delivered at Place Unloaded · DDP Delivered Duty Paid.
Full breakdown in Incoterms 2020 explained, with the responsibility chart and selector.
Longer definitions of the core terms live in the glossary. When you are ready to ship, post a freight request or find forwarders on your lane.
