Standard Terms and Abbreviations A

Standard Terms and Abbreviations A - F


@	At (referring to price) From (referring to the sailing of a ship)
AA	Always Afloat
AAA	Association of Average Adjusters
AAD	Administrative Accompanying Document
A/B	Aktiebolaget (Swedish registered company)
A-BCC	Arab-British Chamber of Commerce
ABI	Association of British Insurers
ABP	Associated British Ports
ABS	American Bureau of Shipping
A/C	Account
Acceptance	This term has several related meanings: [1] A time draft (or bill of exchange) that the drawee has accepted and is unconditionally obligated to pay at maturity. The draft must be presented first for acceptance; the drawee then becomes the "acceptor" for payment. The word "accepted" and the date and place of payment must be written on the face of the draft. [2] The drawee's act in receiving a draft and thus entering into the obligation to pay its value at maturity. [3] Broadly speaking, any agreement to purchase goods under specified terms. An agreement to purchase goods at a stated price and under stated terms.
ACEP	Approved Continuous Examination Program
ACMET	Advisory Council on Middle East Trade
ACP	African Caribbean and Pacific States
Ad Valorem	According to value. See Duty.
ADB	Asian Development Bank
ADP	Automatic Data Processing
ADR	The European Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road
Advance Against Documents	A loan made on the security of the documents covering the shipment.
Advising Bank	A bank, operating in the exporter's country, that handles letters of credit for a foreign bank by notifying the export firm that the credit has been opened in its favour. The advising bank fully informs the exporter of the conditions of the letter of credit without necessarily bearing responsibility for payment.
Advisory Capacity	A term indicating that a shipper's agent or representative is not empowered to make definitive decisions or adjustments without approval of the group or individual represented. Compare Without Reserve.
A/E	Abbreviated Entry
AF	Advanced Freight
AFNOR	The French Standards Institute
AG	Aktiengesellschaft (German Company)
Agent	See Foreign Sales Agent.
AGVS	Automated Guided Vehicle System
AICS	Associate of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers
AID	Agency for International Development
AIM	Automatic Identification Manufacturers
Air Waybill	A bill of lading that covers both domestic and international flights transporting goods to a specified destination. This is a non-negotiable instrument of air transport that serves as a receipt for the shipper, indicating that the carrier has accepted the goods listed and obligates itself to carry the consignment to the airport of destination according to specified conditions. Compare Inland Bill of Lading, Ocean Bill of Lading, and Through Bill of Lading.
ALADI	Spanish abbreviation for Latin American Integration Association
Allonge	An attachment to a Bill of Exchange containing endorsements, which is used when the back of the bill has been filled
Alongside	Beside a ship. Goods to be delivered "alongside" are to be placed on the dock or barge within reach of the transport ship's tackle so that they can be loaded aboard the ship.
AN	Advice Note
ANCOM	Andean Common Market
ANF	Arrival Notification Form
AP	Additional Premium
APR	Annual Percentage Rate
APT	Advanced Passenger Train/After Peak Tank
AQL	Acceptable Quality Level
ARA	Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam range of ports
Arbitrage	The process of buying foreign exchange, stocks, bonds, and other commodities in one market and immediately selling them in another market at higher prices.
ARPS	Automatic Radar Plotting System
Arr	Arrival
A/S	[1] After Sight. [2] Alongside (a/side).
ASA	American Standards Association
ASAB	Association of Shipbrokers and Agents
ASAP	As Soon As Possible
ASB	Alternative Side-Band
ASEAN	Association of South-East Asian Nations
Asian Dollars	US dollars deposited in Asia and the Pacific Basin. Compare Eurodollars.
AST	Average Spring Tides
At Sight	See Sight Draft.
ATA	Actual Time of Arrival
ATA Carnet	See Carnet.
