From
time to time, in the planning and execution of your move, you will come
across terms and acronyms, which the industry uses. Although not all
the jargon can be listed, the followings are the most likely you will
come across:
Access – Basically,
how accessible is the property? The room to park a vehicle, the
distance from vehicle to front door, the availability of lifts, how
many floors the building has, and so on, all have an influence on
access.
Agent - Usually
another moving company appointed to act as a partner in your move. The
most likely situation is that your mover will appoint someone at
destination to receive your shipment, clear it through Customs and
arrange final delivery. The agent’s services will be included in your
quotation.
Bill of Lading - This
is your contract with the carrier. It is your receipt for your goods
and the contract for their transportation. Your signature on this
document acknowledges that your goods have been loaded on the moving
van and "released to the carrier".
Binding Quote - A guaranteed price based on the inventory.
Bonded Warehouse – A warehouse that meets with local Customs specifications, and allows shipments to be stored pending clearance by Customs.
Booker - The company which you have chosen to be in charge of your move.
Chargeable Weight - The weight used by an airline to determine the air freight charge.
COD (Cash On Delivery) - Shipments
where customer pays moving charges at the time of delivery. For COD
shipments, payment is required in cash, banker’s draft or credit card
(provided prior arrangements have been made).
Consignee - The person to whom the shipment is to be delivered.
Container –
A modular steel box (usually 20-ft or 40-ft) for moving goods securely.
Usually used on ships but increasingly linked to road and rail
transport.
Corporate Account – Your employer company, which is responsible for the removal charges.
Cost per cubic meter/cubic feet – A rate given on the estimated space your belongings will fill on a truck /container.
Cost per 100 lb. – A rate given on the estimated weight of your belongings.
Crate – A timber case for an overseas shipment (often referred to as a liftvan).
Customs Clearance – Formal inspection procedures carried out before allowing a shipment into a country.
CWT - This abbreviation stands for the rate or charge per 100 pounds.
Declared Value – Value
the owner declare its goods to be for the purpose of insurance. This
will form the basis of your insurance cover and it is important that it
reflects the value of your belongings.
Destination Agent - The moving company appointed to act on your behalf at destination.
Export Wrapping - Method
of packing household and personal effects for transportation overseas.
Usually involves heavier and more specialist materials.
Full Container Load (FCL) - A container carrying your belongings exclusively, with specified move dates as agreed with your mover.
Full Cover – Detailed
insurance cover, usually includes loss, theft, fire and breakage,
(breakage maybe restricted to items packed by your professional mover).
May carry excess or deductible, maximum limits on total value or
certain types of items, pairs and set clause, mechanical derangement
clause and specific exclusions, for example money, stamp collection and
jewelry. Always read details carefully.
Groupage – Where
your shipment will not fill a container, you can save money by sending
it groupage. This means your shipment will be loaded with others to
fill a container. You should pay lower shipping charges, but delivery
will take longer.
Insurance Certificate – The official insurance document given to you by the insurance company. You will need this in the event of a claim.
Inventory – A list of your belongings to be moved or a list of your belongings in transit or storage.
Less than Container Load (LCL) - Where your shipment does not fill a complete shipping container.
Liftvans - A crate used in the packing of your belongings.
Linehaul - The charge to move your shipment by road from point of
collection (which could be at the dockside) to its final point of
destination.
Marine Insurance –
Insurance specifically to cover your belongings whilst in transit over
long distances and/or across water by vehicle, ship or aircraft. The
policy will cover specific marine risks.
Origin Agent - The moving company appointed to handle your move at origin.
Packed By Owner (PBO) – When
you choose to pack your belongings yourself, either into cartons
supplied by the mover or into your own boxes. Insurance companies often
refuse to insure goods packed by their owners.
Packers – Persons
in charge of packing, wrapping, loading the goods at origin and
unpacking, unwrapping and unloading the goods at destination.
Packing List – This
document lists all the goods that are packed in a shipment and has 4
main purposes: It is used to check the goods at all stages of handling;
as a receipt, therefore the importance for the customer of signing for
agreement when the goods are collected and unpacked; as an attachment
to the insurance certificate as it is an evidence that the goods were
shipped and their conditions at the time of packing; for customs
clearance as proof of the goods which are being imported.
Routing – The
route the shipment will take to the eventual destination (the route
itself as well as the mode of transportation and type of carrier
service).
Shipper - The person (customer) whose goods are being moved.
Storage In Transit (SIT) - Temporary storage of your household goods in the warehouse of the moving company, pending further transportation.
Survey Visit – To
provide you with a quote the moving company will send a sales
consultant to your home to assess the volume or weight of the goods to
be removed.
Third Party Services – Some
movers offer to arrange / coordinate additional professional services
e.g. Plumbers, House Cleaners, Waterbed dismantling/assembling,
carpenters, maid service.
Transit Time – The time indicated between collection and delivery of your belongings. |
