Freight and project cargo glossary

Cargo and equipment

OOG (out of gauge)

A piece wider, higher or longer than a standard closed container or its door can take, so it ships on an open top or flat rack, or as breakbulk. See OOG: flat rack or breakbulk?

ODC (over-dimensional cargo)

In Indian road transport, a load whose width, height or length exceeds the legal limits for a normal vehicle, so it needs a suitable trailer and permission to move.

Breakbulk

Cargo loaded and stowed piece by piece in a ship's hold or on deck rather than in containers, usually priced per freight ton (W/M).

Project cargo

The equipment and materials for one project, such as a plant, moved to a plan and schedule, often as a mix of containers, OOG and breakbulk pieces.

Heavy lift

A piece too heavy for normal handling, needing heavy cranes or special gear; Moviqo's cargo check marks any piece of 40 t or more, though lines set their own thresholds.

High cube (HC)

A closed container about 30 cm taller than a standard one, with a door about 2.58 m high on a 40' HC, for bulky or slightly taller cargo.

Open top (OT)

A container with no fixed roof, loaded from above by crane, for cargo too tall for a closed box but no wider than its inside width of about 2.34 m.

Flat rack (FR)

A container with a floor and end walls but no sides or roof, for cargo too wide or tall for other boxes; a 40' flat rack takes roughly 11.65 m and 40 t, depending on the line.

Over-width (OW)

How far a piece sticks out on each side beyond a container's 2.438 m width, worked out as (cargo width − 2.438 m) ÷ 2; lines charge for the slots it blocks.

Over-height (OH)

How far a piece rises above the height an open top or flat rack is built for, such as 1.95 m on a 40' flat rack; lines charge for the slot above it.

FCL (full container load)

A shipment that books a whole container, whatever is inside, and pays per box.

LCL (less than container load)

Cargo that shares a container with other shippers' cargo and pays per freight ton (W/M), usually with a minimum.

Colli list

A packing list that gives each package (collo) with its number, dimensions and weights, the starting point for any OOG or breakbulk quote.

Measurement and pricing

CBM (cubic metre)

The unit of cargo volume: length × width × height in metres, where 1 cbm equals 35.315 cubic feet.

Freight ton (revenue ton)

The higher of a cargo's weight in metric tonnes and its volume in cbm, the unit LCL and breakbulk ocean freight is charged on. See Freight tons explained

W/M (weight or measurement)

The pricing basis that charges cargo on its weight in tonnes or its volume in cbm, whichever is greater.

Chargeable weight

In air freight, the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight, commonly length × width × height in cm ÷ 6,000 (about 167 kg per cbm).

RFQ (request for quotation)

A customer's or agent's request for a price to move cargo; in Moviqo it is registered first and its number follows the enquiry to delivery. See RFQ acknowledgement SOP

Rate sheet

A vendor's tariff of rates for lanes and equipment, valid from one date to another; Moviqo treats it as active, upcoming or expired from those dates. See Rate sheet validity

Local charges

Charges at the port of loading or discharge outside the ocean freight, such as THC, B/L fee and seal, often published with an effective date and no end date.

THC (terminal handling charge)

The charge, usually collected by the line, for handling a container at the port terminal, quoted separately at origin and destination.

DTHC (destination terminal handling charge)

The THC at the port of discharge, usually paid by the consignee unless the Incoterm or the offer includes it.

Free days (free time)

The days a shipper or consignee may use the line's container, or leave it at the terminal, before detention or demurrage starts.

Detention

In container shipping, the charge for keeping the line's container outside the terminal beyond the free days; in road transport, the charge for a truck kept waiting at loading or unloading.

Demurrage

The charge for a container left inside the terminal or port beyond the free days; some lines and ports use the two terms differently, so read the tariff.

Ports, parties and documents

POL (port of loading)

The port where the cargo is loaded onto the ship, such as Nhava Sheva (INNSA) or Mundra (INMUN).

POD (port of discharge)

The port where the cargo comes off the ship, such as Jebel Ali (AEJEA).

UN/LOCODE

The United Nations code for trade and transport locations: two letters for the country and three for the place, such as INNSA for Nhava Sheva.

ICD (inland container depot)

A dry port inland where containers are handled and cleared through customs, and moved by rail or road to and from the seaport.

NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier)

A carrier that issues its own bills of lading and sells container space but does not operate ships.

CHA (customs house agent)

The firm, now licensed in India as a customs broker, that files customs declarations and clears cargo for importers and exporters.

MBL (master bill of lading)

The bill of lading the shipping line issues to the forwarder or NVOCC that booked the space.

HBL (house bill of lading)

The bill of lading a forwarder or NVOCC issues to its own shipper for the same cargo.

Shipping bill

The export declaration filed with Indian customs for goods leaving India, needed before the cargo can be loaded.

Bill of entry

The import declaration filed with Indian customs to clear goods arriving in India, for home consumption or for warehousing.

Chartering

Hiring a whole ship, or a share of its space, for a voyage or a period, used when cargo is too large or too much for regular liner services.

Incoterms basics

Incoterms

The International Chamber of Commerce's rules, currently Incoterms 2020, that set where delivery happens and which costs and risks the seller and the buyer carry.

EXW (ex works)

The seller makes the goods available at its own premises, and the buyer arranges and pays for everything after that, export clearance included.

FOB (free on board)

The seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port of shipment, cleared for export, and the risk passes to the buyer once they are on board.

CFR and CIF (cost and freight; cost, insurance and freight)

The seller pays the sea freight to the named destination port, and under CIF minimum insurance too, while the risk passes to the buyer once the goods are on board at origin.

DAP (delivered at place)

The seller delivers the goods to the named destination, ready for unloading, and the buyer handles import clearance and duties.

DDP (delivered duty paid)

The seller delivers the goods to the named destination cleared for import, with duties and taxes paid.

Road transport and fleet in India

E-way bill

The electronic document generated on India's GST e-way bill system to move goods above the value threshold (generally ₹50,000), valid under current rules for one day per 200 km, or per 20 km for over-dimensional cargo.

LR (lorry receipt)

The consignment note a transporter issues when it accepts goods for carriage by road, naming the consignor, consignee, goods and freight terms.

POD (proof of delivery)

The signed copy of the LR or delivery note showing that the consignee received the goods, often needed before freight is billed.

Trip sheet

The record of one vehicle trip: vehicle, driver, route, LR and e-way bill numbers, freight, expenses and status; Moviqo's trip sheets also record the empty positioning and return legs.

Hydraulic axle trailer

A modular trailer whose axles are hydraulically suspended and steered, combined in lines to carry very heavy or over-dimensional loads by road.

National permit

A permit under India's national permit system that lets a goods carriage operate across state borders throughout India.

Fitness certificate

The certificate a transport vehicle needs to show it is roadworthy, renewed at the intervals the Central Motor Vehicles Rules set.

PUC (pollution under control)

The certificate showing that a vehicle's emissions were tested and found within the limits, renewed periodically.

Figures such as container sizes and payloads are indicative; confirm with the line. Legal limits and validity rules in India change from time to time; check the current rules.