Freight and Shipping Terms Glossary
For your convenience, Logistics Worldwide offers a Freight Terms Glossary compiled by the Georgia Institute of Technology in association with the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute. The glossary includes over 750 freight, shipping and supply chain & logistics terms for all modes of transportation for our visitors and customers. To use the glossary, simply click on the letters corresponding to the word or phrase you are searching for.
Using this glossary can help you determine the definitions of specific acronyms, slang, payment, credit, and other shipping terms. We believe you’ll find all your transportation industry definition of terms in this glossary but if you are unable to find what you are searching for or need clarification, please contact us and we will be more than happy to assist you.
Logistics Worldwide is pleased to provide a glossary of freight and shipping terms for all modes of transportation to our visitors and customers. To use the glossary, click on the letters below corresponding to the word or acronym you are searching for. If you are unable to find what you are searching for, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.
- Rag Top
A slang term for an open-top trailer or container with a tarpaulin cover.
- Rail Division
The amount of money an ocean carrier pays to the railroad for overland carriage.
- Rail Grounding
The time that the container was discharged (grounded) from the train.
- Ramp
Railroad terminal where containers are received or delivered and trains loaded or discharged. Originally, trailers moved onto the rearmost flatcar via a ramp and driven into position in a technique known as "circus loading." Most modern rail facilities use lifting equipment to position containers onto the flatcars.
- Ramp-to-Door
A movement where the load initiates at an origin rail ramp and terminates at a consignee's door.
- Ramp-to-Ramp
A movement of equipment from an origin rail ramp to a destination rail ramp only.
- Rate Basis
A formula of the specific factors or elements that control the making of a rate. A rate can be based on any number of factors (i.e., weight, measure, equipment type, package, box, etc.).
- Reasonableness
Under ICC and common law, the requirement that a rate not be higher than is necessary to reimburse the carrier for the actual cost of transporting the traffic and allow a fair profit.
- Rebate
An illegal form of discounting or refunding that has the net effect of lowering the tariff price. See also Malpractice.
- Reconsignment
Changing the consignee or destination on a bill of lading while shipment is still in transit. Diversion has substantially the same meaning.
- Recourse
A right claim against the guarantors of a loan or draft or bill of exchange.
- Red Label
A label required on shipments of flammable articles.
- Reefer
Refrigerated container.
- Related Points
A group of points to which rates are made the same as or in relation to rates to other points in group.
- Relay
To transfer containers from one ship to another when both vessels are controlled by the same network (carrier) manager.
- Remittance
Funds sent by one person to another as payment.
- Restricted Articles
Articles handled only under certain conditions.
- Revenue Ton (RT)
A ton on which the shipment is freighted. If cargo is rated as weight or measure (W/M), whichever produces the highest revenue will be considered the revenue ton. Weights are based on metric tons and measures are based on cubic meters. RT=1 MT or 1 CBM.
- Reverse IPI
An inland point provided by an all_water carrier's through bill of lading in the U.S. by first discharging the container in an East Coast port.
- RFQ
Request for quotation.
- Ro/Ro
A shortening of the term, "Roll On/Roll Off." A method of ocean cargo service using a vessel with ramps which allows wheeled vehicles to be loaded and discharged without cranes.
- Roll
To re-book cargo to a later vessel.
- Rolling
The side-to-side (athwartship) motion of a vessel.
- Route
The manner in which a shipment moves; i.e., the carriers handling it and the points at which the carriers interchange.
- Running Gear
Complementary equipment for terminal and over_the_road handling containers.
- RVNX
Abbreviation for "Released Value Not Exceeding." Usually used to limit the value of goods transported.The limitation refers to carrier liability when paying a claim for lost or damaged goods.