ATP	European Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Goods
ATR	Temporary Admission on Wheels (Admission Temporaire Roulette)
ATSBE (atsbe)	All Time Saved at Both Ends
ATSDO (atsdo)	All Time Saved Discharging Only
ATSLO (atslo)	All Time Saved Loading Only
ATT	Admiralty Tide Tables
Av or Avg	Average
A/V	Ad Valorem (according to value)
AWB	Air Waybill
AWES	Association of Western Shipbuilders
Az	Azimuth
BA	British Airways
BAA	British Airports Authority
BACA	Baltic Air Charter Association
BACS	Banker’s Automated Clearing System
BAF	Bunker Adjustment Factor
Balance of Trade	The difference between a country's total imports and exports. If exports exceed imports, a favourable balance of trade or trade surplus exists; if not, a trade deficit is said to exist.
Barter	Trade in which merchandise is exchanged directly for other merchandise without use of money. Barter is an important means of trade with countries that use currency that is not readily convertible.
BASEEFA	British Approvals Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres
BBB	Before Breaking Bulk
BCC	British Chambers of Commerce
BCN	Banker’s Cover Note
Bd	Bond
B/d	Brought down
B/D	[1] Bar Draft. [2] Banker’s Draft.
Bdi	Both Dates Inclusive
B/E	[1] Bill of Entry (customs). [2] Bill of Exchange
BEA	British Exporters Association
BEF	Belgian Franc
BEHA	British Export Houses Association
BEMAS	Buoy Monitor and Alarm System
Beneficiary	The person in whose favour a letter of credit is issued or a draft is drawn.
Benelux	A Customs Union between Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg
Bf or B/fwd	Brought Forward
B/F	Board Feet
B/G	Bonded Goods
BIFA	British International Freight Association
Bill of Entry	A written description of the nature and value of goods for customs purposes.
Bill of Exchange	An unconditional order in writing from one person (the drawer) to another (the drawee), directing the drawee to pay a specified amount to a named drawer at a fixed or determinable future date.
Bill of Lading	A document that establishes the terms of a contract between a shipper and a transport company under which freight is to be moved between specified points for a specified charge. Usually prepared by the shipper on forms issued by the carrier, it serves as a document of title, a contract of carriage, and a receipt for goods. Also see Air Waybill, Inland Bill of Lading, Ocean Bill of Lading, and Through Bill of Lading.
BIMC	Baltic and International Maritime Conference
Bkg	[1] Banking. [2] Breakage.
Bkge	Brokerage
Bkrpt	Bankrupt
B/L or b.l.	Bill of Lading
BLEU	Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union
BM	Board Measure
BMA	British Marine Association
BMEC	British Marine Equipment Council
BMLA	British Maritime Law Association
BMSOA	British Motor Ship Owners Association
BNA	British North Atlantic
BNOC	British National Oil Corporation
BO	[1] Buyer's Option. [2] Branch Office.
Bonded Warehouse	A warehouse authorised by customs authorities for storage of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until the goods are removed.
BOTB	British Overseas Trade Board
B/P	Bills Payable
BPB	Bank Post Bill
B/R	Bills Receivable
B/S	Bill of Sale
BSC	British Shippers Council
BSI	British Standards Institution
BSS	British Standard Specification
BST	British Summer Time
BTC	British Transport Commission
BTDB	British Transport Docks Board
BTG	British Transport Group
BTI	British Trade International (UK Government export promotion body)
Bunker Adjustment Factor	Fuel surcharge on standard or quoted rates, usually levied by consignment weight.
Buying Agent	See Purchasing Agent.
BV	Bureau Veritas
C Cl	Continuation Clause
C Dk	Containers Carried on Deck
C/nee	Consignee
C of C	Chamber of Commerce
C&D	Collected and Delivered
C&E	Customs and Excise
C&F	Cost and Freight (now obsolete – superseded by CFR – see also Incoterms 2000)
CA	Compensatory Agreement
CAA	Civil Aviation Authority
CAAC	Customs and Allied Affairs Committee
CAB	Civil Aeronautics Board (USA)
CACM	Central American Common Market
CAD	[1] Cash Against Documents. [2] Commercial Agents Directive.
