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Reference

Shipping & Container Tracking Glossary

A complete reference for container tracking, freight, and logistics terminology used across the global shipping industry.

Core Container Tracking Terms

Container Number
A unique identification number assigned to a shipping container used for tracking across the supply chain.
Booking Number
A reference number issued when shipment space is reserved with a carrier or forwarder.
Bill of Lading (BL / BOL)
A shipping document that serves as a receipt of goods and contract between shipper and carrier.
Shipment Tracking
The process of monitoring a shipment's movement and status from origin to destination.
Milestone Tracking
Tracking shipment progress through key events such as departure, arrival, and delivery.
Real-Time Tracking
Shipment updates provided as soon as new carrier or port data becomes available.
Live Container Status
The latest available movement or status update for a container.
Visibility
The ability to view shipment progress, milestones, and disruptions in one place.
Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
The expected date and time a shipment or vessel will arrive.
Estimated Time of Departure (ETD)
The expected date and time a shipment or vessel will depart.
Actual Time of Arrival (ATA)
The confirmed date and time a shipment or vessel actually arrived.
Actual Time of Departure (ATD)
The confirmed date and time a shipment or vessel actually departed.
Delay
A shipment movement later than originally planned.
Exception
An unexpected issue that may disrupt shipment progress.
Transit Time
The total time cargo takes to move from departure to arrival.
Lead Time
The full time from shipment planning or booking until final delivery.
Route
The planned path a shipment follows between origin and destination.
Voyage
A specific vessel journey between ports, often identified by voyage number.
Sailing Schedule
The planned timetable of vessel departures and arrivals.
Last Free Day (LFD)
The final day before storage, detention, or demurrage charges may apply.
Empty Return Date
The date by which an empty container must be returned after unloading.
Gate Appointment
A scheduled terminal time slot for container pickup, drop-off, or return.

Container Status Milestones

Booking Confirmed
The carrier has accepted the booking request and reserved space for the shipment.
Container Released
An empty container has been made available for pickup by the shipper or transporter.
Empty Picked Up
The empty container has been collected from the depot for cargo loading.
Stuffed / Loaded
Cargo has been loaded into the container and it is ready for movement.
Gate In
The container has entered the terminal or port facility.
Loaded on Vessel
The container has been placed onboard the vessel for ocean transport.
Vessel Departed
The vessel carrying the container has departed from the port.
Transshipment
The container is being transferred from one vessel to another at an intermediate port.
Arrived at Port
The vessel or container has reached the destination or next port.
Discharged from Vessel
The container has been unloaded from the vessel at the port.
Customs Hold
The shipment has been stopped by customs for inspection or documentation review.
Customs Cleared
The shipment has been approved by customs and can proceed further.
Available for Pickup
The container is ready to be collected from the terminal or warehouse.
Out for Delivery
The shipment is in transit for final delivery to the consignee.
Gate Out
The container has exited the terminal or port facility.
Empty Returned
The empty container has been returned to the designated depot after unloading.
Shipment Completed
The shipment process has been fully completed and closed.

Container Types & Equipment

Dry Container
A standard enclosed container used for general cargo that does not require temperature control.
Reefer Container
A refrigerated container used for temperature-sensitive cargo such as food, pharmaceuticals, or perishables.
Open Top Container
A container with a removable top cover used for oversized cargo loaded from above.
Flat Rack Container
A container with collapsible or no side walls, designed for heavy or oversized cargo.
High Cube Container
A container similar to a standard unit but with extra height for additional cargo capacity.
Tank Container
A specialized container used for transporting liquids, gases, or hazardous materials.
ISO Container
A container built to international ISO standards for safe and uniform global transport.
SOC (Shipper Owned Container)
A container owned by the shipper rather than provided by the carrier.
COC (Carrier Owned Container)
A container owned and supplied by the shipping carrier.
20ft Container
A standard twenty-foot shipping container commonly used for heavy or compact cargo.
40ft Container
A standard forty-foot shipping container offering larger cargo capacity than a 20ft unit.
40HC Container
A forty-foot high cube container with additional height for extra storage volume.
TEU
Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, the standard measurement based on one 20ft container.
FEU
Forty-foot Equivalent Unit, the standard measurement based on one 40ft container.

Shipping Parties & Stakeholders

Shipper
The party sending the goods and arranging shipment from the origin location.
Consignee
The person or company receiving the goods at the destination.
Notify Party
The party to be informed when the shipment arrives or status changes occur.
Freight Forwarder
A logistics provider that organizes and manages cargo transportation on behalf of shippers.
NVOCC
Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier, a company that offers ocean freight services without operating its own vessels.
Ocean Carrier
The company responsible for transporting cargo by sea using vessels.
Shipping Line
A carrier company that operates container vessels on scheduled trade routes.
Customs Broker
A licensed professional or company that handles customs clearance and import/export documentation.
Importer
The person or company bringing goods into a country from abroad.
Exporter
The person or company sending goods from one country to another.
Trucker / Haulier
The transport provider moving containers by road between ports, depots, warehouses, or customer sites.
Terminal Operator
The company managing container handling activities at a port or terminal facility.
Warehouse Operator
The company responsible for storing, handling, and managing goods in a warehouse.

