🚢 Logistics & Import–Export · Vocabulary for Specific Fields · 150 words

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logistics n	planning and managing the movement and storage of goods The company outsourced its logistics to a third-party provider.
supply chain n	the network of suppliers, producers and distributors delivering a product The port strike disrupted the supply chain for electronics makers.
supply chain management n	coordinating all activities from raw materials to final customer Good supply chain management helped the firm keep costs low.
freight n	goods carried by ship, plane, train or truck, or the charge for this Freight rates from Asia to Europe rose sharply last quarter.
freight forwarder n	a company that arranges shipping and documents for exporters Our freight forwarder booked space on the next vessel to Rotterdam.
shipping line n	a company that operates cargo ships on regular routes The shipping line announced a peak season surcharge for December.
carrier n	a company that physically transports goods The carrier is liable for damage that occurs during transit.
shipper n	the person or company sending goods The shipper must provide accurate weight details for each container.
consignee n	the person or company to whom goods are delivered The consignee must present the original bill of lading to collect cargo.
notify party n	the party to be informed when goods arrive The bank is the consignee, while the buyer is the notify party.
consignment n	a batch of goods sent together to a buyer The consignment of coffee beans arrived in Hamburg on time.
shipment n	a quantity of goods sent together, or the act of sending them The next shipment of rice is scheduled for early March.
cargo n	goods carried on a ship, aircraft or vehicle The cargo was unloaded at Cat Lai port this morning.
container n	a large standard-sized metal box for transporting goods We need two forty-foot containers for the furniture order.
TEU n	a unit equal to one twenty-foot shipping container The new terminal can handle two million TEU per year.
FCL n	a shipment that fills an entire container Large orders are usually shipped as FCL to reduce handling.
LCL n	a shipment too small to fill a container, sharing space with others For small orders, LCL shipping is more economical than a full container.
consolidation n	combining small shipments into one larger load Consolidation of orders from five suppliers saved us thousands in freight.
bill of lading n	a document issued by a carrier as receipt and title for goods shipped The buyer cannot collect the goods without the original bill of lading.
air waybill n	a transport document for goods sent by air The air waybill number lets you track the parcel online.
commercial invoice n	a document showing the goods sold, their value and the parties Customs officers checked the commercial invoice against the packing list.
proforma invoice n	a preliminary invoice sent before goods are shipped The buyer used the proforma invoice to open a letter of credit.
packing list n	a document listing the contents, weight and size of each package The packing list shows the weight and dimensions of every carton.
certificate of origin n	a document stating the country where goods were made A certificate of origin allows the buyer to claim lower import duties.
letter of credit n	a bank's promise to pay the seller if documents are correct The exporter insisted on payment by an irrevocable letter of credit.
telegraphic transfer n	an electronic bank transfer of money overseas We pay thirty percent by telegraphic transfer before production.
documents against payment n	a method where documents are released only after the buyer pays Under documents against payment, the bank releases papers after receiving funds.
payment terms n	the agreed conditions for when and how payment is made Our standard payment terms are thirty days from invoice date.
Incoterms n	international rules defining buyer and seller responsibilities in trade Incoterms clarify who pays for freight and insurance.
FOB n	Free On Board: seller's risk ends when goods are loaded on the ship We quote all prices FOB Hai Phong port.
CIF n	Cost, Insurance and Freight: seller pays shipping and insurance to destination The buyer requested a CIF quotation to Los Angeles.
EXW n	Ex Works: buyer collects goods from the seller's premises Under EXW terms, the buyer arranges all transport from our factory.
DDP n	Delivered Duty Paid: seller delivers goods with all duties paid DDP shipments are convenient because buyers face no import formalities.
customs n	the government authority that controls goods entering or leaving a country The container was held at customs for further inspection.
customs clearance n	official permission to move goods through customs Customs clearance usually takes one to two working days.
customs declaration n	a form giving details of goods being imported or exported The broker submitted the customs declaration electronically through the national system.
customs broker n	a licensed agent who handles customs procedures for clients We hired a customs broker to handle import paperwork.
