Every business in the shipping industry uses different words for the same things. What do these terms mean? 

If you’re in the shipping business, then you’ll no doubt come across a lot of industry lingo. But What Do These Shipping Terms Mean?

Received for shipment: When the carrier has taken possession of your shipment and is preparing to deliver it.  

Shipped on board: The package has been loaded onto the vessel and is ready to be transported via sea or air.  

Clean on board: The container or vehicle is free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered.  

Clean: The container or vehicle is free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered. There are also varying degrees of cleanliness, depending on the extent to which an item is inspected upon arrival.   

Phrases in shipping  

In shipping, there are a few phrases that you may come across.  

Received for shipment: When the carrier has taken possession of your shipment and is preparing to deliver it. 

Shipped on board: The package has been loaded onto the vessel and is ready to be transported via sea or air. 

Clean on board: The container or vehicle is free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered. 

Clean: The container or vehicle is free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered. There are also varying degrees of clean, depending on the extent to which an item is inspected upon arrival. 
 

Received for shipment  

The carrier has taken possession of the shipment and is preparing to deliver it. This is a common term for people who ship containers by rail freight or trucking companies. 

Shipped on board  

This means that the package has been loaded onto the vessel and is ready to be transported via sea or air. This could also refer to a container or vehicle being clean of any cargo, other material or contaminants. The term “clean on board” refers to a ship, train, plane or truck being free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the items being delivered. 

Clean on board  

The clean on-board term means that the package is free of any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered. With this term, you can be assured that your product won’t be tampered with or handled by someone not meant to do so. 

Clean: The container or vehicle is free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered. There are also varying degrees of clean, depending on the extent to which an item is inspected upon arrival. 

Received for shipment: When the carrier has taken possession of your shipment and is preparing to deliver it. 

Shipped on board: The package has been loaded onto the vessel and is ready to be transported via sea or air. 
 

Clean  

The main reason for a shipping company to perform a clean is to prevent contamination of the product. A clean status usually refers to an inspection that has been completed by a professional. A clean can refer to many things, such as: 

– The container or vehicle is free of cargo or any other material that could contaminate the product being delivered.  

– There are also varying degrees of clean, depending on the extent to which an item is inspected upon arrival. 

Conclusion 

It’s important to know the different terms in the shipping industry in order to make sure your shipment is processed and delivered correctly. The four most important terms in the industry are: received for shipment, shipped on board, clean on board and clean. 

Want to know more of logistics industry lingo, our previous article gives more information on the concepts of Cargo, Tonnage & Port Dues. What Do These Shipping Terms Mean – read on to know more!

ProConnect Integrated Logistics – A Freight Forwarding & 3PL company offering end-to-end Supply Chain & Logistics services.

There are many 3PL & freight brokers in the industry, it is important for you to choose the right partner for your shipment. Your shipment is valuable, and we ensure we treat it like ours. ProConnect Integrated Logistics gets its expertise, experience and value of working from its group company – Redington. Over the years, ProConnect has established itself as the most reliable freight forwarder and logistics partner for many companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, catering to a variety of industries.

If you are looking for a partner to take care of all your logistics hassles, talk to us.