European Freight & Logistics Glossary

Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par Route. The international agreement governing road transport of dangerous goods in Europe. Shipments require special placards, packaging, and driver certification.

Pre-notification of cargo details submitted to customs authorities before a shipment arrives at the border or port. Required for non-EU imports and exports. Also called Entry Summary Declaration (ENS).

The air freight equivalent of a bill of lading. Non-negotiable transport document issued by an airline or air freight forwarder. Not relevant for road transport, but often referenced when comparing modes.

The weight borne by each axle of a vehicle. European regulations typically limit standard vehicles to 11.5 tonnes per driven axle and 10 tonnes per non-driven axle. Exceeding limits requires a special permit.

Document issued by a carrier acknowledging receipt of cargo for shipment. Functions as a receipt, contract of carriage, and document of title. For road transport, the equivalent is the CMR consignment note.

General cargo that is not containerised or unitised — loaded and unloaded individually. Examples include machinery, steel coils, timber, and bags. Requires more handling than palletised freight.

Cargo loaded directly into a ship's hold or vehicle without packaging — typically liquids, grains, or minerals. Not relevant for standard LTL groupage but sometimes confused with break-bulk.

The right to carry goods between two points within the same country by a foreign transport company. EU cabotage rules allow non-resident carriers to perform up to 3 operations within 7 days of an international delivery.

Insurance covering loss or damage to goods during transport. Standard CMR liability is limited to 8.33 SDR/kg. Full cargo insurance provides replacement value coverage and is strongly recommended for high-value shipments.

Convention relative au contrat de transport international de Marchandises par Route. The international treaty governing road freight contracts in Europe. The CMR consignment note is the standard transport document for all European road freight.

The standard transport document for road freight in Europe under the CMR convention. Must include shipper and consignee details, goods description, weight, number of packages, and carrier details. Issued in at least 3 originals.

Combining multiple smaller shipments from different customers into a single trailer to achieve a full load. The basis of LTL groupage services. Reduces per-unit shipping cost at the expense of slightly longer transit times.

Standardised intermodal box (typically 20' TEU or 40' FEU) used for sea, rail, and road transport. Not the same as a trailer — containers are lifted onto truck chassis for road movement.

A logistics operation where goods arriving at a hub are immediately sorted and transferred to outbound vehicles with minimal storage time. Key process in groupage operations — cargo from multiple origins is cross-docked at a hub before onward departure.

The administrative process of declaring goods to customs authorities, paying applicable duties, and obtaining release for import/export. Required for non-EU countries (UK, Switzerland, Turkey). Not needed for intra-EU movements.

Delivered At Place — Incoterm where the seller delivers goods at a named destination, bearing all risk until arrival. The seller does not clear customs or unload at destination. Common for international B2B deliveries.

Delivered Duty Paid — Incoterm where the seller assumes all responsibility including import customs clearance and duties. Maximum seller obligation. Often used by e-commerce sellers to offer duty-inclusive pricing.

A charge for detaining a vehicle, container, or trailer beyond the agreed free time. In road freight, typically €25–80/hour after a waiting time allowance (usually 30–60 min). Also called detention fee.

Short-distance road transport — typically moving containers between a port and a nearby warehouse or rail terminal. Also used for last-mile movement of freight in urban areas.

Electronic CMR — the digital version of the CMR consignment note, legally valid under the eCMR protocol (Additional Protocol to the CMR). Reduces paperwork and allows real-time access to transport documents.

Estimated Time of Arrival. The expected date and time when a shipment will reach its destination. In road freight, ETAs are provided at booking and updated during transit based on driver position.

Standardised European pallet measuring 120 × 80 cm (also called EPAL or EUR 1 pallet). The most common pallet type in European logistics. One EUR pallet occupies 0.4 LDM and carries up to 750 kg.

Ex Works — Incoterm where the buyer collects goods from the seller's premises and assumes all subsequent risk and cost. Minimum seller obligation. Common for domestic sales or when the buyer has their own transport.

Free Carrier — Incoterm where the seller delivers goods to a named carrier at a specified location. Risk transfers when the carrier takes custody. Often used for air and road freight.

