IV. Points and words to remember
The method a consignor chooses to deliver his goods depends on whether his main consideration is speed, direct delivery, limiting handling, or economy, and this obviously relates to the type of consignment being sent.
Road haulage can be comparatively cheap when transporting relatively small consignments, and offers a door-to-door service. Rail freight services are competitive when shipping bulk goods, and are faster than road transport between terminals. Air transport offers the fastest service, but is restrictive on weight ad volume, and can be the most expensive method of sending goods.
The ‘consignment note’ or ‘waybill’ is the main document used in road, rail, or air transport. It is a receipt, not a document of title, and therefore not negotiable. An ‘advice note’ is usually sent to the consignee to inform him that goods are being forwarded, but airlines, as a rule, inform the consignee themselves when the goods arrive.
There are various types of vessels available to carry different goods. Their owners may belong to the Shipping Conference and will charge fixed rates for transporting goods.
Other vessels can be chartered, on a time or voyage basis or on a mixed charter, through shipbrokers on the Baltic Exchange who will negotiate rates for their clients.
The bill of lading is the main document used in shipping and may be ‘clean’ or ‘dirty’ (‘claused’) which explains whether the goods were taken on board in perfect condition, or if something was wrong with them. Once the bill has been signed by the captain, it is known as a shipped bill and the shipping company will now accept responsibility in accordance with the clauses on the back of the document. If the bill is made ‘to order’ it becomes a negotiable document of title.
Containerization is a rapidly growing method of shipment, where goods are loaded into steel boxes which are taken to the docks and then loaded on to special vessels. Container companies use either combined transport bills of lading, or waybills, but also the usual documents in shipping including the bill of lading.
road / rail / air transport transhipment haulage (trucking) a freight company an airline a forwarding agent a clearing agent a private carrier a consignor a consignee a checker a packer hold-up backlog in transit a lorry a van a container a passenger liner a passenger / cargo vessel a tramp a tanker a bulk carrier a container vessel a merchant vessel roll-on/ roll-off facilities a ferry a barge a lighter a goods depot a terminal final destination surcharge sales volume a consignment a shipment cargo a bulk commodity perishable goods size volume weight Acts of War force majeure inherent vice to load to ship to despatch drum barrel carton conventional cargo bonded warehouse storage charges rate |
a dispatch note a consignment note an air waybill a waybill advice note instructions for dispatch form freight charges customs clearance and handling charges ‘contents have been examined’ ‘contents not examined’ bulky to charter a ship a shipbroker The Shipping Conference The Baltic Exchange voyage charter charges time charter charges mixed charter charter party tonnage value ‘groupage rates’ export cargo shipping instructions’ a shipping mark a bill of lading ‘clean’ / ‘dirty’ / ‘claused’ bill of lading to order a shipped bill (of lading) freight pre-paid a shipping note a rail consignment note a dock receipt a wharfinger’s receipt a freight account triplicate cash with order (C.W.O.) to charge at inventory control grade premium (adj.) insurance a policy door-to-door responsibility ‘carrier’s risk’ all risks a claim compensation damage negligence to inspect goods customs official fragile Hague Rules |