Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the acronyms that come up most often in member discussions.
- ACE
- Automated Commercial Environment — the U.S. trade-data system operated by CBP.
- AMS
- Automated Manifest System — the legacy cargo-manifest filing platform now superseded by ACE.
- BCO
- Beneficial Cargo Owner — the importer or exporter of record.
- CFS
- Container Freight Station — a facility for LCL deconsolidation.
- CTPAT
- Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism — a voluntary supply-chain security program.
- D&D
- Detention & demurrage — per-day charges for holding ocean containers or chassis beyond free time.
- FCL / LCL
- Full Container Load and Less than Container Load — the two basic ocean-cargo modes.
- FMC
- Federal Maritime Commission — U.S. regulator of ocean shipping.
- FTZ
- Foreign-Trade Zone — a designated area treated as outside the U.S. customs territory for duty purposes.
- HTS
- Harmonised Tariff Schedule — the classification system for imported goods.
- ISF
- Importer Security Filing — the 10+2 data set required before ocean cargo lades.
- LCB
- Licensed Customs Broker — an individual licensed by CBP to file customs entries.
- NVOCC
- Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier — a carrier that issues its own bills of lading without owning ships.
- OTI
- Ocean Transportation Intermediary — the FMC licence covering forwarders and NVOCCs.
- PSC
- Post-Summary Correction — a CBP process to correct an entry after liquidation.