Ad Hoc: Latin phrase meaning "for this"; in business used to indicate a single end or purpose, a onetime application e.g., an ad hoc investigating committee.

Ad Valorem: Latin phase meaning "according to value"; freight rates set at a certain fixed percentage of the value of articles, e.g., the wholesale price of the articles, are known as ad valorem rates.

Advice of Shipment: Notice to local or foreign buyer that shipment has occurred with details of packing, routing, etc; a copy of invoice is usually enclosed and sometimes a copy of the bill of lading.

Afloat: Commodities underway in water transit, either actually aboard vessels at sea or in port but yet unloaded.

Agent: 1) A person authorized to transact business for and in the name of another; 2) a broker.

Audit Trail: 1) Path generated by a fully processed business transaction-includes original entry; transaction listing, file posting and report; 2) management controls that document acceptance, handling and movement of materials through a warehouse; 3) verifying summary account balances by analysis/inspection of underlying source documents and transaction records.

Authority: Operating rights granted by a motor carrier by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Barge: The cargo-carrying vehicle used primarily by inland water carriers. The basic barges have open tops, but there are covered barges for both dry and liquid cargos.

Barrel: Container of cylindrical shape made of wood, aluminum or steel which is longer than it is wide and has ends with equal diameters.

Barter: To exchange goods or services without the use of money.

Bay: Area in a warehouse outlined by markings on columns or posts or floor to show specific boundaries; e.g., a 20-foot square.

Beam: Greatest width of a shipıs structure.

Box: 1) Slang term for trailer or container for ocean carriers; 2) slang term used for truck transmissions.

Boxcar: An enclosed railcar typically 40 to 50 feet long; used for packaged freight and some bulk commodities.

Bracing: Securing a shipment inside a carrierıs vehicle to prevent damage.

Breakbulk: 1) To unload, sort and reload some/all the contents of a vehicle in transit; 2) to reduce a large shipment of a single commodity to many small shipments that are then dispersed to various buyers.

Broker: 1) Agent who arranges interstate movement of goods by other carriers; 2) arranger of exempt loads for owner-operators and/or carriers; 3) one who arranges the buying/selling of goods for a commission; 4) person who leases owned equipment to a carrier; 5) solicitor of insurance who places orders for coverage with companies designated by the insured or with companies of his choosing.

Bulk Carrier: Vessel engaged in carriage of bulk commodities like petroleum, grain, or ore which are not packaged, bundled, or otherwise packed.

Bulkhead: 1) Upright wall in trailer or rail car that separates and stabilizes a load; 2) cargo-restraining partition in a vehicle or vessel.

Cargo: Freight transported in a vehicle.

Carrier: Individual, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of transporting goods or passengers, in most cases for a fee.

Cartage: 1) Charge for pickup/delivery of goods; 2) act of moving goods (usually short distances).

Cellular Vessel: Ship constructed for transportation of containers stacked on top of each other in verticle guide shafts, no general freight is carried.

Chock: A piece of wood or other material placed at the side of cargo to prevent it from rolling about or moving sideways.

Common Carrier: Any carrier engaged in the interstate transportation of persons/property on a regular schedule at published rates and whose services are available to the general public on a for-hire basis; regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Consign: 1) Deliver formally to another; 2) send goods to purchase, factor or agent to sell.

Consignee: Person who receives goods shipped from one owner (consignor).

Consignor: Person or firm that ships articles to customers (consignees).

Container Load: A loading which does not utilize the full volumetric capacity of a container nor the maximum payload by weight and will permit additional part loads.

Draft (Vessel): Depth of water necessary to float vessel.

ETA: Estimated time of arrival.

FDA: Food and Drug Adminis-tration.

FOB: Free on board.

Fair Market Value: sum that sale of article would bring under ordinary market conditions.

Flatbed: Trailer with level bed and no sides or tops.

FOB Destination: Freight cost paid to point of destination, title transfers at destination.

FOB Factory: Title to goods and transportation responsibility transfers from seller to factory.

FOB Vessel: Title/transportation costs transfer after goods are delivered on vessel, all export taxes/costs involved in overseas shipments area assessed to buyer.

Forklift: Freight/materials handling vehicle used in loading/unloading heavy freight.

Free on Board (FOB): Loaded abroad carrierıs vehicle at point where responsibility for risk/expense passes from seller to buyer, e.g., FOB Detroit.

General Cargo: Term applying to shipıs loading comprising a variety of goods/articles and not confined to a single commodity.

Gross Weight: The combined weight of a container, its payload and any other loose internal fittings.

Intermodal Transportation: Using more than one mode to deliver shipment, e.g., trailer on flatcar (TOFC) or container on flatcar (COFC).

Interstate: Literally means between states, applies to transportation of goods/persons from point in one state to point in another, between point in same state but passing within/through another state enroute, between points in United States and foreign countries.

Knot-unit of speed: Nautical mile per hour.

Liner: Ocean vessel engaged in carriage of general cargo (including passengers) along definite route on fixed schedule.

Longshoreman: Person employed on wharves of port to load/unload vessels.

Maritime: Commerce/navigation at sea or in seaports.

Pier: The structure to which a vessel is secured for the purpose of loading and unloading cargo.

Pilot: Person whose duty is to steer ships, particularly along coasts, or into/out of harbor.

Port: A harbor or haven where ships may anchor, or that side of the vessel on the left hand of a person who stands on board facing the bow (front) of the vessel.

Port Authority: A state or local government that owns, operates, or otherwise provides wharf, dock, and other terminal investments at ports.

Roll-On/Roll-Off (RO/RO): Feature in specially constructed vessel permitting road vehicles to drive on/off vessel in loading/discharging ports.

Route: 1) Course/direction that shipment moves; 2) to designate course direction shipment shall move; 3) carrier(s) with junction points over which shipment moves.

Stevedore: Person having charge of loading/unloading of ships.

Tariff (Transportation): Printed price list issued by carrier showing transportation charges.

TEU: Twenty-foot equivalent unit (6.10 m). A standard unit for counting containers of various lengths and for describing the capacities of container ships or terminals. One standard, 40-foot, ISO Series 1 container equals 2 TEUs.

Ton: Long ton, 2240 pounds; short ton, 2000 pounds; metric ton, 2204.62 pounds.

Vessel: Generally, craft used or intended to be used as means of transportation by water.