International Shipping Terminology – Airfreight Terminology

Airway Bill: An A WB is a contract of carriage which covers both domestic and international flights transporting goods to a specified destination.

Aircraft Container: A unit load device (ULD)

ATA: Actual time of Arrival

ATD: Actual time of Departure

Bonded Warehouse: The US Customs authorizes bonded warehouses for storage or manufacture of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until the goods enter the customs territory.

Break Bulk (BIB): For consolidated Airfreight, it is moved under one MAWB (Master Airwaybill) and each consignment/consignee is under one HAWB (House Airwaybill). When the consolidation is received by the Forwarder, the consolidation is broken and customs cleared for each consignee.

Carnet: A customs document allowing the holder to carry or send merchandise temporarily into certain foreign countries or the purpose of not paying import duties.

Consignee: The person to whom goods have been consigned to.

Consignment: Delivery of goods from an exporter to a consignee.

Customs Clearance: The procedure involved getting cargo released through Customs.

Dangerous Goods: Different Commodities classified by lATA are dangerous in nature or characteristic in terms of the carriers flying safety.

DDP: Delivered Duty Paid

DDU: Delivered Duty Unpaid

Duty: A Tax imposed on Imports

ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival

ETD: Estimated Time of Departure

Export License: A Government document authorizing exports of specific goods.

Freight Forwarder: An independent business which handles export shipments. The forwarder takes care of all documentation needed to move the shipment from origin to destination.

HAWB: House Airway bill issued by carrying airlines agent, normally a ‘freight forwarder.

lATA: International Air Transport Association

ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization

Import License: A document authorizing the importation of goods. Issued by some Governments.

Incoterms: Maintained by the International Chamber of Commerce. These terms define the payment of the consignment and indicate who is liable for the costs.

LD3: Lower deck type 3 container. Most commonly used in Passenger aircrafts.

LWR: A type of pallet used at lower deck.

Main Deck: The deck on which the major payload is carried.

MD2: Container used at Main Deck or Upper Deck.

NVD: No Value Declared

Open Account: Arrangement in which goods are shipped to a foreign buyer before, and without written guarantee of payment.

Packing List: A shipping document reflecting the goods, (for example, weights, numbers, measurements, etc..)

POA: Power of Attorney

POD: Proof of Delivery

Pro Forma Invoice: An invoice provided by a supplier prior to the shipment of merchandise

Tare Weight: The weight of a ULD

ULD: Unit Load Device

Value for Customs purposes only: The US Customs Service define “value for Customs purposes only” as the value submitted on the entry documentation by the importer which may not reflect information from the manufacturer but in no way reflects Customs appraisement of the merchandise.