Road Freight Terms
Understand LTL, FTL, door-to-door, drayage, palletization, stackability and overland freight terminology.
Start with LTL →
Freight Glossary
International shipping and freight terms explained in plain English.
Logistics uses many abbreviations and technical terms. This glossary explains common road, air, sea, rail, customs, container and dangerous-goods terminology so importers and exporters can understand freight quotations, shipment documents and transport discussions more easily.
Browse by Topic
Start with the freight terms most relevant to your shipment.
Sea Freight Terms
Understand LCL, FCL, Bill of Lading, Sea Waybill, transshipment, demurrage and detention.
Start with LCL →Air Freight Terms
Understand Air Waybill, chargeable weight, volumetric weight, ETA, ETD and express air freight.
Start with AWB →Special Cargo Terms
Understand dangerous goods, SDS, UN numbers, reefer cargo, project cargo and oversized handling concepts.
Start with DG →
A–Z Freight Glossary
Common international logistics terms.
Definitions are written for practical freight planning rather than as legal definitions.
Air Freight
Transport of cargo by aircraft. It is commonly considered for urgent, compact or high-value commercial shipments, subject to airline acceptance and cargo restrictions.
Air Waybill (AWB)
A transport document used for air cargo. It contains shipment, shipper, consignee, routing and cargo information.
Bill of Lading (B/L)
A sea-freight transport document issued within the ocean-carriage process. Its exact legal function depends on the shipment structure and document type.
Breakbulk Cargo
Cargo that is loaded individually rather than inside a standard container, often because of size, shape or handling requirements.
CBM
Cubic metre, a common measure of cargo volume. One CBM equals one cubic metre.
Chargeable Weight
The weight used by a carrier for rating a shipment. In air freight it can be based on actual or volumetric weight according to the carrier's rules.
Consignee
The party named to receive the shipment at destination.
Consignor / Shipper
The party identified as sending or tendering the cargo for transport.
Consolidation
Combining multiple smaller shipments into a shared transport unit, such as LTL road freight or LCL sea freight.
Container
A standardized cargo unit used primarily in sea and multimodal freight. Common examples include dry containers, reefer containers and special equipment.
Customs Clearance
The process of completing the customs procedures required for import or export according to the relevant jurisdiction.
Dangerous Goods (DG)
Cargo classified as hazardous for transport under applicable rules, such as certain chemicals, batteries, aerosols or flammable products.
Demurrage
A charge that may apply when cargo or containers remain in a terminal or port beyond an allowed free period, depending on carrier and terminal terms.
Detention
A charge that may apply when carrier equipment such as a container is kept outside the terminal beyond an allowed free period, depending on the applicable terms.
Door-to-Door
A transport scope covering movement from an agreed pickup location to an agreed final delivery location. Customs, duties and other responsibilities depend on the shipment structure.
Drayage
Short-distance transport, often involving containers moving between a port, rail terminal, warehouse or nearby facility.
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival. It is an estimate, not automatically a guaranteed arrival time.
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure. It is the expected departure time and may change with carrier operations.
Express Air Freight
An urgent air-freight option for suitable cargo where airline, routing and acceptance conditions allow.
FCL
Full Container Load. A sea-freight structure where the shipper uses a full container rather than sharing container space with other shipments.
FTL
Full Truck Load. A road-freight structure using dedicated truck capacity for one shipment or customer movement.
Freight Forwarder
A logistics provider that arranges or coordinates freight transport and related shipment services with carriers and other parties.
Gross Weight
The total weight of the cargo including packaging and pallets or transport packaging where applicable.
HS Code
A customs classification code used for goods. The correct classification can affect customs, duties, permits and trade requirements.
Incoterms
International commercial terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce that define certain delivery, cost and risk responsibilities between seller and buyer.
Intermodal Freight
Transport using more than one mode, such as road plus rail or road plus sea, while the cargo may remain in the same loading unit for parts of the journey.
LCL
Less than Container Load. Sea freight where cargo shares container space with other shipments.
LTL
Less than Truck Load. Road freight where smaller shipments share vehicle capacity or a consolidation network.
Multimodal Freight
Transport involving two or more modes under an integrated transport arrangement.