Full Container Load — a shipping arrangement where the entire container is used by one shipper. The road/LTL equivalent is FTL (Full Truck Load).

An intermediary that arranges transport on behalf of shippers. Freight forwarders do not own vehicles — they broker capacity from carriers. They handle documentation, customs, and logistics coordination.

Full Truck Load — a shipment that occupies an entire trailer (13.6 LDM, up to 24 tonnes). The shipper pays for the whole truck regardless of actual fill. Provides faster, direct service versus groupage.

An additional charge applied to freight rates to account for diesel fuel costs. Typically expressed as a percentage of the base rate (15–28% in 2025). Reviewed monthly and linked to published diesel indices (ACER, OECD).

A European term for LTL consolidation — combining multiple shippers' cargo into a single trailer. Also called "Sammelgut" (DE), "grupaje" (ES), or "groupage" (FR/IT). You pay per LDM rather than per truck.

Gross Vehicle Weight — the maximum total weight of a vehicle including load. Standard European limit: 40 tonnes on 5-axle combination (44 tonnes when carrying ISO containers). Exceeding GVW requires a permit.

Any discrete piece of cargo — a pallet, box, crate, or parcel — treated as a single item for handling and documentation purposes. The CMR consignment note lists goods by handling unit.

Cargo classified as dangerous under ADR regulations. Includes flammable liquids (Class 3), toxic substances (Class 6.1), corrosives (Class 8), and others. Requires special vehicles, packaging, labelling, and driver ADR certification.

A logistics facility where freight is sorted and redistributed. In groupage networks, a hub receives consolidated loads, cross-docks cargo, and dispatches outbound trucks. Key hubs on the Spain–Europe corridor: Irun, Lyon, Milan, Frankfurt.

International Commercial Terms published by the ICC. Standardised 3-letter codes (EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU, DDP, FAS, FOB, CFR, CIF) defining the split of risk, cost, and responsibility between buyer and seller.

A pallet measuring 120 × 100 cm. Larger than the EUR pallet (120 × 80 cm). Occupies 0.5 LDM and carries up to 1,000 kg. Common in Germany, Netherlands, and UK. Also called ISO pallet in some markets.

Document proving cargo insurance coverage for a specific shipment. Required by some buyers/Incoterms. Standard CMR liability is limited and does not replace full cargo insurance.

Less than Container Load — ocean freight equivalent of LTL. Multiple shippers share a container. The road equivalent is groupage/LTL.

Loading Meter (also: Ladungsmeter, Lademetre). The unit of trailer floor space your cargo occupies. Formula: (length_m × width_m × quantity) ÷ 2.4. A standard trailer = 13.6 LDM. One EUR pallet = 0.4 LDM. The primary pricing unit for European LTL freight.

Less than Truck Load — a freight arrangement where your shipment does not fill an entire trailer. You pay only for the loading meters used. Typically priced per LDM in Europe. Suitable for 0.1–13.5 LDM shipments.

The total time from order placement to delivery. In road freight, lead time includes pickup scheduling, consolidation at origin hub, transit, and delivery. Groupage adds 0.5–1 day for consolidation versus direct FTL.

A list of all cargo on a vehicle or at a hub at a given time. In groupage, the manifest lists all consignments in the truck by customer, weight, and LDM. Also refers to the pre-departure cargo declaration for customs.

Freight moved using two or more transport modes (e.g., road + rail or road + sea) under a single transport contract. Common for long-haul EU corridors where road and rail are combined for part of the journey.

The weight of goods excluding packaging. Distinguished from gross weight (goods + packaging) and tare weight (vehicle weight). Net weight is used for customs declarations and invoice valuation.

Order Management System — software tracking customer orders from placement to delivery. Integrated with TMS and WMS for end-to-end visibility. Often the trigger for automatic freight booking in e-commerce workflows.

Cargo exceeding standard trailer dimensions (width >2.5m, height >4.0m, or length >13.6m). Requires a special transport permit, escort vehicles, and prior approval from road authorities in each transit country.

Synonymous with LTL or groupage — a shipment that does not fill the entire trailer. In Spanish: "carga parcial" or "grupaje". In German: "Teilladung" or "Sammelgut".

