Glossary

Glossary Of Shipping Container Terms

Understanding the terminology used in the container shipping industry is essential for effective communication with
our team and our trading partners.

Here’s a handy cheat sheet

ACEP - Approved Continuous Examination Program

Designed to ensure the safety of the shipping container throughout its journey.

Box

Slang term for a shipping container.

Broker

Person who arranges the transportation of cargo

Carrier (USER)

Refers to the company responsible for moving containers from one point to another, either by road, rail, or sea.

CBM - Cubic Meter

Cubic Meter: shipping container.

COC - Carrier Owned Container

A container owned by the company transporting goods.

CW Certificate

Certificate indicating that the container is safe for sea transport.

Container Surveyor

Inspector responsible for assessing damage to shipping containers.

CSC Plate

Plate fixed to container doors containing technical data and a serial number

Container Terminal

Specialized port for handling containers during transfer between ships and other modes of transport.

CY - Container Yard

Storage facility for shipping containers.

Customs Broker

Licensed entity handling customs clearance for importers.

DG

Dangerous Goods Container.

DV20

20 Foot Dry Van or another name for 20’GP

Demurrage

Fee charged for storing containers and goods beyond the agreed transportation period.

Detention

Fees charged for keeping containers too long before returning them to the terminal.

EIR - Equipment Interchange Receipt

Receipt for transferring container responsibility to the next carrier in the transportation chain.

EDI - Electronic Data Interchange

Standardized transfer of data between different computer systems.

Freight Forwarder

Business arranging transportation of goods, including documentation and customs clearance.

FCL

Full Container Load.

FEU - Forty Foot Equivalent Unit

Equivalent to a 40-foot container.

Flat Rack Container

Container without walls for oversized cargo.

FQ

Food Quality Container.

GP - General Purpose Container

Standard cargo container typically 20ft or 40ft in length.

HC or High Cube Container

Container with extra headroom compared to standard size.

IICL - Institute of International Container Lessors

Sets repair standards for containers.

Insulated Shipping Container

Container with insulation for temperature-sensitive cargo.

Intermodal

Movement of containers between different modes of transport.

Inland Carrier

Company transporting cargo between ports and inland destinations.

Leap Frog

Process term for allocating containers to different de-hire points.

Liner

Ship with regular routes between specific ports.

Lifting Equipment

Forklift or crane.

ISO - International Organization for Standardization

Sets standards for container construction.

ISO Container

Freight container complying with ISO standards.

MGW - Maximum Gross Weight

Maximum allowable weight for a loaded container.

ONHIRE & DEHIRE

Pick-up and return of containers.

O/H - Over Height

Cargo too tall for standard containers.

O/S - Open Sided Container

Suitable for wide cargo.

O/T - Open Top Container

Loadable from the top by crane

OWY

One Way

Payload

Maximum weight of cargo a container can carry.

PPSR - Personal Property Securities Register

Government register to check ownership and status of items.

Reefer Shipping Container

Refrigerated container for temperature-sensitive cargo.

Release

Official document detailing terms and conditions.

Release number

Is a series of numbers and or letters that the Container yards create and provide to owners of containers. The owners use the release to get the containers out of the yard. Each release number is different.

SOC - Shipper Owned Container

Container owned by the shipper.

Slot

Allocated space for a container on a ship or train.

Supply Chain

Production and movement of goods from initiation to delivery.

TARE

Weight of an empty container

TEU - Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit

Standard unit of container size.

Time Slot

Booked time for collecting or delivering containers.

Turnaround Time

Time between a container’s arrival and departure from a terminal.

Twist Lock

Mechanism for securing containers vertically.

VBS - Vehicle Booking System

Container tracking and management system.

Warehouse

Secure storage facility for goods.

WWT - Wind and Watertight

Condition of containers to protect cargo from the elements.

2PW Container

Two Pallet Wide Container