Why this site exists
If you've ever Googled "what is a HAWB" or "how is demurrage calculated UK", you'll know the results are usually one of three things: a marketing page from a freight forwarder trying to sell you a quote, a thin auto-generated definition that doesn't tell you what actually happens in practice, or a US-centric page that ignores HMRC, CDS, and the post-Brexit reality.
FreightTerms.co.uk is a free reference written by someone who has spent 32 years working in UK and international freight forwarding — across airfreight, sea freight, road, customs, and export documentation. Every definition on this site has been checked against real-world practice: how the document actually flows, who actually pays the charge, and which mistakes I have personally watched UK importers and exporters make.
Background & experience
32 years in international freight
The content on this site is written from more than three decades of hands-on experience in UK and international freight forwarding — across operational, commercial, customs, and trade documentation roles. That experience spans multiple modes, multiple trade lanes, and the major regulatory transitions UK freight has gone through (the CHIEF era, the CDS migration, Brexit, IATA dangerous goods regulation updates, and the evolution of Incoterms from 1990 through to 2020).
- End-to-end UK airfreight, sea freight, and road freight operations — imports and exports, FCL and LCL, consolidations and full charters
- UK customs declarations and clearance via the legacy CHIEF system and the current Customs Declaration Service (CDS)
- Export documentation across multiple trade lanes — commercial invoices, packing lists, EUR1 / origin certifications, dangerous goods declarations, certificates of free sale, legalisation and apostille
- Hands-on management of Master and House Air Waybill structures, sea freight Bills of Lading (original, sea waybill, telex release, switch), and CMR road consignment notes
- IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations — lithium batteries, perfumes, aerosols, dry ice, CAO restrictions
- Incoterms application in real contracts — FOB and CIF in Far East trade, EXW pitfalls, FCA and CIP for containerised cargo, DDP risk management
Africa trade lane specialism
A significant chunk of this experience has been built on West and Southern Africa trade lanes — among the most operationally demanding routes in international freight. African trade exposes you fast to the realities of port congestion, multi-modal coordination, documentary letter-of-credit trade, complex customs regimes, and the tight relationship between origin paperwork and destination clearance success.
- West Africa lanes — Nigeria (Lagos, Apapa, Tin Can Island), Ghana (Tema), Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon — both inbound to the UK and outbound from the UK
- Southern Africa — South Africa (Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg), Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe — with first-hand experience of intra-African road movements and SADC trade procedures
- Letter of credit (LC) and documentary collection trades — the document discipline these regions demand
- Project cargo, breakbulk, and out-of-gauge shipments into and out of African ports
- Pre-shipment inspection (PSI) regimes and destination inspection requirements specific to African destinations
UK importer & exporter experience
The other half of the experience base is UK-side: working with UK SME importers and exporters across consumer goods, industrial equipment, automotive parts, perishables, and project cargo. This is the experience that grounds the site's UK focus — content is written with the practical realities of HMRC, CDS, EORI, PVA, duty deferment, AEO, and the post-Brexit operating environment baked in.
Editorial standards
How content is written and reviewed
Every page on this site is written from operational knowledge first, then cross-checked against current authoritative sources — HMRC guidance, IATA publications, the ICC Incoterms 2020 rules, and the UK Trade Tariff. Where there is industry-specific nuance (for example, the difference between what an airline says about FSC and what a forwarder will actually charge), the practical reality is what gets documented.
- Plain English. No regulatory jargon left undefined. If a term needs another term to explain it, that other term is also defined and linked
- UK-specific. This is a UK reference. References are to HMRC, CDS, EORI, UK VAT and the UK Global Tariff — not to US Customs and Border Protection
- Up to date. Content is reviewed when material changes happen — for example, the CHIEF→CDS migration, Incoterms revisions, or HMRC scheme changes
- Independent. This site does not sell freight. Definitions are not slanted toward any forwarder, airline, or shipping line
- Reviewed. Every page carries a "last reviewed" approach — major pages are revisited at least annually and after any HMRC, IATA, or ICC publication that affects the content
Who publishes this site
A note on monetisation & advice
FreightTerms.co.uk is intended to remain free for SME importers, exporters, and supply chain teams. Advertising is not currently active while the site is being reviewed. We do not run paid-for definitions, sponsored entries, or affiliate links, and commercial relationships do not decide what a page says.
The content on this site is intended as a reference for general understanding. It is not legal, tax, or professional advice. Customs valuation, duty classification, and Incoterms selection have specific commercial and legal consequences for your business. For decisions of any consequence, consult a qualified customs broker, freight forwarder, or your accountant. Use this site to understand the terminology and the principles — then apply them with the right professional input.