The maximum weight of cargo a vehicle can legally carry. Calculated as GVW minus tare weight. A standard 13.6 LDM curtainsider has a typical payload of 24,000–25,000 kg.

Warehouse operation where individual items are selected from storage and packaged for shipping. Common in e-commerce fulfilment. Packaged orders then move as pallet freight via LTL or parcel carriers.

Proof of Delivery — documentation confirming the consignee received the shipment. In road freight: the signed CMR consignment note or a digital delivery confirmation with timestamp and recipient signature.

Pre-Registration Number. Some European countries require pre-registration of road transport vehicles before border crossing (e.g., Romania's e-transport system). Non-compliance risks fines.

A formal offer of transport services at a specified price, for a defined route and cargo. In road freight, quotes typically expire after 24–72 hours due to fuel and capacity fluctuations. Valid upon acceptance by the shipper.

A refrigerated or temperature-controlled vehicle. Reefer trailers maintain 2–8°C (pharmaceutical cold chain), −18°C to −25°C (frozen food), or 12–18°C (exotic fruit/vegetables). Premium over ambient transport: +30–60%.

Request for Quotation — a formal request from a shipper to carriers or forwarders to submit pricing for specific lanes. Used in tender processes and spot procurement.

A freight rate quoted and valid for a single, one-time shipment at current market conditions. Opposed to contract rates agreed for a period. Spot rates are more volatile and reflect real-time supply/demand in the transport market.

Special Drawing Right — IMF accounting unit used to express CMR liability limits. Under CMR, carrier liability is limited to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight. As of early 2026, 1 SDR ≈ €1.28.

Cargo that can be loaded on top of other cargo in the trailer. Stackable goods allow double-decking, which can halve the LDM requirement. Shippers must declare stackability — false declaration invalidates insurance.

An additional charge on top of the base freight rate. Common surcharges: fuel (FSC), low-season/peak season, ADR, overweight, tail-lift, appointment delivery, and island deliveries.

External Transit Document (T1 or T-1) used to move non-EU goods through EU territory without paying import duties until the final destination. Required for goods from (and transiting through) non-EU countries.

Transport International Routier — international customs document allowing trucks to cross multiple borders without customs inspection at each country. Used for non-EU transit countries (e.g., Serbia, Turkey, Morocco).

Transport Management System — software used by carriers and logistics companies to plan, execute, and optimise freight movements. Includes route planning, driver dispatch, document management, and billing.

The number of working days from pickup to delivery. In European LTL: France 2–3 days, Germany 3–4 days, Poland 4–5 days from Spain. Note: transit time ≠ lead time (which includes admin and pickup scheduling).

The cargo-carrying unit towed by a truck tractor. Standard European curtainsider (tarpaulin) trailer: 13.6 m length × 2.48 m width × 2.75 m interior height, 13.6 LDM capacity, ~24 t payload.

Additional charge when the carrier must wait for unloading beyond the included free time (typically 30–60 minutes). Also charged for manual unloading when forklift access is unavailable.

A container or pallet used in air cargo. Not applicable to road freight but sometimes referenced in multimodal shipments that include an air segment.

A calculated weight used for pricing when cargo is bulky but light. Formula: (L cm × W cm × H cm) ÷ 5,000 (parcel carriers). In road LTL priced by LDM, volumetric weight is less relevant — you pay for floor space, not volume.

Generic term for a transport document accompanying a shipment. In road freight: CMR consignment note. In air: Air Waybill (AWB). Note: waybills are typically non-negotiable (unlike some bills of lading).

The maximum total weight allowed per LDM or per shipment. In European LTL, the weight-to-LDM allowance is typically 1,750 kg/LDM. Above this, a weight surcharge applies. Total payload limit: ~24,000 kg per truck.

Abbreviation for cross-docking. A facility or operation where inbound freight is sorted and immediately transferred to outbound vehicles. Minimises storage and reduces handling damage in groupage networks.

A minimum charge applied to very short-distance deliveries (typically under 50–100 km). Compensates carriers for fixed costs (loading/unloading time, documentation) that cannot be recovered over a short distance.