CAF	Currency Adjustment Factor
CAN	Customs Assigned Number
CANDF	Cost and Freight to Foreign Port
CAP	Common Agricultural Policy
CARICOM	Caribbean Community and Common Market
CARIFTA	Caribbean Free Trade Association
Carnet	A customs document permitting the holder to carry or send merchandise temporarily into certain foreign countries (for display, demonstration, or similar purposes) without paying duties or posting bonds.
Cash Against Documents (CAD)	Payment for goods in which a commission house or other intermediary transfers title documents to the buyer upon payment in cash.
Cash In Advance (CIA)	Payment for goods in which the price is paid in full before shipment is made. This method is usually used only for small purchases or when the goods are built to order.
Cash With Order (CWO)	Payment for goods in which the buyer pays when ordering and in which the transaction is binding on both parties.
CASS	Cargo Accounts Settlement System
CBD	Cash Before Delivery
CBI	Confederation of British Industry
Cbm	Cubic Metre
CC	Continuation Clause, Civil Commotion
CC/O	Certificate of Consignment/Origin
CCC	Customs Co-operation Council
CCCN	Customs Co-operation Council Nomenclature
CCE	Collector of Customs and Excise
CCLN	Consignment Note Control Label Numbers
CCT	Common Customs Tariff
CD	Customs Declaration
C/D	[1] Commercial Dock. [2] Customs declaration. [3] Consular declaration.
CDV	Current Domestic Value
CENSA	Council of European and Japanese National Shipowners’ Association
Cert.	Certificate
Certificate of Inspection	A document certifying that merchandise (such as perishable goods) was in good condition immediately prior to its shipment.
Certificate of Manufacture	A statement (often notarised) in which a producer of goods certifies that manufacture has been completed and that the goods are now at the disposal of the buyer.
Certificate of Origin	A document, required by certain foreign countries for tariff purposes, certifying the country of origin of specified goods.
CET	[1] Central European Time. [2] Common External Tariff (customs).
cf (cu ft)	Cubic Feet
Cf or C/fwd	Carried Forward
CFR	Cost and freight. A pricing term indicating that the cost of the goods and freight charges are included in the quoted price; the buyer arranges for and pays insurance. But see Incoterms 2000.
CFS	Container Freight Station
CFTC	Commodity Futures Trading Commission (USA)
CGA	Cargo’s Proportion of General Average
Cge Pd	Carriage Paid
CGSA	Carriage of Goods by Sea Act
CH	Customs House
Ch Fwd	Charges Forward
Ch Pd	Charges Paid
CHAPS	Clearing House Automated Payment System
Charges Forward	Charges payable by the consignee on arrival.
Charterparty	A written contract, usually on a special form, between the owner of a vessel and a "charterer" who rents use of the vessel or a part of its freight space. The contract generally includes the freight rates and the ports involved in the transportation.
CHIEF	Customs Handling of Import/Export Freight
CHINPAC	China Sea, Indian and Pacific Oceans
CHIPS	Clearing House Inter-bank Payments System
CHO	Containers Carried in Holds
Chq.	Cheque
C/I	Consular Invoice, Channel Islands, Certificate of Insurance
Cia	Spanish for Company
CIA	Cash In Advance
CIE	Committee on Invisible Exports
CIF	Cost, insurance, freight. A pricing term indicating that the cost of the goods, insurance, and freight are included in the quoted price. But see Incoterms 2000
CIF&C	Cost, Insurance, Freight & Commission
CIF&E	Cost, Insurance, Freight & Exchange
CIF&I	Cost, Insurance, Freight & Insurance
CIFC & 5	Cost, Insurance, Freight, incl. 5% Commission
CIFC&I	Cost, Insurance, Freight, Commission & Interest
CIFLt	Cost Insurance and Freight, London terms.
CIM	International convention governing international rail carriage
CIP	Carriage and Insurance Paid To. But see Incoterms 2000
CIPA	Chartered Institute of Patent Agents
CIRM	International Maritime Radio Association
CIT	Chartered Institute of Transport
CITHA	Confederation of International Trading Houses Associations
CKD	Completely Knocked Down
C/L	Craft Loss
CLA	Cargo Loading Adaptability
CLASS	Cargo Loading and Scheduling System
Clean Bill of Lading	A receipt for goods issued by a carrier that indicates that the goods were received in "apparent good order and condition," without damages or other irregularities. Compare Foul Bill of Lading.