HS code n	an international number used to classify traded goods The wrong HS code resulted in a higher duty rate.
import duty n	a tax charged on goods brought into a country Thanks to the trade agreement, import duty on wine fell to zero.
tariff n	a tax on imported or exported goods New tariffs on steel raised costs for construction companies.
VAT n	a tax added to the price of goods and services Importers pay VAT on top of customs duty at the border.
free trade agreement n	a treaty reducing trade barriers between countries The free trade agreement with the EU cut tariffs on Vietnamese seafood.
quota n	a limit on the quantity of goods that can be imported The import quota for sugar was reached by October.
export licence n	official permission to export certain goods Timber shipments require an export licence from the ministry.
customs inspection n	a physical check of goods by customs officers The shipment was selected for customs inspection under the red channel.
bonded warehouse n	a warehouse where imported goods are stored before duties are paid The wine is stored in a bonded warehouse until it is sold.
warehouse n	a large building for storing goods The new warehouse near Binh Duong has space for ten thousand pallets.
warehousing n	storing goods in warehouses as a business service The provider offers warehousing, packing and last-mile delivery.
distribution center n	a warehouse where goods are received and sent to retailers The supermarket chain opened a distribution center serving fifty stores.
fulfillment center n	a warehouse that picks, packs and ships online orders Orders placed before noon leave the fulfillment center the same day.
inventory n	the goods a company has in stock We count inventory at the end of every month.
stock level n	the amount of a product held in storage The system alerts us when stock levels fall below fifty units.
safety stock n	extra inventory kept to avoid running out We hold two weeks of safety stock in case of shipping delays.
stockout n	a situation where an item is out of stock A stockout during the holiday season cost us many customers.
just-in-time adj	producing or delivering goods exactly when needed, with minimal stock Just-in-time delivery reduces storage costs but increases risk.
lead time n	the time between placing an order and receiving it The lead time for custom furniture is around six weeks.
purchase order n	an official document a buyer sends to order goods Production starts once we receive the signed purchase order.
sales contract n	a legal agreement between buyer and seller on terms of sale The sales contract specifies quantity, price and delivery date.
procurement n	the process of obtaining goods and services for a business The procurement team negotiates contracts with raw material suppliers.
sourcing n	finding and choosing suppliers for goods or materials Sourcing fabric from local mills shortened our lead times.
supplier n	a company that provides goods or materials to another We audit every new supplier before signing a contract.
vendor n	a company or person that sells goods or services Approved vendors must meet our quality and delivery standards.
manufacturer n	a company that makes goods in large quantities The manufacturer ships directly from its factory in Bac Ninh.
distributor n	a company that buys goods from manufacturers and sells to retailers We appointed an exclusive distributor for the Thai market.
third-party logistics n	outsourcing logistics activities to an external provider Third-party logistics providers handle storage and delivery for online brands.
last-mile delivery n	the final stage of delivery to the customer's door Last-mile delivery is the most expensive part of e-commerce logistics.
reverse logistics n	managing returned goods from customers back to the seller Efficient reverse logistics makes free returns profitable for online fashion retailers.
cold chain n	a temperature-controlled supply chain for perishable goods Vaccines must stay within the cold chain from factory to clinic.
reefer container n	a refrigerated container for transporting chilled or frozen goods Frozen shrimp are exported in reefer containers set at minus eighteen degrees.
perishable goods n	goods such as food that spoil quickly Perishable goods receive priority handling at the airport.
dangerous goods n	items that can harm people or property during transport Lithium batteries are classed as dangerous goods for air freight.
pallet n	a flat wooden or plastic base for stacking and moving goods Each pallet holds forty cartons wrapped in plastic film.
forklift n	a vehicle with prongs for lifting and moving heavy loads Only trained staff may operate a forklift in the warehouse.
loading dock n	a platform where trucks load and unload goods Three trucks were waiting at the loading dock this morning.
picking and packing n	selecting items from storage and packaging them for shipment Picking and packing accuracy improved after we installed barcode scanners.
