Short explanations of shipping and logistics terms used on our website.
Bay plan: A stowage plan showing the position (bay, row, tier) of each container on board a container vessel. → Cargo Planning
Breakbulk: General cargo handled piece by piece rather than in containers (machinery, steel, heavy units). → Project Cargo
Chartering: Hiring a vessel for a voyage (voyage charter) or for a period (time charter); the broker acts between the cargo owner and the shipowner. → Chartering
Cross trade: Transport between third countries where neither the loading nor the discharge port is in Turkey. → Cross Trade
Dry container (DC): The standard closed container used for general dry cargo (20' and 40'). → Container Dimensions
FCL (Full Container Load): Shipment in which one container is filled with one shipper's cargo. → Forwarding
Flat rack (FR): A container without side walls, with end walls, used for wide, high or heavy cargo. → Project Cargo
High cube (HC): A container taller than standard (9'6") for voluminous cargo. → Container Dimensions
Incoterms: The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) rules defining delivery, cost and risk sharing between buyer and seller (EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP, etc.). → Incoterms
Cargo supervision: Supervision of loading and discharging operations on behalf of the cargo owner or another party. → Cargo Supervision Agency
Bill of Lading (B/L): The document issued by the carrier acknowledging receipt of the cargo, evidencing the contract of carriage and representing the goods. → United Ocean Lines
Consolidation: Combining small shipments of different shippers in the same container. → LCL / Consolidation
Protecting agency: An additional agent appointed to look after the shipowner's interests when the vessel's main agent is nominated by another party (e.g. the charterer). → Port Protecting Agency
LCL (Less than Container Load): Cargo that does not fill a container and shares it with other shippers' cargo. → LCL / Consolidation
Liner / Tramp: Liner shipping runs scheduled services between fixed ports; tramp shipping has no fixed schedule and sails according to cargo. → Home
MPP (Multi-Purpose Vessel): A vessel able to carry containers, general cargo and project cargo, often with its own cranes. → Cargo Planning
NRT / NT (Net Tonnage): A measure of a vessel's cargo and passenger spaces, used as the basis for port and agency fees. → Port Agency
NVOCC: A carrier that provides container transport under its own bill of lading without operating vessels. → United Ocean Lines
OOG (Out of Gauge): Cargo exceeding container dimensions, usually carried on flat rack or open top containers. → Project Cargo
Open top: A container with an open roof (covered by tarpaulin) for tall cargo loaded from above by crane. → Container Dimensions
P&I: "Protection & Indemnity" insurance covering a shipowner's liabilities to third parties. → SP-1
Reefer: A temperature-controlled (refrigerated) container. → Container Dimensions
SP-1: The first sailing plan report sent to the Turkish Straits Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) before entering the Straits. → SP-1
TEU: Twenty-foot equivalent unit; a 20-foot container is 1 TEU, a 40-foot container 2 TEU. → Container Dimensions
Transit agency: Agency service provided to vessels during their passage through the Turkish Straits. → Transit Agency
