By Mohammed Ahmed Gain

Logistics Acronyms

Full container load (FCL)

full container load (FCL)

is anISO standard
container that is loaded
and unloaded under the
risk and account of one
shipper and only one
consignee.
In practice, it means
that the whole container
is intended for one
consignee.
FCL is intended to
designate a container
loaded to its allowable

Athird-party logistics
provider
Athird-party logistics
provider(abbreviated3PL, or
sometimesTPL) is a firm that
provides service to itscustomers
of outsourced (or "third party")
logisticsservices for part, or all
of their
supply chain management
functions.
Third party logistics providers
typically specialize in integrated
operation,warehousingand
transportationservices that can
be scaled and customized to
customers' needs based on
market conditions and the
demands and delivery service
requirements for their products
and materials.

heavy goods vehicle

Aheavy goods
vehicle(also large
goods
vehicle,medium
goods
vehicle,LGVandHG
V), is the
European Unionterm
for anytruckwith a
gross combination m
ass
(GCM) of over
3,500kilograms.

Distribution Center

Adistribution
centerfor a set of
productsis a
warehouseor other
specializedbuilding,
often withrefrigeration
orair conditioning,
which is stocked with
products (goods) to be
redistributed to
retailers, to
wholesalers, or directly
to consumers.

Less-than-container load
Less-than-container load
(LCL) is ashipmentthat is
not large enough to fill a
standardcargo container.
It can also be defined as
"a consignment of cargo
which is inefficient to fill a
shipping container. It is
grouped with other
consignments for the
same destination in a
container at a container
freight station.

Electronic data
interchange(EDI)

Electronic data interchange(EDI) is an

electronic communication method that provides
standards for exchanging data via any
electronic means.
By adhering to the same standard, two different
companies, even in two different countries, can
electronically exchange documents (such as
purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, and

value-added
service(VAS)

Avalue-added
service(VAS) is
a popular
telecommunicati
ons
industry term
for noncore services, or
in short, all
services beyond
standard voice
calls and fax

Radio-frequency
identification(RFID)
Radio-frequency
identification(RFID)
is the wireless use of
electromagnetic fields
to transfer data, for the
purposes of
automatically
identifying and tracking
tags attached to
objects.
The tags contain
electronically stored
information.

TheInternational Standards
Organization

TheInternational
Organization for
Standardizationknown
asISO, is an
international standardsetting body composed
of representatives from
various national
standards organizations.
Founded on 23 February
1947, the organization
promotes worldwide
proprietary, industrial
and commercial

Global Positioning
System(GPS)
TheGlobal

Positioning
System(GPS) is a
space-based
satellite navigation
system that
provides location
and time
information in all
weather conditions

Transshipment
Transferof ashipmentfrom
onecarrier, or more
commonly, from one vessel to
another whereasin transit.
Transshipments are usually
made (1) where there is no
direct air,land, or sealink
between theconsignor'sand
consignee'scountries, (2)
where the intended
port of entryis blocked, or (3)
to hide theidentityof the
portorcountry of origin.
Because transshipment
exposes the shipment to a
higherprobabilityofdamage
or loss, somepurchase

Break-bulk
denoting a system of
transporting cargo as
separate pieces rather than in
containers.

Cross-docking

Cross-dockingis a practice in the

logistics of unloading materials from an
incoming semi-trailer truck or railroad
car and loading these materials directly
into outbound trucks, trailers, or rail
cars, with little or no storage in

Order picking

Theorder pickingor order preparation operation

is one of a logistic warehouse's process. It
consists in taking and collecting articles in a
specified quantity before shipment to satisfy
customers' orders

Reverse logistics

Warehousing

Awarehouseis acommercial buildingfor storage

ofgoods. Warehouses are used bymanufacturers
,importers,exporters,wholesalers, transport
businesses,customs, etc. They are usually large
plain buildings in industrial areas of cities, towns
and villages.

DWT
Deadweight

tonnage(also known
asdeadweight; abbreviated
toDWT,D.W.T.,d.w.t., ordwt)
ortons deadweight(TDW) is a
measure of how muchmassa ship
iscarryingor can safely carry;it does
not include the weight of the ship.
DWT is the sum of the weights of
cargo, fuel,fresh water,ballast water,
provisions, passengers, andcrew.

ULC C vs. VLCC

Ultra

Large Crude
Carriers (ULCC) are
super tankers with a
DWT of more than
300,000, for the
transport of crude oil.
Very Large Crude
Carriers (VLCC) are
super tankers with a
DWT between 250,000
and 300,000, for the
transport of crude oil.
crude: raw

JIT
'Just

In Time - JIT'
Aninventorystrategy companies
employ to increase efficiency and
decrease waste by receiving goods
only as they are needed in the
production process, thereby reducing
inventory costs.