barcode n	a pattern of lines that can be scanned to identify a product Each carton carries a barcode for automatic tracking.
tracking number n	a number used to follow the progress of a shipment Customers receive a tracking number by text message.
shipment tracking n	monitoring the location and status of goods in transit Real-time shipment tracking reduces customer enquiries about deliveries.
transit time n	the time goods spend travelling from origin to destination Transit time from Ho Chi Minh City to Rotterdam is about thirty days.
port of loading n	the port where goods are loaded onto the ship The port of loading is listed as Cai Mep on the bill of lading.
port of discharge n	the port where goods are unloaded from the ship The port of discharge was changed to Long Beach because of congestion.
transshipment n	moving cargo from one vessel to another during the journey The goods undergo transshipment in Singapore before reaching Europe.
vessel n	a large ship, especially one carrying cargo The vessel departed two days late because of bad weather.
estimated time of arrival n	the expected time a vessel, flight or shipment will arrive The estimated time of arrival at Hai Phong is next Tuesday.
estimated time of departure n	the expected time a vessel or flight will leave The estimated time of departure was pushed back by a day.
cut-off time n	the deadline for delivering cargo or documents before departure Containers arriving after the cut-off time will miss the vessel.
demurrage n	charges for keeping containers at the port beyond the free time Delays in customs clearance led to heavy demurrage charges.
detention n	charges for keeping a carrier's container outside the port too long We paid detention because the empty container was returned late.
free time n	days a container may be kept without extra charges The shipping line gives fourteen days of free time at destination.
surcharge n	an extra charge added to the basic freight rate Carriers added a fuel surcharge as oil prices rose.
terminal handling charge n	a fee for handling containers at the port terminal The terminal handling charge is paid by the consignee at destination.
freight collect adj	describing freight that is paid by the receiver at destination Under FOB terms, the shipment is usually freight collect.
freight prepaid adj	describing freight paid by the shipper before departure CIF shipments are marked freight prepaid on the bill of lading.
cargo insurance n	insurance covering loss or damage to goods in transit The seller arranged cargo insurance covering one hundred and ten percent of value.
insurance certificate n	a document proving that goods are insured during shipment The bank requires an insurance certificate under the letter of credit.
claim n	a formal request for compensation for loss or damage We filed a claim with the insurer for the water-damaged cartons.
damage n	physical harm to goods that reduces their value The surveyor recorded damage to twelve cartons during unloading.
inspection certificate n	a document confirming goods were checked before shipment An independent inspection certificate confirmed the quantity and quality.
phytosanitary certificate n	a document certifying plant products are free from pests Fresh dragon fruit exports require a phytosanitary certificate.
fumigation n	treating goods or packaging with gas to kill pests Wooden pallets must undergo fumigation before export to Australia.
shipping mark n	symbols and words printed on packages for identification Each carton must show the shipping mark and order number.
gross weight n	the total weight of goods including packaging The gross weight of the shipment is twelve tonnes.
net weight n	the weight of goods without packaging The net weight of each bag of rice is fifty kilograms.
volumetric weight n	a weight calculated from package size, used for pricing air freight Large but light parcels are charged by volumetric weight.
cubic meter n	a unit of volume used to measure cargo space LCL freight is charged per cubic meter of cargo.
multimodal transport n	moving goods using two or more modes under one contract Multimodal transport combines rail and sea to reach inland China.
road freight n	transporting goods by truck Road freight to Cambodia takes about two days.
rail freight n	transporting goods by train Rail freight from Vietnam to Europe is faster than sea transport.
air freight n	transporting goods by aircraft Urgent spare parts were sent by air freight to avoid delays.
sea freight n	transporting goods by ship Sea freight is cheaper but much slower than air.
inland waterway n	rivers and canals used for transporting goods Barges on inland waterways carry rice from the Mekong Delta.
dry port n	an inland terminal connected to a seaport by road or rail The dry port allows customs clearance far from the coast.
