Glossary - F

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Fabrication
Face
Facing
Fading
Fairway
F.A.K.
F.A.S.
Fashion Transport
Fastener
Fatigued Shipping Container
F.C.A.
F.C.C.
F.C.L.
Federal Railroad Administration - FRA
Feed Back
Feeder
Fender
Ferrous metals
F.E.U.
F.F.
Fibre
Fibreboard
Fibreboard-solid
Fibre-tear
F.I.F.O.
Fifth Wheel
Filler
Filler Boards (between layers)
Fillers, corrugated
Filling Bulge
Film
F.I.L.O
Finish
F.I.O.
Fire Resistant Treatment
First Carrier
First in First out
Five Freedoms
Fixed Crane
Fixed Height Load-carrying Truck
Fixed Platform Truck
Flag
Flame-resistant
Flame-retardant
Flange
Flap
Flap, gap
Flaring Container
Flash Point
Flat
Flat Bag
Flat Bed Trailer
Flat Pack
Flat Rack
Flat Seal
Flexibility
Flight Member
Flight Number
Floating
Floating Bag
Floating Crane
Floating Dock
Floating Stock
Floor
Floor Air Duct
Floor Bearers
Floor Loading Capability
Flow Chart
Flow Control
Flow Line
Flow of Materials
F.O.B.
Fo'c's'le
Force Majeure
Forecast
Forecastle
Fork Lift Pockets
Fork Lift Truck
Fork Pockets
Formula of Camp
Forty Foot Equivalent Unit
Forward
Forwarder
Forwarding Charge
Forwarding Instruction
Four Way Pallet
Fragile
Framework
Franc Poincaré
Franchise
Free Airport
Free Alongside Ship (...named port of shipment)
Free Carrier (...named place)
Free In and Out
Free In Liner Out
Free Lift
Free on Board
Free Port
Free Pratique
Free Trade Zone
Freeboard of a Vessel
Freight
Freight All Kinds
Freight Collect
Freight Container
Freight Container Terminology
Freight Forwarder
Freight Prepaid
Freight Ton
Freighter
F.T.Z.
Full Container Load
Full Trailer
Fully Cellular Containership

Fabrication

Term used to distinguish manufacturing operations for components as opposed to assembly operations.

Face

Any one of the plane surfaces of a container.

Facing

Sheet of paperboard on one side of corrugated medium in single-faced board or both sides of corrugated medium in double-faced board. Sometimes called liner.

Fading

Decrease in color brillance caused by exposure to light, heat or other agents.

Fairway

A navigable channel for vessels, often the regular of prescribed track a vessel will follow in order to avoid dangerous circumstances.

F.A.S.

See Free Alongside Ship (...named port of shipment).

Fashion Transport

Transport of clothing and/or garments including shoes, belts and handbags in dedicated means of transport.

Fastener

Any device which serves to secure one part to another.

Fatigued Shipping Container

A shipping container which no longer retains its original strength.

Federal Railroad Administration - FRA

Agency of the US Department of Transportation whose general purpose is to consilodate US Government support of rail transportation activities.

Feed Back

The flow of information back into the control system so that actual performance can be compared with planned performance.

Feeder

A vessel normally used for local or coastal transport for carriage or cargo and/or containers to and from those ports not scheduled to be called by the main means of transport.

Fender

An appliance made of timber and/or rope or other materials used to prevent damage to the hull of a vessel especially during mooring and unmooring operations.

Ferrous Metals

Metals and alloys containing an appreciable quantity of iron, including the many types of steels.

Fibre

The small thread-like units of vegetable growth, obtained from fibrous plants such as cotton, jute, etc., or from trees (pulp,wood).

Fibre sheets which have been produced or laminated to a thickness which provides a degree of stiffness. Fibreboard used for container production may be currogated board; or solid board, the thicknesses of which are most commonly 0.06, 0.08, 0,1, 0,12 or 0,14 inch.

Fibreboard-solid

Heavy, solid board, usually 3- or 4-ply, made of two liners and a filler used in shipping containers. Ranges from 0,06 to 0,14 inch in thickness. Tubular shapes convolutely wound are not classed as solid fibreboard.

Fibre-tear

In a glued paper assembly, the tear of fibre as opposed to separation of adhesives when the assembly is pulled apart. If the adhesive film is weak, unit separation will occur at the paper-adhesive interface rather than the paper fibre.

F.I.F.O.

See First in First out.

Fifth Wheel

Circular or wheel-shaped bearing mechanism, secured on the rear of the chassis of a truck-tractor that engages the semi-trailer king pin with a spring lock device and supports the weight of the front end of the semi-trailer.

Filler

Loose strips of paperboard, plain or scored, used in a package to fill spaces not occupied by commodities.

Filler Boards (between layers)

Material, usually boards, placed between layers of commodities in drums or in other containers.

Fillers, corrugated

Scored and folded corrugated fibreboard shapes used to fill voids crosswise of a rail vehicle.

Filling Bulge

Expansion of the original outside dimensions of an individual transport-package during the filling process.

Film

Unsupported, basically organic, non-fibrous, thin, flexible material of a thickness not exceeding 0.003 inch.

