Import and Export Glossary

Import and Export Glossary with Letter C

C & I : Is a quoted price includes cost of goods and insurance.

C & F : Is a quoted price includes cost of goods and freight.

C.C.E.F. : Is a Customs Centralized Examination Facility.

C.I.F. : Is a quoted price includes cost of goods, insurance and freight.

C.I.T.E.S. : Committee on International Trade of Endangered Species.

CAA : Is the Civil Aviation Authority. Government body responsible for regulating U.K. airlines.

Cabotage : Is where cargo is carried on what is essentially a domestic flight and therefore not subject to international agreements that fix set rates. Cabotage rates are negotiable between shipper and airline and apply on flights within a country and to its overseas territories.

CAD : The acronym meaning "cash against documents," a method of payment for goods in which documents transferring title are given to the buyer upon payment of cash to an intermediary acting for the seller.

CAD / CAM : Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing.

Cage : The transporting of goods by truck to or from a vessel, aircraft, or bonded warehouse, all under customs custody.

Cargo : Is merchandise/commodities/freight carried by means of transportation.

Cargo Receipt : Is a receipt of cargo for shipment by a consolidator (used in ocean freight).

Carnet : A customs document permitting the holder to carry or send merchandise temporarily into certain foreign countries (for display, demonstration, or similar purpose) without paying duties or posting bonds.

Carrier, Common : A public or privately owned firm or corporation that transports the goods of others over land, sea, or through the air, for a stated freight rate. By government regulation, a common carrier is required to carry all goods offered if accommodations are available and the established rate is paid.

Carrier(s) Containers or Shipper(s) Containers : The term Carrier(s) Container(s) or Shipper(s) Container(s) means containers over which the carrier or the shipper has control either by ownership or by the acquisition thereof under lease or rental from container companies or container suppliers or from similar sources. Carriers are prohibited from purchasing, leasing or renting shipper owned containers.

Cartel : Is an association of several independent national or international business organizations that regulates competition by controlling the prices, the production, or the marketing of a product or an industry.

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 (C.I.A.) : 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.

Certificate of Analysis : Is a certificate required by some countries as proof of the quality and composition of food products or pharmaceuticals. The required analysis may be made by a private or government health agency. The certificate must be legalized by a foreign consul of the country concerned, as is the case with such similar certificates as the phytosanitary certificate.

Certificate of Inspection : A document certifying that the goods were in apparent good condition immediately prior to shipment.

Certificate of Manufacture : A statement in which a producer specifies where his goods were manufactured, certifies that manufacturing has been completed, and confirms that the goods are at the buyer's disposal.

Certificate of Origin : A statement signed by the exporter, or his agent, and attested to by a local Chamber of Commerce, indicating that the goods being shipped, or a major percentage of them, originated and were produced in the exporter's country.

CES : Is a Customs Examination Station

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.

CFS (Container Freight Station) : The term CFS at loading port means the location designated by carriers for the receiving of cargo to be packed into containers by the carrier. At discharge ports, the term CFS means the bonded location designated by carriers in the port area for unpacking and delivery of cargo.

CFS CHARGE (Container Freight Charge) : The term CFS Charge means the charge assessed for services performed at the loading or discharging port in packing or unpacking of cargo into/from containers at CFS.

CFS Receiving Service : The term "CFS Receiving Services" means the service performed at loading port in receiving and packing cargo into containers from CFS to CY or shipside. "CFS Receiving Services" referred herein are restricted to the following 1. Moving empty containers from CY to CFS 2. Drayage of loaded containers from CFS to CY and/or ship's tackle 3. Tallying 4. Issuing dock receipt/shipping order 5. Physical movement of cargo into, out of and within CFS 6. Stuffing, sealing and marking containers 7. Storage 8. Ordinary sorting and stacking 9. Preparing carrier's internal container load plan

CFS / CFS (Pier to Pier) : The term CFS/CFS means cargo delivered by break-bulk to Carrier's CFS to be packed by Carrier into containers and to be unpacked by Carrier from the container at Carrier's destination port CFS.

CFS / CY (Pier to House) : The term CFS/CY means cargo delivered break-bulk to Carrier's CFS to be packed by Carrier into containers and accepted by consignee at Carrier's CY and unpacked by the consignee off Carrier's premises, all at consignee's risk and expense.

