Glossary of Transport terms S - Z
| A - F | G - L | M - R | S - Z |
Seal - a device used to prove that containers, swap-bodies and trailers have remained closed during transporta-tion. Used for Customs or security purposes.
Shipping Marks - Identification marks stencilled on the outside of packages to facilitate recognition of the goods after discharge.
Sitpro - An acronym for the Simpler Trade PROcedures Board, an organisation set up to standardise and sim-plify trade documentation and procedures.
Skeletal Trailer - a semi or full trailer built only as a chassis without any flooring but equipped with twist locks to receive ISO containers.
Special Drawing Rights (SDR) - a European monetary unit consisting of a basket of various European curren-cies. Used for calculating liability under various conditions of carriage.
Spoke - the route used to serve smaller distribution centres or customers from a central hub distribution centre or transhipment facility (See also trunking).
Spreader - the rigid beam used to hold a container or swap-body when being lifted, i.e. on a gantry crane or a reach stacker. Spreads to lift different lengths i.e. 20 or 40 foot containers.
Standard Shipping Note - a document which must accompany all goods delivered by carriers to a container depot or cargo terminal. It must be completed by the shipper and sets out information on the goods and contain-ers in a standard format.
Stowage - Act of stuffing a container or positioning and securing cargo into a ship's hold.
Straddle Carrier - a special lift truck that drives over a container or swap-body and lifts from above using a spreader.
Stripping - action of unpacking a container
Stuffing - the action of loading/packing a container
Sub-contacting - where one carrier will contract with a shipper to move goods but will hire another carrier to actually move the goods.
Sub-contractor - A carrier who carries goods on behalf of another carrier.
Swop-body - the body of a lorry containing goods which can be "swapped" onto another vehicle or form of transport. Not stackable like a ISO container (see demountable body)
Tare Weight - the unladen weight of a vehicle, container or rail wagon.
Third Party - Any person or company who is not a party to a contract such as a contract of Insurance.
Through Bill of Lading - a bill of lading which covers one or more transhipments of the goods between vessels or other methods of transport as well as the main voyage.
Tilt Trailer - trailer consisting of a flat bed with a removable superstructure which supports a PVC canopy. This provides protection for the load but allows part or total removal for loading/unloading.
Transport Internationale Routiers (TIR) - An international arrangement based on the issue of carnets (Cus-tom clearance documents) by the RHA or FTA to facilitate the international movement of goods by road without the need for customs checks to be made at each frontier crossed. Now used only for transits to and from coun-tries outside of the E.U.
Tractor Unit - the power unit for an articulated road combination.
Transport International Routier (TIR) - term denoting road transport sealed at departure, to be opened only at destination with free passage through borders. No longer in use within EC, but still used outside EC and for goods from outside EC travelling through or to an EC destination.
Trunking - in land transport the movement of goods between major centres in on or more consolidated loads either by truck or train, with associated feeder movements at the end of such a journey. In containerised ocean shipments denotes movement between terminals and container depots.
Tug - tractor units confined to terminals for shunting semi-trailers/skeletals and loading RoRo vessels.
Tug - Small but powerful vessel used for barge hauling and moving larger vessels (i.e. pusher tugs)
Unaccompanied Trailer - where a road freight trailer travels without a driver, e.g. on a ferry or unaccompanied piggy back service.
Unitised Freight - freight moving in individual wagons or trailers
Unitised Load Device - a container or pallet specially designed for stowing cargo on aircraft
Ventilated Container - container equipped with ventilation ports on ends or sides. Used for heat generating loads or cargo requiring protection from condensation (sweating). Can be fitted with powered air circulating equipment.
Warsaw Convention - standard rules governing the liability of carriers of goods by air given force under UK law by the Carriage of goods by Air Act 1961.