F.I.L.O.

See Free In Liner Out.

Finish

The quality of a surface as determined by color, brightness, texture and general surface appearance.

F.I.O.

See Free In and Out.

Fire-resistant treatment

A treatment which may be applied to materials to make it resistant to burning.

First Carrier

The carrier who actually performs the first part of the air transport (aircargo).

First in First Out

Abbreviation: F.I.F.O.

The method whereby the goods which have been longest in stock (first in) are used, delivered (sold) and/or consumed first (first out).

Five Freedoms

A collective term which depicts the five areas of "rights" for the airtransportation of passengers or cargo, viz: (expressed in terms of an airline of country A)
Freedom 1: the right to overfly a foreign country.
Freedom 2: The right to make a non-traffic stop at a foreign country C. en route to foreign country B.
Freedom 3: the right to set down (off loading) passengers or cargo in a foreign country B from home country A.
Freedom 4: the right to pick up (loading) passengers/cargo from a foreign country B to country A.
Freedom 5: the right to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries.

Fixed Crane

A crane of which the principal structure is mounted on permanent or semi permanent foundations.

Fixed Height Load-carrying Truck

Truck carrying its load on a non-elevating platform. Synonym: Fixed platform truck.

Fixed Platform truck

See Fixed Height Load-carrying Truck .

Flag

An indication of the country in which a means of transport is registered through a reference to the ensigh of this country.

Flame-resistant

Being capable of burning when in contact with flame, but not continuing to burn when the flame is removed.

Flame-retardant

A chemical used in treating a material so that it will not support combustion.

Flange

A projecting or flared edge, rib or the like to hold, strengthen or facilitate the use of an object or part.

Flap

Closing member of a fibre box, carton or envelope.

Flap, gap

A) A shortening of the outside flaps of a shipping container
B) A smialignment of the outside flaps of a shipping container that weakens the strength of the container.

Flaring Container

Container having a uniform reduction in a cross section or diameter over a definite length, resulting in a bottom diameter much smaller than the top diameter. Body may be made from one or more partially segmental sheets.

Flash Point

The lowest temperature at which a good produces enough vapour to form a flammable mixture with air.

Flat

See Flat Rack.

Flat Bag

A pneumatic dunnage bag used in a load that arrives at its destination with a puncture or burst and cannot hold air.

Flat Bed Trailer

A wheeled trailer of semi-trailer with a flat cargo carrying surface or deck and without any superstructure.

Flat Pack

Garments packed in cardboard boxes.

Flat Rack

A container with two end walls and open sides. Synonym: Flat.

Flat Seal

A method of heat sealing thermoplastic coated papers or thermoplastic films with a heated surface having no configuration.

Flexibility

The extent to which and the rate at which adjustments to changed circumstances are possible.

Flight Member

A licensed crew member charged with duties essential to the operation of an aircraft during flight time.

Flight Number

A combination of two letters, indicating the airline, and three or four digits indicating the number of the voyage. Synonym: Line Number.

Floating

Freely suspending in water of an object.

Floating Bag

A method of protective packaging in which the packaged item is secured to a wooden base and then fully enveloped in a dust-proof or water vapor barrier bag.

Floating Crane

A crane mounted on a barge or pontoon, which can be towed or is self propelled.

Floating Dock

A floating structure which can be partially submerged to enable vessels to enter and to leave and which can be raised for use as a dry dock.

Floating Stock

See Pipeline Inventory.

Floor

Component supporting payload of container. Component generally constructed from a number of planks or panels, In certain categories of thermal containers, floor components may be especially designed to allow air (or gas) to be passed underneath the cargo.

Floor Air Duct

A passage or passages in a (thermal) container located beneath the cargo support surface to direct air flow.

Floor Bearers

Components in the "base structure" (see 6.2.1) of a container supporting the floor. In general cargo containers, such components are commonly laid transversely. In such cases they are also known as "cross members" or "intermediate transverse members", i.e. transverse members in the base structure, intermediate between the "bottom end transverse members" in the "end frame". In platform based containers, tranverse floor planking is sometimes supported on additional longitudinal members, in which case these may also be regarded as floor bearers.

Floor Loading Capability

In general use the term "floor loading" signifies the static or dynamic loading imposed by the payload or by wheeled equipment used to pack or empty the container. But in the context of freight container testing, the term is used to indicate the ability of a container floor to withstand loads imposed by wheeled equipment having defined characteristics.

Flow Chart

A diagram, using symbols and depicting the sequence of events that should take place in a complex set of tasks.

Flow control

A term often used to describe a specific production control system.

Flow Line

The direction of flow in which e.g. pallets have been positioned and stowed.

Flow of materials

The flow of materials and components which goes to and through the factory for the production process.

F.O.B.

See Free on Board (...named port of shipment).

Fo'c's'le

See Forecastle.

Force Majeure

Circumstance which is beyond the control of one of the parties to a contract and which may, according to the terms and conditions, relieve that party of liability for failing to execute the contract.

Fore and Aft Stowage

Storage from the bow to the stern (lengthwise), as opposed to stowage athwartships.

