ATA/ATD (Actual Time of Arrival / Actual Time of Departure): Abbreviation for actual arrival/departure time.

Airway Bill (AWB): A document issued by or on behalf of the consignor, which is proof of cargo transportation between the consignor and the carrier.

Unaccompanied Baggage (Baggage, Unaccompanied): Baggage that is not carried on board but checked in, and luggage delivered as checked baggage.

Bonded Warehouse: In this warehouse, goods can be stored indefinitely without paying import duties.

Bulk Cargo: Bulk cargo that is not loaded on pallets and loaded into cargo boxes.

CAO (Cargo for Freighter Only): Abbreviation for "Cargo only", which means that it can only be carried by cargo planes.

Charges Collect: The charges charged to the consignee are listed on the airway bill.

Prepaid Charges: Charges paid by the shipper are listed on the air waybill.

Chargeable Weight: Weight used to calculate air freight. Chargeable weight can be volumetric weight or, when the goods are loaded in a carrier, the total weight of the load minus the weight of the carrier.

CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): Refers to "Cost, Insurance and Freight", which is C&F plus insurance for loss and damage of the goods purchased by the seller. The seller must sign a contract with the insurer and pay the premium.

Consignee: The person whose name is listed on the air waybill and receives the goods shipped by the carrier.

Consignment: The carrier receives one or more pieces of goods from the shipper at a certain time and place and carries them to a certain destination on a single air waybill.

Consignor: Equivalent to the shipper.

Consolidated Consignment: A consignment of goods from two or more consignors, each of whom has signed an air transport contract with a consolidator.

Consolidator: A person or organization that groups goods into a consignment.

COSAC (Community Systems for Air Cargo): An abbreviation for "High-Sensitivity" computer systems. It is the information and central logistics management computer system of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited.

Customs: A government agency responsible for collecting import and export duties, prohibiting smuggling and narcotics trafficking and abuse (called the Hong Kong Customs in Hong Kong).

Customs Code: A code added by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) to a batch of goods to indicate the customs clearance results or what customs clearance actions are required of the cargo terminal operator/consignee.

Customs Clearance: Customs procedures that must be completed for the transportation or collection of goods at the origin, transit and destination.

Dangerous Goods: Dangerous goods are articles or substances that may pose a significant threat to health, safety or property when transported by air.

Declared Value for Carriage: The value of goods declared by the shipper to the carrier for the purpose of determining freight or setting limits on the carrier's liability for loss, damage or delay.

Declared Value for Customs: Applicable to the value of goods declared to customs for the purpose of assessing the amount of customs duties.

Disbursements: Fees paid by the carrier to the agent or other carrier and then collected by the final carrier from the consignee. These fees are usually collected to pay the freight and miscellaneous expenses paid by the agent or other carrier for transporting the goods.

EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transportation): It is the abbreviation of "Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transportation". DIFACT is an international standard for message syntax for electronic data interchange.

Embargo: refers to a carrier's refusal to transport any goods, any type or grade of goods on any route or part of any route or accept transfer to or from any region or location within a certain period of time.

ETA/ETD (Estimated Time of Arrival / Estimated Time of Departure): Abbreviation for Estimated Time of Arrival/Departure.

Export License: A government license document that allows the holder (shipper) to export specified goods to a specific destination.

FIATA (Federation Internationale des Associations de Transitaires et Assimilées): FIATA licensee - a member licensed to issue FIATA documents [FIATA Bill of Lading (FBL) "as Carrier" & Forwarders Certificate of Receipt(FCR)] in Hong Kong. Covered by freight forwarder liability insurance (minimum liability limit: US$250,000).

FOB (Free on Board): Under the terms of "delivery on board", the goods are loaded by the seller at the port of loading specified in the sales contract. The risk of loss or damage to the goods is transferred to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail (i.e. after leaving the dock and being placed on the ship), and the loading and unloading charges are paid by the seller.

FOB Airport: This term is similar to the general FOB term. After the seller hands the goods to the air carrier at the departure airport, the risk of loss is transferred from the seller to the buyer. Forwarder An agent or company that provides services (such as collection, forwarding or delivery) to ensure and assist the transportation of goods.

Gross Weight: The total weight of the shipped goods, including the weight of the container and packaging materials.

HAFFA (Hong Kong Air Freight Forwarding Association): The abbreviation of Hong Kong Air Freight Forwarding Association Limited (HAFFA), founded in 1966, is a non-profit organization that promotes, safeguards and develops Hong Kong's freight transportation industry.

House Air Waybill (HAWB): This document includes individual pieces of cargo in a consolidated cargo, is issued by the consolidated cargo consolidator, and includes instructions to the deconsolidation agent.

IATA (International Air Transport Association): The abbreviation of the International Air Transport Association. IATA is an organization of the air transport industry that provides services to airlines, passengers, shippers, travel service agents and governments. The association aims to promote air transport safety and standardization (baggage inspection, air tickets, weight lists) and assist in the determination of international air transport charges. IATA's headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

Import Licence: A government license document that allows the holder (consignee) to import specified goods.

Marks: Marks on cargo packaging used to identify the cargo or indicate information about the cargo owner.

Master Air Waybill: This is an air waybill that includes a batch of containerized cargo, which lists the cargo collector as the consignor.

Neutral Air Waybill: A standard air waybill that does not specify a carrier.

Perishable Cargo: Cargo that is perishable within a specific period of time or under adverse temperature, humidity or other environmental conditions.

Prepacked Cargo: Cargo that has been packed in a carrier by the shipper before submitting it to the cargo terminal operator.

Reception Checklist: A document issued by the cargo terminal operator when receiving the shipper's cargo.

Regulated Agent Regime: A system where the government conducts security checks on all air freight agents.

Shipment Release Form: A document issued by the carrier to the consignee to collect the cargo from the cargo terminal operator.

Shipper: The person or company specified in the cargo transportation contract to ship the goods to the consignee.

Shipper's Certificate for live animals/dangerous goods: A statement made by the shipper stating that his goods have been properly packaged and accurately described to make them suitable for air transportation in accordance with the latest version of IATA rules and all carrier rules and government regulations.

Shipper's Letter of Instruction: A document that includes instructions from the shipper or the shipper's agent on the preparation of documents and shipment of goods.

STA/STD (Schedule Time of Arrival / Schedule Time of Departure): Abbreviation for Estimated Time of Arrival/Departure.

TACT (The Air Cargo Tariff): Abbreviation for the "Air Cargo Tariff" published by the International Aviation Press (IAP) in cooperation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Tariff: The price, charges and/or conditions charged by a carrier for transporting goods. Tariffs vary by country, weight of goods and/or carrier.

Unit Load Device: Any type of container or pallet used to transport goods.

Valuable Cargo: Goods with a declared value equal to or exceeding $1,000 per kilogram of gross weight, such as gold and diamonds.

Valuation Charge: A charge for the transportation of goods based on the declared value of the goods at the time of shipment.

Vulnerable Cargo: Goods that have no declared value but obviously require careful handling or are particularly vulnerable to theft.

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