| Let’s learn some more shipping terms and | | | | Door to Door Service (D/D): Your household goods |
| definitions to help you better understand the unique | | | | are picked up at your door (origin in the US – can |
| set of terms and acronyms that are used in the | | | | be your home or a storage facility) and delivered to |
| shipping industry. If you have not read Part I of this | | | | your door in your destination country (can be your |
| article then we suggest you do it now. | | | | home or a storage facility). Customs clearance will be |
| Bill of Lading (B/L): A document that establishes the | | | | handled (paperwork facilitated by Customs Clearance |
| terms between a shipper and a transportation | | | | Agent) for you. |
| company. It is a document of title, a contract of | | | | Door to Port Service (D/P): Your household goods |
| carriage or in layman’s terms a receipt for goods | | | | are picked up at your door (origin in the US – can |
| being transported or shipped. | | | | be from your home or a storage facility) and |
| Carrier: Is a term referring to a Ship Line, Freight | | | | discharged at the port of destination. You will need |
| Forwarder or NVOCC | | | | to clear your shipment through Customs and arrange |
| Customs: Government agency charged with enforcing | | | | to have your items picked up and delivered to your |
| the rules and regulations passed to protect the | | | | home or storage facility. |
| country’s import and export revenues. | | | | Drayage: This is a term used by trucking companies |
| Customs Duties and Taxes: The documents, duties | | | | that truck a container to and from the port and or |
| or taxes that you may be required to produce and | | | | container yard of the ship line. |
| or pay vary depending on your status for entering | | | | ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) when your shipment |
| the country. The regulations are subject to change | | | | is estimated to arrive in your destination country. |
| without notice. Each situation is individual and unique. | | | | ETD – Estimated Time of Departure – the |
| You could be entering as a returning citizen, a retiree, | | | | time and or date your shipment leaves the US. |
| a student, with a work visa or a tourist visa just to | | | | Export: The shipment of goods leaving the US to a |
| name a few. It is essential that you contact the | | | | foreign country. |
| consulate or embassy for your destination country or | | | | FMC: You may have heard the term FMC, but what |
| visit your destination country’s government | | | | is it and why is it important in an international |
| Customs website for the latest updates in regulations | | | | shipment? FMC (Federal Maritime Commission) is the |
| or requirements. If you cannot find the information | | | | U.S. Governmental regulatory body responsible for |
| you need on the website, there is always a way to | | | | administering maritime affairs including the tariff |
| contact Customs via email and you can then ask | | | | system, Freight Forwarding Licensing, enforcing the |
| questions unique to you and your shipment. It is your | | | | conditions of the Shipping Act and approving |
| responsibility to have the proper documentation | | | | conference or other carrier agreements. Now that |
| available for the Customs Clearance Agent. | | | | you know this, you may still be asking yourself, what |
| Customs Clearance Agent: The person who facilitates | | | | does this mean? To put it simply, a company that is |
| the paperwork for normal customs clearance of your | | | | shipping items overseas must be licensed by the FMC |
| shipment. | | | | or they legally cannot ship items overseas. This OTI |
| Density: The weight of cargo per cubic foot or other | | | | (Ocean Transportation Intermediary) license can be |
| unit of measure. | | | | of a FF (Freight Forwarder) or an NVOCC (Non |
| Destination: This is an easy one – the location | | | | Vessel Operating Common Carrier). |
| where a shipment ends its movement. | | | | |