Clean Draft	A draft to which no documents have been attached.
CLECAT	European Liaison Committee of Common Market Forwarders
CMR	Convention on the contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road
C/N	[1] Consignment Note. [2] Cover Note.
CO or C/O	[1] Certificate of Origin. [2] Cash Order.
COCOM	Co-ordinating Committee on Export Controls (NATO)
COD	Cash on Delivery
Cof	Cost of Funds
COFACE	Compagnie Francaise pour l’Assurance du Commerce Exterieur (credit insurance company)
Collection Papers	All documents (commercial invoices, bills of lading, etc.) submitted to a buyer for the purpose of receiving payment for a shipment.
Com/I	Commercial Invoice
COMECON	Council for Mutual Economic Aid
COMET	Committee of Middle East Trade
COMEX	Commodity Exchange (New York)
COMITEXTIL	Co-ordinating Committee for the Textile Industry in the UK
Commercial Invoice	An itemised list of goods shipped, usually included among an exporter's collection papers.
Commission Agent	See Purchasing Agent.
Common Carrier	An individual, partnership, or corporation that transports persons or goods for compensation.
Community Transit	Regime for the shiping of goods from one European Union country to another when not in free circulation, or by road to one of the EFTA countries, to Poland, Hungary or the Czech or Slovak Republics. It requires the use of transit form C88 (the SAD form). The requirements also apply to certain shipments to and from Andorra, San Marino and the Channel Islands (but not for shipments between the UK and the Channel Islands) and also where goods are subject to EU control, for example under CAP regulations for agricultural produce.
Confirmed Letter of Credit	A letter of credit, issued by a foreign bank, the validity of which has been confirmed by a UK bank. An exporter whose payment terms are a confirmed letter of credit is assured of payment by the UK bank even if the foreign buyer or the foreign bank defaults, provided that the terms and conditions of the CLC are fully met.
Consignee	The party receiving the goods.
Consignment	A shipment or delivery of goods sent at one time. Compare also (goods sold) on consignment.
Consignment Account	See on consignment.
Consignor	The sender of the goods.
Consular Declaration	A formal statement made to the consul of a foreign country describing goods to be shipped.
Consular Invoice	A document required by some foreign countries describing a shipment of goods and showing information such as the consignor, consignee and value of the shipment. Certified by a consular official of the foreign country, it is used by the country's customs officials to verify the value, quantity, and nature of the shipment.
Convertible Currency	A currency that can be bought and sold for other currencies at will.
Correspondent Bank	A bank that, in its own country, handles the business of a foreign bank.
COT	Customer’s Own Transport
COU	Clip-On Unit
Countertrade	The sale of goods or services that are paid for in whole or in part by the transfer of goods or services from a foreign country. (See Barter.)
Countervailing Duty	A duty imposed to counter unfairly subsidised products.
CP	[1] Commonwealth Preference. [2] Commercial Paper.
C/P	Charter Party
CPC	Customs Procedure Code
Cpd	Charterer Pays Dues
CPT (Carriage Paid To) and CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid to)	Pricing terms indicating that carriage, or carriage and insurance, are paid to the named place of destination. They apply in place of CFR and CIF, respectively, for shipment by modes other than by sea. But see Incoterms 2000.
CR	[1] Current Rate. [2] Carrier's Risk. [3] Compound Risk.
Credit Risk Insurance	Insurance designed to cover risks of non-payment for delivered goods. Compare Marine Insurance.
CRF	Clean Report of Findings
CRN	Customs Registered Number
C/S	Currency Surcharge
CSC	Convention for Safe Containers
CT	Counter Trade
CTD	Combined Transport Document
Ctge	Cartage
CTO	Combined Transport Operator
Customhouse Broker	An individual or firm licensed to enter and clear goods through customs.