Forecast

1) An estimation or calculation in advance: a prediction,
2) The amount of cargo expected to be booked for a certain sailing of a vessel.
3) The number of containers expected to be used in a certain area, for steering purposes.

Forecastle

Abbreviation: Fo'c's'le.

Forward part of a vessel where stores, ropes and anchor chains are located.

Fork Lift Pockets

Reinforced pockets running transversely across the "base structure" of a freight piercing the bottom side rails at prescribed positions to permit the entry of the times of fork lift devices for lifting and carrying the container.

Fork Lift Truck

A three or four wheeled mechanical truck with forks at the from designed for lifting, carrying and stowing cargo.

Fork Pockets

Openings or recesses in a side of a container for the entry of the forks of a fork lift truck. Synonym: Fork Lift Pockets.

Formula of Camp

A mathematical formula on behalf of inventory management for calculating the optimum order quantity.

Forty Foot Equivalent Unit

Abbreviation: F.E.U.

Unit of measurement equivalent to one forty foot shipping container.

Forward

At, near or towards the bow or front of a vessel or an aircraft.

Forwarder

The party arranging the carriage of goods including connected services and/or associated formalities on behalf of a shipper or consignee. Synonym: Freight Forwarder.

Forwarding Charge

Charges paid or to be paid for preliminary surface or air transport to the airport of departure by a forwarder, but not by carrier under an Air Waybill (aircargo).

Forwarding Instruction

Document issued to a freight forwarder, giving instructions to the forwarder for the forwarding of goods described therin.

Four Way Pallet

A pallet of which the frame permits the entry of forks of e.g. a fork lift truck at all four sides.

Fragile

Easily breakable. Term denoting that goods should be handled with care.

Framework

The tank mountings, end structure and all loadbearing elements not present for the purposes of containing cargo, which transmit static and dynamic forces arising out of the lifting, handling, securement and transporting of the tank container as a whole.

Franc Poincaré

Unit of value in which the limitation of the carrier's liability is sometimes expressed. One franc poincaré consists of 65 1/2 miligram of gold with a fineness of nine hundred thousands.

Franchise

Amount of the insured value which in case of damage will have to be borne by the assured.

Free Airport

See Free Trade Zone.

Free Alongside Ship (...named port of shipment)

Abbreviation F.A.S.

The seller is responsible for placing the goods alongside the ship on the quay or in lighters at the named port of shipment. From this moment the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss of or damage to the goods. (The buyer clears the goods for export).

Free Carrier (...named place)

Abbreviation: F.C.A.

The seller is responsible for delivering the goods into the custody of the carrier, named by the buyer at the named point or place. From that moment, the risk of loss of or damage to the goods is transferred from the seller to the buyer.

Free In and Out

Abbreviation: F.I.O.

Transport condition denoting that the freight rate excludes the costs of loading and discharging and if appropriate, stowage and lashing.

Free In Liner Out

Abbreviation: F.I.L.O.

Transport condition denoting that the freight rate is inclusive of the sea carriage and the cost of discharging, the latter as per the custom of the port. It excludes the cost of loading and, if appropriate, stowage and lashing.

Free Lift

The maximum elevation of the forks of a fork lift truck.

Free on Board(...named port of shipment)

Abbreviation: F.O.B.

The seller is responsible for placing the goods on board a ship at a port of shipment named in the contract. The risk of loss of or damage to the goods is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail.

Free Port

See Free Trade Zone.

Free Pratique

Permission granted by local medical authorities, denoting that the vessel has a clean Bill of Health so that people may embark and disembark.

Free Trade Zone

Abbreviation: F.T.Z.

A part of the territory of a state where any goods introduced are generally regarded, in so far as import duties and taxed are concerned, as being exempted (Kyoto Convention). Synonym: Free Port, Free Airport.

Freeboard of a Vessel

Vertical distance from the main deck to the surface of the water measured at the middle of the vessel's length.

Freight

The amount of money due for the carriage of goods an payable either in advance or upon delivery.

Freight All Kinds

Abbreviation: F.A.K.

Single freight which is charged irrespective of the commodity.

Freight Collect

Freight and charges to be paid by the consignee.

Freight Container

Article of transport equipment
a) of a permanent character and accordingly strong enough to be suitable for repeated use.
b) specially designed to facilitate the carriage of goods by one or more modes of transport, without intermediate reloading.
c) fitted with devices permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode of transport to another.
d) so designed as to be easy to fill and empty.
e) having an internal volume of 1m3 (35,3 ft3) or more.
The term freight container includes neither vehicles nor conventional packing.
See I.S.O. Freight Container.

Freight Container Terminology

ISO 668, series 1 freight containers - Classification, external dimensions and rating.
ISO 1496, series 1 freight containers - Specification and testing.
Part 1: General Cargo containers
Part 2: Thermal containers
Part 3: Tank containers for liquids and gases
Part 5: Platform (container)
Part 6a: Platform based container with incomplete superstructure and fixed ends.
Part 6c: Platform based container with complete superstructure.
ISO 1894, General purpose series 1 freight containers - minimum internal dimensions.
ISO 6346, Freight containers - Coding, identification and marking.