Freight & Customs Glossary

The transport document for air cargo, equivalent to an ocean Bill of Lading but non-negotiable — it cannot be used as a document of title.

The primary ocean freight document serving as a receipt of shipment, contract of carriage, and document of title.

Insurance coverage for physical loss or damage to goods during international transportation.

The standard unit of volume measurement in international freight; 1 CBM = 1 m³; used to price LCL shipments.

An official document certifying the country of origin of goods, required by customs for applying preferential tariff rates or anti-dumping duty exemptions.

Incoterms 2020 rule: seller pays freight and provides minimum insurance to the named destination port, but risk transfers to the buyer at the port of loading.

The international transport document for road freight under the CMR Convention, used for land shipments from China via Kazakhstan or other overland routes.

The process of combining multiple LCL shipments from different shippers into one full container at a warehouse facility.

A licensed professional authorized to file customs declarations and manage customs clearance on behalf of importers and exporters.

The official electronic document filed with customs to declare imported goods, their value, classification, and applicable taxes — required for every commercial import in Russia.

The taxable base for calculating import duties and VAT, generally equal to the CIF value of goods at the point of entry into the customs territory.

Goods classified under IMDG (ocean), IATA DGR (air), or ADR (road) dangerous goods regulations requiring special packaging, documentation, and carrier approval.

Incoterms 2020 rule: seller delivers to a named destination in the buyer's country; import customs clearance and duties remain the buyer's responsibility.

Incoterms 2020 rule: seller takes maximum responsibility — delivers to the buyer's premises with all import duties and taxes paid.

Per-diem charges for exceeding the free time period for container use at the terminal (demurrage) or at the importer's premises (detention).

ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) — planned vessel departure date; ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) — planned arrival date at destination port.

Incoterms 2020 rule placing maximum responsibility on the buyer: the seller makes goods available at their premises; the buyer handles all costs and risks from that point.

A shipment occupying an entire ocean container — 20DC, 40DC, or 40HC — booked and sealed by one shipper.

Incoterms 2020 rule: seller is responsible until goods are loaded on board the vessel at the named port; all risk and cost pass to the buyer from that moment.

A company that arranges international cargo transportation on behalf of shippers — booking carriers, managing documentation, and coordinating the logistics chain.

The cost charged by the shipping line to transport a container between two ports, quoted per TEU (20-foot) or FEU (40-foot), excluding terminal handling and surcharges.

The international 6-digit product classification code used worldwide to determine customs duty rates and regulatory requirements.

Value Added Tax paid at Russian customs upon import — 20% or 10% of (customs value + import duty) — recoverable as input tax for OSNO companies.

Consolidated ocean shipping where multiple shippers share one container, each paying per CBM or freight ton of space used.

A bank instrument guaranteeing payment to the seller upon presentation of shipping documents proving that goods were shipped as specified.

The movement of cargo under a single contract using two or more transport modes — typically sea + rail or sea + road.

A freight intermediary that acts as a carrier to shippers (issuing House B/Ls) but books space wholesale from actual vessel operators.

A non-negotiable ocean transport document that confirms the contract of carriage and receipt of goods, but unlike a B/L, cannot be used as a document of title.

The standard unit of container measurement, equal to one 20-foot container; used to measure port capacity, vessel size, and freight rates.

A fee charged by the terminal operator for handling a container at the port — loading/unloading from vessels and moving within the terminal.