Customs	The authorities designated to collect duties levied by a country on imports and exports. The term also applies to the procedures involved in such collection.
C/V	Certificate of Value
C/VO	Certificate of Value and Origin
CWE	Cleared Without Examination
CWO	Cash With Order
Cy	Currency
D/A	Documents against Acceptance
DAA	Discharge Always Afloat
DAD	Documents Against Discretion of Collecting Bank
DAF	Delivered At Frontier. But see Incoterms 2000
Date Draft	A draft that matures in a specified number of days after the date it is issued, without regard to the date of acceptance. See also Sight Draft, and Time Draft.
DB	Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Railways)
DBE	Dispatch Payable Both Ends
DBEATS	Dispatch Payable Both Ends on All Time Saved
DBEWTS	Dispatch Payable Both Ends on Working Time Saved
Dbk	Drawback
DC or D.Cl	Detention Clause
DC/ or D/Cl	[1] Deviation Clause. [2] Documentation Collection.
DCCD	Delivered at Container Collection Depot
DD	Damage Done
Dd	Delivered
DD	[1] Dry Dock. [2] Direct Debit.
DD & Shpg	Dock Dues and Shipping
D/D	Days after Date
DDA	Duty Deferment Account
DDO	Dispatch Discharging Only
DDP	Delivered Duty Paid. But see Incoterms 2000.
DDU	Delivered Duty Unpaid. But see Incoterms 2000
Deb	Debenture
Def.	Deferred
Deferred Payment Credit	Type of letter of credit providing for payment some time after presentation of shipping documents by exporter.
DEM	Deutschmark
Demand Draft	See Sight Draft.
Dem-des	Demurrage and Dispatch
Demurrage	[1] Liquidated damages payable under a charterparty at a specified daily rate for any days (known as "demurrage days") required to complete the loading or discharging of cargo after the lay days have expired. [2] Unliquidated damages to which a ship-owner is entitled if no lay days are specified and the ship is detained for loading or unloading beyond a reasonable time.
DEPS	Departmental Entry Processing System
DEQ	Delivered Ex Quay. But see Incoterms 2000
Der or Drks	Derricks
DES	Delivered Ex Ship. But see Incoterms 2000.
Dest.	Destination
Devaluation	The official lowering of the value of one country's currency in terms of one or more foreign currencies. Thus, if the UK pound is devalued in relation to the US dollar, one pound will "buy" fewer dollars than before.
DF	Dead Freight
Dft	Draft
DGN	Dangerous Goods Note
DHD	Dispatch Half Demurrage
DIN	German Standards Institute
Dis.A	Seaman’s Discharge Book
DISC	Domestic International Sales Corporation
Dischg	Discharging
Discrepancy (Letter of Credit)	When documents presented do not conform to the letter of credit, it is referred to as a discrepancy.
Dispatch	An amount paid by a vessel's operator to a charterer if loading or unloading is completed in less time than stipulated in the charter party.
Distributor	A foreign agent who sells for a supplier directly and maintains an inventory of the supplier's products.
DKR	Danish Kroner
D/N	Debit Note
D/O	Delivery Order
Dock Receipt	A receipt issued by an ocean carrier to acknowledge receipt of a shipment at the carrier's dock or warehouse facilities. See also Warehouse Receipt.
Documentary Draft	A draft to which documents are attached.
Documents Against Acceptance (D/A)	Instructions given by a shipper to a bank, indicating that documents transferring title to goods should be delivered to the buyer (or drawee) only upon the buyer's acceptance of the attached draft.
D/P	Documents Against Payment
D/R	Deposit Receipt
Draft	A written order by one party for a second party to make payment to a third party.
Drawee	The individual or firm on whom a draft is drawn and who owes the stated amount. Compare Drawer.
Drawer	The individual or firm that issues or signs a draft and thus stands to receive payment of the stated amount from the drawee.
