The Alibaba.com Team

Inland Haulage Charges (IHC) are land transportation costs for goods to/from ports and vary depending on the type and weight of the goods.

Intermodal shipping is moving goods using different transport modes and carriers with standardized containers for efficiency.

Multimodal shipping is the seamless coordination of shipment through varied methods under one contract. It may use different types of containers.

Customs Brokers are licensed experts who speed up customs clearance, ensure compliance and handle documents for international trade.

Tare weight is the recognized weight of an empty container, essential for accurately determining cargo weight in logistics & ensuring correct billing.

USMCA is a trade agreement between the US, Mexico, & Canada that replaces NAFTA and adapts trade rules to the current and future economic challenges.

Palletizations refer to the ways to arrange and secure goods on flat structures for easy, safe handling, storage, and transport, to protect the cargo.

Reefer is a refrigerated container or ship with climate control for perishable cargo transport.

A Letter of Credit (LC) is a banking tool designed to assure payment to the seller upon meeting specified terms to minimize any transaction risks.

A Power of Attorney (POA) authorizes a third party to handle primarily customs matters for importers or exporters. POA requirements vary by country.

A Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI) is an exporter’s directive to a forwarder or carrier on how & where to ship a shipment, essential for U.S. exports.

A commercial invoice is a document that details goods, participants, pricing, and other data elements required by Customs for global trade.

Congestion surcharge is a fee imposed by carriers on shipments via congested ports to cover extra operational costs & manage logistical challenges.

Customs clearance is a mandatory process for global shipments that involves cargo inspection, proper paperwork and cargo loading.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC ) oversees & regulates U.S. global ocean commerce to safeguard the shipping public from unfair competition.