Freight Forwarding Terminology

1. Empty Container
2. Metric tons (2,250 lbs.)

The primary transport of goods, generally for the longest part of the journey and generally from one country to another. Usually by sea vessel or by airplane, but can be by truck or rail as well.

The main continuous deck of a ship running from fore to aft; the principle deck; the deck from which the freeboard is determined.

A document containing a full list of the ship's cargo, extracted from the bills of lading.

The minimum number of officers and crew members that can be engaged on a ship to be considered as sufficient hands with practical ability to meet every possible eventuality at sea.

Maritime Administration. USA: Oversees subsidy programs to the United States Merchant Marine. Assigns routes to subsidized liners.

Specialized insurance of ships and/or cargo against risks incidental to a marine adventure. Usually covered by a marine insurance policy with extra clauses to deal with specific risks.

A claim which attaches to the res, i.e., the ship,. freight, or cargo.

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. It governs almost all aspects of potential marine pollution, including oil, chemicals, garbage and sewage and mandates proper disposal and/or discharge.

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978.

A white light positioned over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel.

See INTERIM RECEIPT.

Master Airway Bill. International AWBs that contain consolidated cargo are called master air waybills (MAWB). MAWBs have additional papers called house air waybills (HAWB). Each HAWB contains information of each individual shipment (consignee, contents, etc.) within the consolidation. International AWBs that is not consolidated (only one shipment in one bill) are called simple AWBs. A house air waybill can also be created by a freight forwarder. When the shipment is booked, the airline issues a MAWB to the forwarder, who in turn issues their own house air waybill to the customer.

Most Favored Nation.

Marine Index Bureau (USA).

A system of through rates and service offered by a carrier for cargo shipments from any inland U.S. location to a port, by sea to a foreign port and finally overland to foreign inland destination.

The process of taking inland cargo bound for export to the coast by rail and loading it directly to the ship.

Maritime Institute for Research and Industrial Development (USA).

A shipment consisting of more than one commodity, articles described under more than one class or commodity rate item in a tariff.

Memorandum of agreement.

Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit.

A cable or line to tie up a ship.

Loan issued against some security

Maritime Subsidy Board (USA).

Maritime Subsidy Board. USA: A branch within the Maritime Administration which deals with Operating Differential Subsidy and Construction Differential Subsidy.

Maritime Transport Committee, OECD

Any ship capable of carrying different types of cargo which require different methods of handling. There are several types of ships falling into this category, for example, ships which can carry roll on/roll off cargo together with containers.

Motor vessel. See also SS.