D/S	Days after Sight
DSB	Danske Staatsbahn (Danish Railways)
DTI	Department of Trade and Industry
Dumping	Selling merchandise in another country at a price below the price at which the same merchandise is sold in the home market, or selling such merchandise below the costs incurred in production and shipment.
Dunnage	Materials used for the stowage and protection of cargo.
Duty	A tax imposed on imports by the customs authority of a country. Duties are generally based on the value of the goods (ad valorem duties), some other factor such as weight or quantity (specific duties), or a combination of value and other factors (compound duties).
DWC	Dead-weight Capacity (of vessel to carry cargo)
e&oe	Errors and omissions excepted
EAPE	Exchange as per Endorsement
EAR	Export After Repair
EC	European Community
ECA	Economic Co-operation Administration
ECC	[1] Exchange Control Copy. [2] Extended Cover Clause (insurance).
ECCP	East Coast Coal Port
ECGD	Export Credits Guarantee Department (UK)
ECI	Export Consignment Identifier
ECOFIN	Economic and Financial Affairs Council (EU)
ECPD	Export Cargo Packing Declaration
ECS	Echantillons Commerciaux (Commercial Samples)
ECSC	European Coal and Steel Community
ECSI	Export Cargo Shipping Instruction
ECT	Europe Combined Terminals- Rotterdam
EDCS	Electronic Data Capture Service
EDI	Electronic Data Interchange
EDIA	Electronic Data Interchange Association
EEA	European Economic Area
EFTA	European Free Trade Area
EFTPOS	Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale
EHA	Equipment Handover Agreement
EHC	Export Health Certificate
EIB	European Investment Bank
EIC	EuroInfo Centre
EIMT	Express International Money Transfer
EIR	Equipment Interchange Receipt
EMA	European Monetary Agreement
EMS	Express Money Service
Encl.	Enclosures
eohp	Except as otherwise herein provided
EOP	End of Passage
EPS	Entry Processing Station
EPU	European Payments Union
ERLOAD	Expected Ready To Load
ESC	European Shippers Council
ESCAP	Economic and Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific
ESL	EC Sales Listing
EST	Eastern Standard Time (USA)
ETA	Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD	Estimated Time of Departure
ETS	Estimated Time of Sailing
EU	European Union
EURATOM	European Atomic Energy Community
Eurodollars	US dollars deposited in Europe (or outside the USA and Asia). Compare Asian dollars.
Ex	[1] From. It is used in pricing terms in the phrase "ex [location]" (e.g. "ex factory", "ex dock") to signify that the quoted price applies only at the location named (in the two examples, at the seller's factory or a dock at the import point). In practice, this kind of quotation indicates that the seller agrees to place the goods at the disposal of the buyer at the location named within a fixed period of time. [2] Examined. [3] Excluding.
EXBO	Export Buying Office
Exchange Permit	A government permit sometimes required by the importer's government to enable the import firm to convert its own country's currency into foreign currency with which to pay a seller in another country.
Exchange Rate	The price of one currency in terms of another, i.e. the number of units of one currency that may be exchanged for one unit of another currency.
Exd	Examined
Ex-Im Bank, Eximbank	US Export-Import Bank.
Export Broker	An individual or firm that brings together buyers and sellers for a fee but does not take part in actual sales transactions.
Export Commission House	An organisation that, for a commission, acts as a purchasing agent for a foreign buyer.
Export Declaration	See Shipper's Export Declaration.
Export Licence	A government document that permits the licensee to export designated goods to certain destinations. See Open General Export Licence.
Export Management Company	A private firm that serves as the export department for several producers of goods or services, either by taking title or by soliciting and transacting export business on behalf of its clients in return for a commission, salary, or retainer plus commission.
Export Trading Company	A firm similar or identical to an export management company.
EXW	Ex Works. But see Incoterms 2000
F & D	Freight and Demurrage
FAC	Forwarding Agents Commission
FAO	Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN)
FAS	Free Alongside Ship. A pricing term indicating that the quoted price includes the cost of delivering the goods alongside a designated vessel. But see Incoterms 2000.
