Resource Center
S
S. & F.A.: Shipping and forwarding agent.
S.I.T.: Stopped in Transit
S.L. & C.: Shipper's Load and Count
S.L. & T.: Shipper's Load and Tally
S.O.L.: Ship Owner'Liability
S.R. & C.C.: Strikes, riots, and civil commotions.
S.R: Shipping Receipt
S.tn.: Short ton
S.W.: Shipper's weights
S/N: Shipping Note
SAD: Single Administrative Document
Salvage: Rescue of goods from loss at sea or by fire; also, goods so saved, or payment made or due for their rescue.
Sanitary and Health Certificate: A statement signed by a health organization official certifying the degree of purity, cleanliness, or spoilage of goods, and the health of live animals.
Schedule B: Refers to "Schedule B, Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States." Being replaced under the Harmonized System.
Scheduled Flight: Any service that operates to a set timetable.
SCR: Specified Commodity Rate. Applied to narrowly specified commodities. Usually granted on relatively large shipments. Theoretically is of limited time duration.
Seafreight: Charges for transporting cargo by sea. This does not cover any haulage or loading / discharging costs, sea transport only.
Sector: Distance between two ground points within a route.
Self-Sustaining: Vessel has its own cranes and equipment mounted on board for loading/unloading. Used in ports where shore cranes and equipment are lacking.
Service Contract: A contract between a shipper and an ocean carrier of conference, in which the shipper makes a commitment to provide a minimum quantity of cargo over a fixed time period.
Service: The defined, regular pattern of calls made by a carrier in the pick-up and discharge of cargo.
Set Up: Articles in their assembled condition.
Shipment: Freight tendered to a carrier by one consignor at one piece at one time for delivery to one consignee at one place on one bill of lading.
Shipper: Term used to describe exporter. Mostly manufacturing companies.
Shipper's Export Declaration: A form required by the Treasury Department and completed by a shipper showing the value, weight, consignee, destination, etc., of export shipments as well as Schedule B identification number.
Ship's Manifest: An instrument in writing containing a list of the shipments comprising the cargo of the vessel.
Ship's Tackle: All rigging, etc., utilized on a ship to load or discharge cargo.
Shortlanded: Cargo manifested for port but not discharged, either by accident or design.
Short-Shipped: Cargo manifested but not loaded.
Sight Draft: A draft payable upon presentation to the drawee. Compare date draft and time draft.
Single Entry Charter: A non-scheduled flight carrying the cargo of one shipper.
SITC: Standard International Trade Classification
Site: A particular platform or location for loading or unloading at a place.
SO: Seller's option
SOB: Shipped on board
Split Charter: Where a number of consignments from different shippers are carried on the same non-scheduled aircraft. Under U.K. regulations a non-scheduled flight chartered by a single forwarder or agent on behalf of a number of shippers is still classified as a split charter. Under U.S. regulations, a forwarder chartered flight is classified as a single entity although it can consolidate.
SS: Steamship; steam powered ship (Steam driven turbines)
SSN: Standard Shipping Note
Stability: It is of paramount importance that a vessel is stable in all respects at all times. When cargo is loaded/discharged the stability is monitored by the navigating officer/Port Captain usually by computer, which takes into account the weight and position of the cargo within the vessel.
Stackmaster: A pontoon with two collapsible ends.
Standard International Trade Classification (SITC): A standard numerical code system developed by the United Nations to classify commodities used in international trade.
Starboard: Right side of a ship when facing the front or forward end.
Steamship Agent: A duly appointed and authorized representative in a specified territory acting in behalf of a steamship line or lines and attending to all matters relating to the vessels owned by his principals.
Steamship Line: Company is usually composed of the following departments; vessel operations, container operations, tariff department, booking, outbound rates, inward rates and sales. the company can maintain its own in country U.S. offices to handle regional sales, operations and/or other matters or appoint steamship agents to represent them doing same. Some lines have liner offices in several regions and have appointed agents in others.
Stern: The aftermost part of the ship.
Stevedore: Port manual worker involved with the physical loading and discharging of vessels.
Stowage Order: Before certain classes of goods, such as valuables, fragile or dangerous, are sent to the docks for shipment, a special stowage order must be obtained from the shipowner. It is the shipowner's authority to the ship-worker to accept the goods and stow them where indicated. It must accompany the goods to the docks.
Stowage: The lacing of cargo in a vessel in such a manner as to provide the utmost safety and efficiency for the ship and the goods it carries.
Stowaway: A person who illegally hides on a vessel to get free passage to another country (usually from a poor country to a more affluent one).
Strikes, Riots, and Civil Commotions: An insurance clause referring to loss or damage directly caused by strikers, locked-out workmen, persons participation in labor disturbances, and riots of various kinds. The ordinary marine insurance policy does not cover this risk; coverage against it can be added only by endorsement.
Subsidy: An economic benefit granted by a government to producers of goods or services, often to strengthen their competitive position.
Sue & Labor Clause: A provision in marine insurance obligating the assured to do things necessary after a loss to prevent further loss and to act in the best interests of the insurer.
Supercargo: The person who plans stowage and supervises loading and discharging of vessels. Also know as a Port Captain.
Surety Bond: A bond insuring against loss or damage or for the completion of obligations.
Surety Company: An insurance company
SWIFT: Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications
SWL: Safe Working load