Cabotage: Water transportation term applicable to shipments between ports of a nation; commonly

refers to coast-wise or inter-coastal navigation or trade. Many nations, including the United States,

have cabotage laws which require national flag vessels to provide domestic interport service.

CAF: Abbreviation for “Currency Adjustment Factor.” A charge, expressed as a percentage of a

base rate, that is applied to compensate ocean carriers of currency fluctuations.

Carrier: Any person or entity who, in a contract of carriage, undertakes to perform or to procure

the perfomance of carriage by rail, road, sea, air, inland waterway or by a combination of such

modes.

CBM (CM) : Abbreviation for “Cubic Meter”.

Certificate of Origin : A certified document showing the origin of goods; used in international

commerce.

CAF : Abbreviation for “Currency Adjustment Factor.” A charge, expressed as a percentage of a

base rate, that is applied to compensate ocean carriers of currency fluctuations.

Carrier: Any person or entity who, in a contract of carriage, undertakes to perform or to procure

the perfomance of carriage by rail, road, sea, air, inland waterway or by a combination of such

modes.

Cash Against Documents (CAD) : Method of payment for goods in wich documents transferring

title are given the buyer upon payment of cash to an intermediary acting for the seller, usually a

commission house.

CBM (CM) : Abbreviation for “Cubic Meter”.

Certificate of Origin : A certified document showing the origin of goods; used in international

commerce.

CFS: Abbreviation for “Container Freight Station”. A shipping dock where cargo is loaded

(“stuffed”) into or unloaded (“stripped”) from containers. Generally, this involves less than

containerload shipments, although small shipments destined to same consignee are often

consolidated. Container reloading from/to rail or motor carrier equipment is a typical activity.

Charter Party : A written contract between the owner of a vessel and the person desiring to employ

the vessel (charterer); sets forth the terms of the arrangement such as duration of agreement, freight

rate and ports involved in the trip.

Chassis: A frame with wheels and container locking devices in order to secure the container for

movement.

CIF: Abbreviation for “Cost, Insurance, Freight”. (Named Port) Same as C&F or CFR except seller

also provides insurance to named destination.

Claim: A demand made upon a transportation line for payment on account of a loss sustained

through its alleged negligence.

Clean Bill of Lading : A receipt for goods issued by a carrier with an indication that the goods were

received in “apparent good order and condition,” without damage or other irregularities. If no

notation or exception is made, the B/L is assumed to be “cleaned.”

Clip-On : Refrigeration equipment attachable to an insulated container that does not have its own

refrigeration unit.

COGSA : Carriage of Goods by Sea Act. U.S. federal codification passed in 1936 which

standardizes carrier’s liability under carrier’s bill of lading. U.S. enactment of The Hague Rules.

Commercial Invoice : Represents a complete record of the transaction between exporter and

importer with regard to the goods sold. Also reports the content of the shipment and serves as the

basis for all other documents about the shipment.

Commodity: Article shipped. For dangerous and hazardous cargo, the correct commodity

identification is critical.

Commodity Rate : A rate published to apply to a specific article or articles.

Common Carrier : A transportation company which provides service to the general public at

published rates.

Common Law : Law that derives its force and authority from precedent, custom and usage rather

than from statutes, particularly with reference to the laws of England and the United States.

Concealed Damage : Damage that is not evident from viewing the unopened package.

Conference : An association of ship owners operating in the same trade route who operate under

collective conditions and agree on tariff rates.

Confirmed Letter of Credit : A letter of credit, issued by a foreign bank, whose validity has been

confirmed by a domestic bank. An exporter with a confirmed letter of credit is assured of payment

even if the foreign buyer or the foreign bank defaults.

Confirming Bank : The bank that adds its confirmation to another bank’s (the issuing bank’s) letter

of credit and promises to pay the beneficiary upon presentation of documents specified in the letter

of credit.

Consignee: A person or company to whom commodities are shipped.

Consignee Mark : A symbol placed on packages for identification purposes; generally a

triangle,square, circle, etc. with letters and/or numbers and port of discharge.

Consignment:

1) A stock of merchandise advanced to a dealer and located at his place of business, but with title

remaining in the source of supply.

2) A shipment of goods to a consignee.

Container: A truck trailer body that can be detached from the chassis for loading into a vessel, a

rail car or stacked in a container depot. Containers may be ventilated, insulated, refrigerated, flat

rack, vehicle rack, open top, bulk liquid or equipped with interior devices. A container may be 20

feet, 40 feet, 45 feet, 48 feet or 53 feet in length, 8’0” or 8’6” in width, and 8’6” or 9’6” in height.

Container Booking : Arrangements with a steamship line to transport containerized cargo.

Container Manifest : Document showing contents and loading sequence of a container.

Container Pool : An agreement between parties that allows the efficient use and supply of

containers. A common supply of containers available to the shipper as required.

Container Terminal : An area designated for the stowage of cargoes in container; usually

accessible by truck, railroad and marine transportation. Here containers are picked up, dropped off,

maintained and housed.

Container Load : A load sufficient in size to fill a container either by cubic measurement or by

weight.

Contract Carrier : Any person not a common carrier who, under special and individual contracts or

agreements, transports passengers or property for compensation.

Controlled Atmosphere : Sophisticated, computer controlled systems that manage the mixtures of

gases within a container throughout an intermodal journey reducing decay.

Correspondent Bank : A bank that, in its own country, handles the business of a foreign bank.

Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) : Cost of goods, marine insurance and all transportation

(freight) charges are paid to the foreign point of delivery by the seller.

Customs Bonded Warehouse : A warehouse authorized by Customs to receive duty-free

merchandise.

Customs Entry : All countries require that the importer make a declaration on incoming foreign

goods. The importer then normally pays a duty on the imported merchandise. The importer’s

statement is compared against the carrier’s vessel manifest to ensure that all foreign goods are

properly declared.

Customs Invoice : A form requiring all data in a commercial invoice along with a certificate of

value and/or a certificate of origin. Required in a few countries (usually former British territories)

and usually serves as a seller’s commercial invoice.