FBL	Forwarder's Bill of Lading
FC & S	Free Capture and Seizure
FCA	"Free Carrier" to named place. Alternative to the term "FOB named port" to designate the seller's responsibility for the cost of loading goods at the named shipping point. May be used for multi-modal transport, container stations, and any mode of transport, including air. But see Incoterms 2000.
FCIA	Foreign Credit Insurance Association
FCL	Full Container Load
FCR	Forwarder’s Certificate of Receipt
FCT	Forwarder’s Certificate of Transport
FD	[1] Free Discharge. [2] Free Delivery.
FEU	40-foot Equivalent Unit
FFA	[1] Free From Alongside. [2] Free Foreign Agency.
FFI	For Further Instructions
FGA	Free of General Average
FI	Free In. A pricing term indicating that the charterer of a vessel is responsible for the cost of loading and unloading goods from the vessel.
FIA	Full Interest Admitted.
FIATA	International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association
FIB	Free into Barge
FICA	Foreign Credit Insurance Association
FICS	Fellow of the Institution of Chartered Shipbrokers
FIEx	Fellow of the Institute of Export
FIFO	First in First out
FILTD	Free in Liner Terms Discharge
FIO	Free In and Out
FIOS	Free In and Out plus Stowing
FIOT	Free In and Out plus Trimming
First of Exchange	First copy of a Bill of Exchange to be presented which automatically cancels all other copies.
FIT	Federation of International Traders
FIW	Free In Wagon
F/L	Freight Liner
FLIC	Forwarders Local Import Control
Floating Policy	See Open Insurance Policy
FMB	Federal Maritime Board (USA)
FMC	Federal Maritime Commission (USA)
FO	[1] Free Over-side. [2] Firm Offer. [3] For Orders. [4] Free Out Terms.
FOA	Free on Airport
FOB	"Free On Board" at named port of export. A pricing term indicating that the quoted price covers all expenses up to and including delivery of goods upon an overseas vessel provided by or for the buyer. But see Incoterms 2000.
FOBA	Free on Board Aircraft
FOBS	Free on Board and Stowed
FOBT	Free on Board and Trimmed
FOC	Free Of Charge
FOD	Free of Damage
FODA	Free of Damage Absolutely
FONASBA	The Federation of National Shipbrokers and Agents
FOQ	Free on Quay
FOR	Free on Rail
Force Majeure	The title of a standard clause in marine contracts exempting the parties for non-fulfilment of their obligations as a result of conditions beyond their control, such as earthquakes, floods, or war.
Foreign Exchange	The currency or credit instruments of a foreign country. Also, transactions involving purchase or sale of currencies.
Foreign Sales Agent	An individual or firm that serves as the foreign representative of a domestic supplier and seeks sales abroad for the supplier.
Forex	Foreign Exchange
Foul Bill of Lading	A receipt for goods issued by a carrier with an indication that the goods were damaged when received. Compare Clean Bill of Lading.
FP	[1] Floating Policy. [2] Fully Paid.
FP-C	Flash Point Celsius
FPA	Free From Particular Average
FPAA	Free From Particular Average Absolutely
Fpil	Full Premium if Lost
FR	Freight Release
FR	Free Circulation (EU)
FRA	Forward Rate Agreement
Free Port	An area such as a port city into which merchandise may legally be moved without payment of duties.
Free Trade Zone	A port designated by the government of a country for duty-free entry of any non-prohibited goods. Merchandise may be stored, displayed, used for manufacturing, etc., within the zone and re-exported without duties being paid. Duties are imposed on the merchandise (or items manufactured from the merchandise) only when the goods pass from the zone into an area of the country subject to the customs authority.
Freight Forwarder	An independent business that handles export shipments for compensation.
FRF	French Franc
Frof	Fire risk On Freight
Frof	Fire Risk on Freight
Frt	Freight
FS	Italian railways
FTA	[1] Freight Transport Association. [2] Free Trade Agreement.
FTC	Federal Trade Commission (USA)
FTL	Full Trailer Load
FTZ	Free Trade Zone.
Fwd	Forward