Chargeable Kilo : Rate for goods where volume exceeds six cubic metres to the tonne.

Charter : Originally meant a flight where a shipper contracted hire of an aircraft from an airline. Has usually come to mean any non-scheduled commercial service.

Charter Party : The contract between the owner of a ship and the individual or company chartering it. Among other specifications, the contract usually stipulates the exact obligations of the ship-owner (loading the goods, carrying the goods to a certain point, returning to the charterer with other goods, etc.); or it provides for an outright leasing of the vessel to the charterer, who then is responsible for his own loading and delivery. In either case, the charter party sets forth the exact conditions and requirements agreed upon by both sides.

Charter party Bill of Lading : A bill of lading issued under a charter party. It is not acceptable by banks under letters of credit unless so authorized in the credit.

Chassis : A wheel assemble including bogies constructed to accept mounting of containers.

CIA : The acronym meaning "cash in advance," a method of payment for goods whereby buyer pays seller in advance of shipment of goods.

CIF (cost, insurance and freight) : Seller is responsible for inland freight, ocean/air freight, and marine/air insurance to the port of final entry in the buyer's country. The buyer is responsible for inland transportation to his or her location.

Class Rates : A class of goods or commodities is a large grouping of various items under one general heading. All items in the group make up a class. The freight rates that apply to all items in the class are called class rates.

Classification : Is a customs term. The placement of an item under the correct number in the customs tariff for duty purposes. At times this procedure becomes highly complicated; it is not uncommon for importers to resort to litigation over the correct duty to be assessed by the customs on a given item.

Claused 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 Bill of Lading : Is a bill of lading which covers goods received in "apparent good order and condition" and without qualification.

Clean Draft : Is a draft to which no documents have been attached.

cm : Centimeters

CNS : Cargo Network Services, an IATA company. See IATA.

Collective Paper : All documents (commercial invoices, bills of lading, etc.) submitted to a buyer for the purpose of receiving payment for a shipment.

Combi : Is an aircraft with pallet or container capacity on its main deck as well as in its belly holds

Combination Vessels : Container/Break-bulk vessel - this type of ship accommodates both container and break-bulk cargo. It can be either self sustaining or non-self sustaining.

Commercial Attache : The commerce expert on the diplomatic staff of his or her country's embassy or large consulate.

Commercial Code : A published code designed to reduce the total number of words required in a cablegram.

Commercial Invoice : An itemized list of goods shipped, usually included among an exporter's collection papers.

Commercial Risk : Risk carried by the exporter (unless insurance is secured) that the foreign buyer may not be able to pay for goods delivered on an open account basis.

Commission Agent : See Purchasing agent.

Commodity Specialist : An official authorized by the U.S. Treasury to determine proper tariff and value of imported goods.

Common Carrier : An individual, partnership, or corporation that transports persons or goods for compensation.

Conference : A group of vessel operators joined together for the purpose of establishing freight rates. RoRo/Container Vessel - Ship designed to accommodate containers and roll-on roll-off cargo. It can be self sustaining. RoRo/Container/Break-bulk Vessel - Designated to accommodate three types of cargo, usually self sustaining.

Confirmed Letter of Credit : A letter of credit, issued by a foreign bank, the validity of which has been confirmed by a domestic bank. An exporter whose payment terms are a confirmed letter of credit is assured of payment by the domestic bank even if the foreign buyer or the foreign bank defaults. See Letter of credit.

Confiscation : The taking and holding of private property by a government or an agency acting for a government. Compensation may or may not be given to the owner of the property.

Consignee : Person or firm to whom goods are shipped under a bill of landing.

Consignee : The individual or company to whom a seller or sipper sends merchandise and who, upon presentation of necessary documents, is recognized as merchandise owner for the purpose of declaring and paying customs duties.

Consignee Marks : A symbol laced on packages for identification purposes; generally consisting of a triangle, square, circle, diamond, cross, with letters and/or numbers as well as port of discharge.

Consignment : Delivery of merchandise from an exporter (the consignor) to an agent (the consignee) under agreement that the agent sell the merchandise for the account of the exporter. The consignor retains title to the goods until the consignee has sold them. The consignee sells the goods for commission and remits the net proceeds to the consignor.

