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Harmonized Code: An internationally accepted and uniform description system for classifying goods for customs, statistical and other purposes.
Harmonized Systems: A key provision of the recently signed trade bill, effective Jan. 1, 1989, that establishes international uniformity for product classifications. Most U.S. Trading partners adopted it a year earlier, and it was drafted in Brussels a decade ago with U.S. representatives' input. In essence, it is a new tariff schedule in that it changes methods of rating some items.
Hatch: The cover of - or opening- in the deck of a vessel, through which cargo is loaded.
Heavy Lift Vessel: Specifically designed to be self sustaining with heavy lift cranes, to handle unusually heavy and/or out-sized cargoes.
Heavy Lifts: Freight too heavy to be handled by regular ship's tackle.
HMC&E: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
HMC: Her Majesty's Customs
HMSO: Her Majesty's Stationery Office
House Air Waybill: An air waybill issued by a freight consolidator. See Air Waybill.
Hub: A central location to which traffic from many cities is directed and from which traffic is fed to other areas.
Hundredweight (cwt.): A short ton hundredweight = 100 pounds. Long ton hundredweight = 112 pounds.
Husbanding: Term used by steamship lines, agents, or port captains who are appointed to handle all matters in assisting the master of the vessel while in port to obtain bunkering, fresh water, food and supplies, payroll for the crew, doctors appointments, ship repair, etc.
HVR: Hague-Visby Rules