ETD, ETA and Key Shipping Terms Explained: The Abbreviations Every Shipping Coordinator Must Know
Your first week in a shipping role and someone sends you a status update: “ATD confirmed, ETA POD revised, vessel in CY, MBL released.” You have no idea what any of it means. You do not want to ask because everyone seems to expect you to know already. This article is for that moment. It […]
LCL Cargo Shipping Explained: The Complete Guide to Less Than Container Load
What is LCL? LCL (Less than Container Load) is a type of ocean freight where your goods share a shipping container with cargo from other companies. You only pay for the space your goods occupy, measured in cubic metres (CBM), rather than renting an entire container. A freight forwarder groups multiple LCL shipments together into […]
FCL Shipping Explained: The Complete Guide to Full Container Load
What is FCL? FCL stands for Full Container Load. It means you book an entire shipping container, 20ft, 40ft, or 40ft High Cube, and no other shipper’s goods travel with yours. You pay for the whole container whether you fill it or not. The seller loads and seals the container at origin; the buyer breaks […]
International Shipping Glossary: 100+ Shipping Terms, Abbreviations, and Definitions Explained
International trade runs on language. Freight invoices, customs declarations, shipping instructions, and carrier contracts are packed with abbreviations and technical terms. If you don’t know what they mean, you risk making costly mistakes: wrong Incoterms, missed free time, unexpected duty bills. This glossary covers more than 100 shipping terms used in UK and international logistics. […]