Ports & Terminal Terms

Port of Loading (POL)
The port where the container is loaded onto the vessel for export.
Port of Discharge (POD)
The port where the container is unloaded from the vessel at destination.
Final Destination
The last delivery location where the cargo is intended to reach.
Inland Depot
A facility located away from the seaport used for container storage, pickup, or return.
Container Yard (CY)
A terminal area where full or empty containers are stored and handled.
Container Freight Station (CFS)
A facility where cargo is consolidated, deconsolidated, or prepared for container movement.
Berth
The designated docking space where a vessel is moored at the port.
Anchorage
An offshore area where vessels wait before receiving permission to berth.
Terminal
A port facility where containers are loaded, unloaded, stored, and processed.
Free Trade Zone (FTZ)
A designated area where goods can be stored or processed with reduced customs restrictions.
Rail Ramp
A terminal facility where containers are transferred to or from rail transport.
ICD (Inland Container Depot)
An inland facility connected to ports for customs clearance, storage, and container handling.

Documentation Terms

Bill of Lading
A transport document that serves as a receipt of goods and contract between shipper and carrier.
Sea Waybill
A non-negotiable shipping document used to move goods without requiring original document surrender.
Commercial Invoice
A document issued by the seller showing goods value, description, and payment details.
Packing List
A document listing the shipment contents, packaging details, weights, and dimensions.
Certificate of Origin
A document certifying the country where the goods were manufactured or produced.
Delivery Order
An authorization document allowing cargo release to the consignee or appointed party.
Shipping Instructions (SI)
Details provided to the carrier for preparing shipment documents and handling cargo.
Arrival Notice
A notification sent to inform that the shipment has arrived or is nearing arrival.
Export Declaration
A customs filing submitted when goods are being exported from a country.
Import Declaration
A customs filing submitted when goods are being imported into a country.
Telex Release
An electronic release allowing cargo delivery without presenting original bills of lading.
Original BL
The original bill of lading document traditionally required for cargo release.
Surrendered BL
A bill of lading that has been surrendered at origin, allowing release at destination without originals.

Freight & Charges

Ocean Freight
The base transportation cost charged for moving cargo by sea.
Freight Rate
The agreed price for transporting cargo from origin to destination.
All-In Rate
A combined freight price that includes base freight and applicable surcharges.
Surcharge
An additional fee applied on top of the base freight charge.
BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor)
A surcharge used to adjust freight costs based on fuel price changes.
CAF (Currency Adjustment Factor)
A surcharge applied to account for currency exchange rate fluctuations.
THC (Terminal Handling Charges)
Fees charged for handling containers at the port or terminal.
Documentation Fee
A charge for preparing and processing shipping documents.
Port Charges
Fees imposed by the port authority for vessel or cargo services.
Customs Duty
A government tax charged on imported goods.
Demurrage
Charges for keeping a container inside the terminal beyond the free time allowed.
Detention
Charges for keeping a container outside the terminal beyond the free usage period.
Storage Charges
Fees for storing cargo or containers at a terminal, depot, or warehouse.
Chassis Fee
A charge for using the trailer frame used to transport containers by road.
Drayage
Short-distance transport of containers between ports, rail ramps, depots, or warehouses.

Vessel & Sailing Terms

Vessel
A ship used to transport cargo across sea routes.
IMO Number
A unique identification number assigned to a vessel by the International Maritime Organization.
Voyage Number
The reference number assigned to a specific sailing journey of a vessel.
Mother Vessel
The main ocean vessel used for long-haul international transport.
Feeder Vessel
A smaller vessel used to move containers between regional ports and mainline vessels.
Blank Sailing
A canceled scheduled sailing where the vessel skips a planned voyage.
Port Omission
When a vessel skips a scheduled port call from its planned route.
Cut-Off Date
The final date or time to submit cargo, documents, or containers before departure.
Roll Over
When cargo is moved to a later sailing because it was not loaded as planned.
Berthing
The process of a vessel docking at the port terminal.
Departure Window
The planned time range during which a vessel is expected to depart.

Logistics & Supply Chain Terms

Intermodal
The movement of cargo using multiple transport modes such as ship, rail, and truck in the same journey.
Multimodal
Transportation managed under one contract using two or more different transport modes.
Door to Door
A shipping service that moves cargo from the seller's location directly to the buyer's location.
Port to Port
A shipping service covering transport only between the origin port and destination port.
Cross Docking
A logistics process where goods are transferred directly from inbound transport to outbound delivery with little or no storage.
Warehousing
The storage and handling of goods in a warehouse before distribution or delivery.
Fulfillment
The process of receiving, packing, and shipping customer orders.
Distribution
The movement of goods from storage locations to customers, retailers, or other destinations.
Reverse Logistics
The process of moving goods back from customers for returns, repairs, or recycling.
Inventory Visibility
The ability to track stock levels, locations, and availability in real time.

Trade & Incoterms

Incoterms
International trade rules that define responsibilities, costs, and risks between buyers and sellers.
EXW
Ex Works – The seller makes goods available at their premises, and the buyer handles transport and risks.
FOB
Free On Board – The seller delivers goods onto the vessel, after which risk transfers to the buyer.
CIF
Cost, Insurance and Freight – The seller pays cost, insurance, and freight to the destination port.
CFR
Cost and Freight – The seller pays freight to the destination port, but insurance is not included.
DDP
Delivered Duty Paid – The seller handles delivery, duties, and taxes up to the buyer's location.
DAP
Delivered at Place – The seller delivers goods to the agreed destination, excluding import duties.
FCA
Free Carrier – The seller delivers goods to a carrier or named place chosen by the buyer.
CPT
Carriage Paid To – The seller pays transport costs to the destination, while risk transfers earlier.
CIP
Carriage and Insurance Paid To – The seller pays transport and insurance to the destination.