container yard n	an area at a port where containers are stored Empty containers are collected from the container yard.
container freight station n	a facility where LCL cargo is packed into or unpacked from containers LCL cargo is delivered to the container freight station for consolidation.
port congestion n	a situation where too many ships or containers cause delays at a port Port congestion added a week to delivery times.
route n	the path taken to transport goods from one place to another The carrier opened a direct route from Da Nang to Busan.
route optimization n	planning the most efficient delivery routes Route optimization software cut fuel costs by twelve percent.
fleet n	a group of vehicles or ships owned by one company The company expanded its fleet to sixty refrigerated trucks.
haulage n	transporting goods by road, or the charge for it Haulage from the port to the factory costs four million dong.
trucking n	the business of moving goods by truck Trucking costs rose because of higher diesel prices.
door-to-door adj	covering the whole journey from sender's premises to receiver's We offer a door-to-door service from Hanoi to Sydney.
dispatch v	to send goods or a vehicle to a destination All orders are dispatched within twenty-four hours of payment.
delivery note n	a document accompanying goods and signed by the receiver The driver asked the warehouse manager to sign the delivery note.
proof of delivery n	a document or signature confirming goods were received The courier uploads a photo as proof of delivery.
courier n	a company or person that delivers parcels quickly The samples were sent to the buyer by international courier.
cross-border e-commerce n	online selling of goods to customers in other countries Cross-border e-commerce has created new export opportunities for small firms.
import v	to bring goods into a country from abroad Vietnam imports large quantities of cotton from the United States.
export v	to send goods to another country for sale The company exports cashew nuts to over thirty countries.
re-export n	exporting goods that were previously imported The goods were stored temporarily for re-export to Laos.
trade balance n	the difference between a country's exports and imports Strong electronics exports gave the country a trade balance surplus.
trade barrier n	a rule or tax that restricts international trade Strict labelling rules act as a trade barrier for small exporters.
anti-dumping duty n	an extra tax on imports sold below fair market value The EU imposed an anti-dumping duty on imported steel products.
rules of origin n	criteria deciding where a product is considered to be made Garments must meet rules of origin to enjoy tariff preferences.
tariff preference n	a lower tax rate given to goods from certain countries Exporters need a valid certificate to claim the tariff preference.
quotation n	a written statement of the price for goods or services Please send us a quotation for two containers of frozen fish.
minimum order quantity n	the smallest amount a supplier will accept in one order The factory's minimum order quantity is five thousand pieces.
sample order n	a small order placed to test product quality The buyer placed a sample order before committing to a full container.
quality control n	checking products to ensure they meet required standards Quality control staff inspect every batch before shipment.
demand forecasting n	predicting future customer demand for products Accurate demand forecasting prevents both overstocking and stockouts.
bullwhip effect n	small demand changes growing into large swings further up the supply chain Sharing sales data with suppliers reduces the bullwhip effect.
warehouse management system n	software that controls stock and operations in a warehouse The warehouse management system shows every pallet's exact location.
first in, first out phrase	a method where the oldest stock is used or sold first We follow first in, first out to prevent food products expiring.
cycle count n	regularly counting a small part of inventory instead of all at once A daily cycle count keeps our stock records accurate.
backorder n	an order that cannot be filled yet because stock is unavailable The blue model is on backorder until the next shipment arrives.
cross-docking n	moving goods from inbound to outbound trucks with little or no storage Cross-docking lets fresh produce reach supermarkets within hours.
outsourcing n	paying another company to do part of your work Outsourcing transport allowed the firm to focus on manufacturing.
logistics hub n	a central location where goods are collected, sorted and redistributed The province aims to become a regional logistics hub near the border.
customs bond n	a guarantee ensuring an importer will pay duties and follow rules Importers must post a customs bond before clearing goods.
shipping instructions n	details the shipper gives the carrier for preparing the bill of lading Please send the shipping instructions before Thursday so the bill of lading is correct.
customs valuation n	the method of determining the value of goods for duty purposes Customs valuation is normally based on the transaction value of the goods.