Net Weight
The weight of the goods themselves, excluding packaging, depending on how the shipment data is defined.
Non-Stackable Cargo
Cargo that cannot safely have other freight placed on top of it, reducing usable consolidation space.
Pallet
A platform used to consolidate cartons or goods for handling by forklift or pallet equipment.
Packing List
A commercial shipment document describing package count, package type, dimensions, weight and packing details.
Project Cargo
Heavy, oversized, complex or non-standard cargo that may require special equipment, route studies, permits, cranes or lifting plans.
Reefer
Short for refrigerated equipment, such as a temperature-controlled truck or container.
Roll-on / Roll-off (Ro-Ro)
A transport method where suitable wheeled cargo is driven or rolled onto and off a vessel or transport deck.
Sea Waybill
A sea transport document used in some shipments as an alternative to a negotiable bill of lading, depending on the carrier arrangement.
Shipper's Load and Count
A notation indicating that cargo was loaded and counted by the shipper, subject to the carrier's applicable terms and document wording.
SDS
Safety Data Sheet. A document providing information about chemical composition, hazards, handling and transport-related properties.
Transshipment
The transfer of cargo from one vessel, aircraft, service or transport connection to another at an intermediate hub or terminal.
Transit Time
The transport period between defined points. It may not include pickup, customs, terminal waiting or final delivery unless stated.
UN Number
A four-digit identifier used for many dangerous goods in transport regulations.
Volumetric Weight
A calculated weight based on shipment dimensions and a carrier-specific conversion factor, often used in air and express freight.
Warehouse Handling
Cargo activities such as receiving, storage, palletization, sorting, consolidation or preparation for onward movement.
Freight terminology can have different legal or operational meanings depending on the carrier, contract,
country, transport mode and document used. For commercial or legal decisions, rely on the actual shipment documents and applicable rules.
Key Freight Comparisons
Terms that are often confused.
LTL vs FTL
- LTL: shared road capacity for smaller shipments.
- FTL: dedicated truck capacity.
- Suitability depends on cargo size, route, urgency, handling and vehicle requirements.
LCL vs FCL
- LCL: shared container space.
- FCL: full container use.
- Total volume, weight, handling, cargo type and route influence the practical choice.
Gross Weight vs Net Weight
- Gross weight: goods plus packaging.
- Net weight: goods themselves, depending on the document definition.
- Carriers and customs may require both values.
Transit Time vs Door-to-Door Time
- Transit time: movement between defined transport points.
- Door-to-door: can include pickup, transport, destination procedures and final delivery.
- Always confirm which timing definition a quotation uses.
Freight Glossary FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
What does LTL mean in shipping?
LTL means Less than Truck Load. It generally refers to smaller road-freight shipments using shared or consolidated truck capacity.
What does FTL mean?
FTL means Full Truck Load and generally refers to dedicated truck capacity for a shipment.
What is the difference between LCL and FCL?
LCL uses shared container space, while FCL uses a full container. The suitable choice depends on cargo volume, weight, handling and route.
What is CBM?
CBM means cubic metre and is a standard unit used to describe shipment volume.
What is chargeable weight?
It is the weight used by a carrier to price a shipment. In air freight it may be based on actual weight or dimensional/volumetric weight according to carrier rules.
What does DG mean?
DG means Dangerous Goods, referring to cargo classified as hazardous for transport under applicable regulations.
What is a Bill of Lading?
It is a transport document used in sea freight. Its exact legal role depends on the document type and shipment structure.
What is transshipment?
Transshipment is the transfer of cargo from one service or transport connection to another at an intermediate hub, port, airport or terminal.
What is project cargo?
Project cargo refers to heavy, oversized or complex cargo that may require special transport equipment, lifting, permits or route planning.
Are Incoterms the same as shipping methods?
No. Incoterms define certain commercial delivery, cost and risk responsibilities between buyer and seller; they are not freight modes such as air, road or sea.
This glossary is intended as a general educational reference. Definitions should not replace the wording of a carrier contract,
transport document, customs rule, dangerous-goods regulation or applicable law.
Not sure which freight term applies to your shipment?
Send the cargo, package count, dimensions, gross weight, origin and destination. We can help identify the practical freight options and terminology relevant to the shipment.