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ABS
American Bureau of Shipping
ACEP
Approved Continuous Examination Program
ADR
Articles Dangereux de Route
AGVS
Automated guided vehicle system.
ASYCUDA
Automated System for Customs Data. This program dealing with customs declarations has been developed by UNCTAD and is presently used by some 75 countries.
Abeam
Alongside, near amidships.
For navigational purposes in the direction of a right angle to the ship's heading.
Absorption
Acceptance by the carrier of a portion of a joint rate or charge which is less than the amount which it would receive for the service in the absence of such joint rate or charge.
Acceptance of Goods
The process of receiving a consignment from a consignor, usually against the issue of a receipt. As from this moment and on this place the carrier's responsibility for the consignment begins.
Accommodation ladder
Movable steps arranged temporary alongside e.g. a quay to allow access on board for officials, crew or passengers.
Accompanied Transport
The transport of complete road vehicles by another means of transport (e.g. train, ferry accompanied by the driver).
Accord Relatif aux Transports Internationaux de Denrees Perissables et aux Engins Speciaux a Utiliser pour ces Transports
Abbreviation: ATP
Agreement on the international carriage of perishable foodstuffs and on the special equipment to be used for such carriage.
Acknowledgement of Receipt
A notification relating to the receipt of e.g. goods, messages and documents.
Act of God
Accidents of a nature beyond human control such as flood, lightning or hurricane usually quoted as 'force majeure'.
Active Inventory
Covers raw material, work in progress, finished products, which will be used or sold within a given period without extra cost or loss. This term does not cover the so-called reserve inventory.
Actual Demand
Customer orders and often also the allocation of items, ingredients and/or raw materials to production or distribution.
Actual Voyage Number
A code for identification purposes of the voyage and vessel which actually transports the container/cargo.
Ad Valorem
In proportion to the value: A phrase applied to certain freight or customs duties levied on goods, property, etc. set as a percentage of their value.
Added Value
The value attributed to products and services as the result of a particular process (e.g. production process, storage, transport).
Advance Arrangement
An agreement between the shipper and the carrier, concerning contacts between those parties prior to tendering the consignment.
Advanced Amount
Quantity of cash or cash equivalents expressed in a monetary amount given to a driver to cover expenses during a trip.
Advanced Interline
An interline carrier that picks up cargo from the shipper and delivers it to another carrier for shipment to the consignee.
Advice Note
A written piece of information e.g. about the status of the goods.
Aft
At, near or towards the stern or rear of a vessel or an aircraft.
Agency Fee
Fee payable by a ship owner or ship operator to a port agent.
Agent
A person or organization authorized to act for or on behalf of another person or organization.
Aggregate Inventory
The inventory for any group of items or products, involving multiple stock-keeping units.
Air Waybill
Abbreviation: AWB
A document made out by or on behalf of the carrier(s) confirming receipt of the goods by the carrier and evidencing the contract between the shipper and the carrier(s) for the carriage of goods as described therein.
Allocation
The process of assigning activities, costs or facilities e.g. space to a certain organizational units.
Allotment
A share of the capacity of a means of transport assigned to a certain party, e.g. a carrier or an agent, for the purpose of the booking of cargo for a specific voyage.
Always Afloat (AA)
Provision in a charter party, that the vessel must remain afloat at all times when unloading and discharging.
American Bureau of Shipping
Abbreviation: ABS
American classification society which has established rules and regulations for the classification of seagoing vessels or equipment.
Amidships
At or in the middle of a vessel.
Anchor
Device for temporary securing a ship or floating structure to the seabed by means of a chain or cable and a weight with movable extensions (arms)
Apparel
A vessel's outfit, such as rigging, anchor and lifeboats.
The term used in distribution/transport of clothing for a single piece of clothing, a garment.
Approved Continuous Examination Program
Abbreviation: ACEP
An agreement between the owners of the equipment and the responsible governmental body to allow continuous examination of the equipment (e.g. containers).
Apron
See Platform
Arbitration
The process of referring to an agreed person for judgment on issues of dispute, without requiring the use of courts.
Area Code
A code for the area where a container is situated.
Area Off Hire Lease
Geographical area where a leased container becomes off hire.
Area Off Hire Sublease
Geographical area where a subleased container becomes off hire.
Area On Hire Lease
Geographical area where a leased container becomes on hire.
Area On Hire Sublease
Geographical area where a subleased container becomes on hire.
Area of Repair
Geographical area where a container is under repair.
Arrival Date
The date on which goods or a means of transport is due to arrive at the delivery site of the transport.
Arrival Notice
A notice sent by a carrier to a nominated notifies party advising of the arrival of a certain shipment or consignment.
Articles Dangerous de Route
Abbreviation: ADR
A European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road.
Assembly
The stage of production in which components are put together into an end product appropriate to the process concerned.
Assignment
The transfer of certain rights from one party to another.
Astern
Behind a vessel or an aircraft.
Backward; in a reverse direction.
Athwart ships
Across the vessel, that is, from side to side. Said of cargo stowed in this way, as opposed to length-wise.
Audit
A methodical examination and review of a situation or condition (as within a business enterprise) concluding with a detailed report of findings.
Audit Trail
A record of events, such as system access, network load, unsuccessful log-on attempts, that might have some significance for an investigation.
Authentication
Proof by means of a signature or otherwise that a certain document or certain data is of undisputed origin and genuine.
Authorized Consignee / Consignor
A trader authorized by the European Commission (regulation 2454/93) to receive or dispatch consignments under transit procedures without having to present goods and documents directly at the customs office.
Authorization
The commission to a certain person or body to act on behalf of another person or body. The person or body can be authorized e.g. to issue Bills of Lading or to collect freight.
Auto Container
Container equipped for the transportation of vehicles.
Automated Guided Vehicle System
Unmanned vehicles equipped with automatic guidance equipment which follow a prescribed path, stopping at each necessary station for automatic or manual loading or unloading.
Automatic Identification
A means of identifying an item e.g. a product, parcel or transport unit by a machine (device) entering the data automatically into a computer.
The most widely used technology at present is bar code; others include radio frequency, magnetic stripes and optical character recognition.
Automatic Identification Manufacturers
Abbreviation: AIM
International Organization of companies and/or associations involved or interested in automatic identification.
Average
In marine insurance: a loss or damage to or in respect of goods or equipment.
The numerical result obtained by dividing the sum of two or more quantities by the number of quantities.
Average Adjusters
In general average affairs average adjusters are entrusted with the task of apportioning the loss and expenditure over the parties interested in the maritime venture and to determine which expenses are to be regarded as average or general average.
Aweigh
Description of the situation when the anchor has just been lifted from the seabed
Awning
Light structure with canvas or wooden covering rigged above an open space to provide protection from sun or rain.