Consignor : A term used to describe any person who consigns goods to himself or to another party in a bill of lading or equivalent document. A consignor might be the owner of the goods, or a freight forwarder who consigns goods on behalf of his principal.

Consolidated Shipment : An arrangement whereby various shippers pool their boxed goods on the same shipment, sharing the total weight charge for the shipment.

Consolidator : An agent which brings together a number of shipments for one destination to qualify for preferential airline rates.

Consortium : The name for an agreement under which several nations or nationals (usually corporations) of more than one nation, join together for a common purpose. It could be for management or exploitation of a natural resource, as in the case of some international petroleum consortiums.

Consul : A government official residing in a foreign country, charged with representing the interests of his or her country and its nationals.

Consular Declaration : A formal statement, made to the consul of a foreign country, describing goods to be shipped.

Consular Documents : Special forms signed by the consul of a country to which cargo is destined.

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.

Container : The term container means a single rigid, non-disposable dry cargo, insulated, temperature controlled flatrack, vehicle rack portable liquid tank, or open top container without wheels or bogies attached, having not less than 350 cubic feet capacity, having a closure or permanently hinged door that allows ready access to the cargo (closure or permanently hinged door not applicable to flatrack vehicle rack or portable liquid tank). All types of containers will have constructions, fittings and fastenings able to withstand without permanent distortion, all the stresses that may be applied in normal service use of continuous transportation. All containers must bear manufacturer's specifications.

Container Ship : Ocean going ship designed to carry containers both internally and on deck. Some are self sustaining.

Containerization : Is a concept for the ultimate unitizing of cargo used by both steamship lines and air cargo lines. Containers allow a greater amount of cargo protection from weather, damage, and theft.

Containers (Air Cargo) : Many types of air cargo containers are offered  The containers are designed in various sizes and irregular shapes to conform to the inside dimensions of a specific aircraft.

Containers (Ocean) : Are designed to be moved inland on its own chassis and can be loaded at the shippers plant for shipment overseas. Basic types of containers are; dry van, open top, half high, hi cube, flat rock, tank container, refrigerated container, insulated container, tilting container. Average outside dimensions are generally 20, 35, and 40 feet in length, 8 feet wide and 8 feet high standard.

Continuous Bond : Is an annual customs bond insuring compliance with all regulations and requirements.

Contract Rate : Is a charge levied by carriers selling capacity forward over a given route to a shipper of forwarder; the client is therefore assured of capacity, which must be paid for regardless of load carried.

Convertible Currency : A currency that can be bought and sold for other currencies at will.

Coordinating Committee for Export Controls (COCOM) : An informal group of 15 western countries established to prevent the export of certain strategic products to potentially hostile nations.

Correspondent Bank : A bank that, in its own country, handles the business of a foreign bank.

Counter trade : 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.

Countervailing Duties : Is a special duties imposed on imports to offset the benefits of subsidies to producers or exporters of the exporting country.

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 water.

Credit Risk Insurance : Insurance designed to cover risks of nonpayment for delivered goods. Compare Marine insurance.

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.

Customs Bonded Warehouse : Is a  warehouse where imported goods may be stored for a total of three years without the payment of duty or taxes.

Customs Court : Is the court to which importers might appeal or protest decisions made by Customs officers.

Customs Tariff : Is a schedule of charges assessed by the federal government on imported goods.

Customs Union : Is an agreement between two or more countries in which they arrange to abolish tariffs and other import restrictions on each other's goods and establish a common tariff for the imports of all other countries.

CWO : The acronym meaning "cash with order," a method of payment for goods where cash is paid at the time of order and the transaction becomes binding on both buyer and seller.

CY (Container Yard) : The term CY means the location designated by Carrier in the port terminal area for receiving, assembling, holding, storing and delivering containers, and where containers may be picked up by shippers or re-delivered by consignees. No container yard (CY) shall be a shipper's, consignee's, NVOCC's, or a forwarder's place of business, unless otherwise provided.

CY / CFS (House to Pier) : The term CY/CFS means containers packed by shipper of carrier's premises and delivered by shipper to Carrier's CY, all at shipper's risk and expense and unpacked by Carrier at the destination port CFS.

CY / CY (House to House) : The term CY/CY means containers packed by shipper off Carrier's premises and delivered by shipper to Carrier's CY and