A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

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(a)(1)(A) LIST

The list issued by the Customs Service of documents and records that importers and others must keep, retain, and, if the Customs Service demands, produce, or be subject to administrative penalties.

ABANDONMENT
1) An official proceeding where a carrier seeks authorization to stop service of part or all of its route/line, or give up ownership/control of its cargo or vessel. 2) Shipper or consignee relinquishes damaged freight carrier or refuses to accept delivery. 3) The act of relinquishing title to damaged or lost property in order to claim a total loss.

ABEAM
Alongside.

ABSOLUTE LIABILITY
Condition in which carrier is responsible for all liability and isn't protected by normal exemptions found in bill of lading or common law liability.

ABSOLUTE QUOTA

A quantitative restraint placed on imports of a particular commodity, usually from a specific country. Once the limit is reached, no more of the product may be imported until the quota is re-opened.

ACCELERATED TARIFF ELIMINATION

The feature in a free trade agreement that allows for a gradual reduction of import duties to the point where they are eliminated.

ACCEPTANCE

1) Acknowledged receipt by consignee of a shipment, terminating the common carrier contract. 2) A promise to pay, usually evidenced by inscribing across the face of the bill "accepted", followed by the date, place payable, and acceptor's signature. 

ACCESSION

The process by which a country negotiates terms or determines obligations that must be fulfilled in order to become a participant in a trade agreement.

ACCESSORIAL CHARGES

Charges for supplementary services and privileges, provided in connection with line-haul transportation of goods. These charges are not included in the freight charge and usually take the form of a flat fee. Some examples: pickup/delivery, in-transit privileges, demurrage, switching, loading/unloading.

ACCESSORIAL SERVICE

A service rendered in addition to the physical transportation service; such as heating, storage, and packing.

ACCOUNT NUMBER

A number assigned to identify a shipper or consignee.

ACT OF GOD

Accidents arising from physical causes (lightning, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.) and not from human cause or error. Out of the control of all parties.

ADRIFT

Floating at random under no power or steerage.

AD VALOREM

Latin term that means “according to the value.” 

AD VALORUM DUTY RATE

A rate of duty that is applied to imported goods, determined as a percentage of the merchandise value. 

ADVANCING CARGO

Designating cargo to be shipped on an earlier sailing than the one for which it was booked. 

ADVANCE CHARGES

1) Charges billed at origin in advance of shipment. Usually, pre-carrier's portion for movement to the port where goods are loaded. 2) Freight charge on a shipment that is advanced by one transportation company to another, or to the shipper. Fees are then collected from the consignee.

ADVICE OF SHIPMENT

Notice to local or foreign buyer that a shipment has occurred. A copy of the invoice may be enclosed, as well as packing and routing details, and a copy of the bill of lading.

ADVISING BANK

The bank (the seller’s or exporter’s bank) which receives a letter of credit from the issuing bank (the buyer’s bank) and forwards it to the recipient (the exporter/seller).

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON EXPORT POLICY

An interagency dispute resolutions committee chaired by the Bureau of Export Administration at the Assistant Secretary level.

AFLOAT

Commodities underway in water transit; either aboard vessels, at sea, or in port, but not yet unloaded.

AFT

Towards the rear or stern of the vessel.

AGENDA

A list of items to be considered.

AGENT

A person authorized to transact business for another and/or and in the name of another.

AGREEMENT OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES

A trading bloc of the following nations: Brunei, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

AIR EXPRESS

A service providing for the expedited handling of airfreight.

AIR FREIGHT

A service providing for the air transport of goods. 

AIR FREIGHT FORWARDER

Individuals or organizations that serve as middlemen between shippers and carriers. They process paperwork, consolidate goods, and tender goods to air carriers for shipment.

AIRMAIL

A class of mail offered by postal service organizations that entails the use of air carriers, whenever such use will expedite delivery.

AIRPORT MAIL FACILITY

A U.S. Postal Service facility located on or adjacent to an airport. AMFs are primarily engaged in the dispatch, receipt, and transfer of mail directly with air carriers.

AIR WAYBILL

A non-negotiable instrument of air transport that serves as a receipt for the shipper and obligates the carrier to deliver the consignment to the airport of destination according to specified terms and conditions.

ALADI

Spanish acronym for Latin American Integration Association. A group of 12 nations (Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico) that strives to reduce tariffs and coordinate trade policies among members.

ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE

The percentage of alcohol contained alcoholic beverages, spirits or other commodities.

ALL-COMMODITY RATE

Usually a carload/truckload rate that applies to multiple shipments that move at one time, in one vehicle, from consignor to consignee. An all-commodity rate is established based on actual transportation cost rather than "value of service."

ALL RISK

An insurance policy that may expressly exclude certain types of damage; such as marring, scratching or bending.

ALLOWANCE

An amount paid or credited as a refund or reimbursement to a buyer due to any of a number of causes that result in an inability for the seller to meet the buyer’s specifications.

ALONGSIDE

A phrase that refers to a location nearby a ship. Goods to be delivered “alongside” are to be placed on the dock or barge within reach of the transport ship’s tackle so that they can be loaded aboard the ship.

ALTERNATE ROUTING

Routing that is less desirable than normal routing, but yields similar results.

AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING

Official vessel classification society of the United States.

ANTI-BOYCOTT COMPLIANCE

Antiboycott laws require U.S. firms to refuse to participate in foreign boycotts that the United States does not sanction. They prevent U.S. firms from becoming instruments that may be used by foreign governments to pursue policies that may be counter to those of the United States.

ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES

Additional duties imposed on imported merchandise when the imported merchandise is being sold in the United States at less than fair value and is causing material harm to a domestic industry.

ANTI-TERRORISM

Acts or practices enacted to deter or prevent terrorism. 

APPRAISER

An authorized party who determines the value of goods.

ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT AGENCY

Formulates, advocates, implements and verifies effective arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament policies, strategies, and agreements. Reviews certain dual use export license applications referred by Department of Commerce.

ARBITRARY

1) Charge in addition to regular freight charge to compensate for unusual local conditions. 2) Fixed amount accepted by a carrier when dividing joint rates.

ARRIVAL NOTICE

A notice to the consignee of the arrival of freight.

ASSIGN

To transfer or endorse to another party.

ASSIGNEE

A person to whom a right of property is assigned or transferred.

ASSIGNOR

A person who assigns or transfers a right of property to another.

ASSIST

Value or items that an importer provides to its foreign supplier/manufacturer at a reduced rate or free of charge, directly or indirectly, that is used to produce the imported merchandise. The value of the merchandise must reflect this added value.

ATTORN

To agree to turn over or transfer money or goods to an individual or legal entity other than the party who was to originally intended to receive them. 

ATTORNEY-IN-FACT

A person authorized to transact general business or to perform a designated task of a non-legal nature on behalf of another individual or legal entity. In many countries, this authority must be conferred by a written power of attorney.

AUDIT

Official examination of accounts.

AUSTRALIA GROUP

A group of 20 industrialized nations that cooperate to curb proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. 

AUTHORITY AUTHORIZED CARRIER

Person or organization authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission to conduct interstate commerce.

AUTOMATED BROKER INTERFACE

A computerized system that links customs brokers and others to the U.S. Custom’s authority.

AVOIRDUPOIS

Often referred to as the Imperial System of Weights and Measurement (a) French for “having weight;” (b) A system of weight measurement based on the pound of 16 ounces and the ounce of 16 drams.