Glossary of transport law
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Your specialist lawyer in transport law

As specialist lawyers in transport law with years of experience, we are at your side to competently assist you with all legal matters relating to the transport sector. Transport law is extremely diverse and encompasses numerous legal aspects that affect both national and international transport operations. We offer comprehensive advice and representation in the areas of forwarding, freight law, freight transport, logistics, and all related liability issues. Rely on our expertise to resolve your legal challenges professionally and effectively.

We are active for you in the following areas:

1. General terms of logistics and transport law

1. Sender – The person or company that places the transport order.

2. Delivery – The handover of the goods to the recipient.

3. Proof of delivery – documentation of the proper delivery of the transported goods.

4. General Terms and Conditions (GTC) – Pre-formulated contractual terms for a variety of contracts.

5. Client – The person who commissions the freight forwarder or carrier.

6. Delivery – Synonym for delivery.

7. Notification – advance notice of delivery to the recipient.

8. Carriage – transport of goods from A to B.

9. Contract of carriage – contract for the carriage of goods for remuneration.

10. Blockchain in logistics – digitalization and security of logistics processes through blockchain technology.

11. CKD (Completely Knocked Down) – Delivery of a product disassembled for assembly at the destination.

12. Disposition – planning and control of transport operations.

13. EDI – Electronic Data Interchange; electronic data exchange.

14. Dangerous goods – substances and objects that may cause danger during transport.

15. Transfer of risk – the point in time at which the risk in the goods is transferred.

16. Liability – Legal responsibility for damages or losses.

17. Disclaimer – Agreed exclusion of liability.

18. Limitation of Liability – Limitation of the amount of liability.

19. Internal relationship – relationship between sender and carrier.

20. Just-in-time – delivery exactly when needed.

21. Consolidation – bundling multiple shipments into one load.

22. Contract logistics – long-term logistics cooperation.

23. Storage contract – contract for the storage of goods.

24. Logistics – the totality of all measures for the movement of goods.

25. Logistics Terms and Conditions – General terms and conditions for logistics contracts.

26. Logistics contract – contract for logistics services.

27. Outsourcing – outsourcing of logistics services.

28. Pallet handling – organization of the use and return of pallets.

29. Pallet exchange – return of a pallet upon delivery.

30. Damage notification – Reporting of damage to the transported goods.

31. Damages – compensation for transport damage.

32. Duty to mitigate damages – duty to keep damages as low as possible.

33. Supply Chain – Supply chain.

34. Supply Chain Management – Coordination of the supply chain.

35. TMS – Transportation Management System.

36. Tracking – Tracking the transport.

37. Transport damage – damage to the goods during transport.

38. Transport insurance – insurance against transport damage.

39. Transport contract – contract for a transport service.

40. Freedom of contract – freedom to draw up contracts.

41. 4PL – Fourth Party Logistics Provider; an integrated logistics service provider without its own assets.

42. Diesel floater – agreement to automatically adjust transport prices to fluctuations in diesel prices.

2. Road freight transport

43. ADSp – General German Freight Forwarders’ Terms and Conditions; General terms and conditions for freight forwarders.

44. Delivery – The delivery of the goods to the recipient.

45. Refusal of acceptance – refusal of the recipient to accept the transported goods.

46. Loading – The process of loading a means of transport.

47. Loading obligation – obligation to load by a contracting party.

48. Cabotage – Domestic transport by foreign carriers.

49. CMR – Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road.

50. Cut-off time – Latest time for delivery for shipment.

51. Recipient – The party receiving the goods.

52. Unloading – The process of unloading a means of transport.

53. Duty to unload – obligation to unload by a contracting party.

54. Driver card – Personal chip card for recording driving and rest times.

55. Freight – payment for the transport of goods.

56. Bill of lading – transport document that documents the carriage.

57. Carrier – the entrepreneur who undertakes the transport.

58. Dangerous goods class – classification of dangerous goods according to hazard potential.

59. Dangerous Goods Ordinance – legal standards for the transport of dangerous goods.

60. GPS tracking – location of vehicles and goods via satellite.

61. CEP services – courier, express and parcel services.

62. LTL – Less Than Truck Load; Partial load.

63. Truck toll – fee for the use of trucks on public roads.

64. Commercial vehicle – vehicle used for the commercial transport of goods.

65. Tarpaulin trailer – truck trailer with tarpaulin.

66. Groupage – Multiple shipments on one means of transport.

67. Damage ratio – proportion of the damage to the total goods.

68. Freight forwarding – organization of transport by freight forwarders.

69. Freight forwarding contract – contract for freight forwarding services.

70. Demurrage – payment for waiting time during loading or unloading.

71. Road freight transport – transport of goods by truck.

72. General cargo – individually packaged goods.

73. Partial load – load that does not fill an entire truck.

74. Time delivery – delivery on a specific date.

75. Removals – transport of household goods.

76. Dispatch – dispatch of goods.

77. Package – Individual unit in shipment.

78. Consignor – sender of the goods.

79. Delivery – handing over the goods to the recipient.

80. Proof of delivery – documentation of delivery.

81. Delivery time window – Scheduled time for delivery.

3. Rail freight transport

82. Rail transport – transport of goods by rail.

83. Wagon – railway car for freight transport.

84. Rail network – infrastructure for rail freight transport.

85. Railway undertakings – providers of freight transport by rail.

4. Inland waterway transport and sea freight

86. Inland waterway transport – transport of goods on inland waterways.

87. Charter contract – contract for the provision of a means of transport.

88. Container – Standardised transport containers for multimodal transport.

89. Container handling – transfer of a container from one mode of transport to another.

90. Demurrage – demurrage for exceeded loading/unloading time on container ships.

91. Detention – Fee for late return of containers.

92. Bill of lading – sea waybill as security.

93. Manifest – cargo list for sea transport.

94. Maritime security – protection of ships and cargo from threats.

95. Bulk cargo – Homogeneous goods that are transported in bulk.

96. Seaport forwarder – forwarding agent for sea transport.

97. Sea freight – transport of goods by sea.

98. Maritime law – law of sea transport contracts.

99. Overseas transport – transport between continents.

5. Air freight

100. Air freight – transport of goods by aircraft.

101. Air Waybill (AWB) – document for the carriage of cargo by air.

102. IATA – International Air Transport Association.

103. Security check – screening of air cargo for hazardous materials.

6. Multimodal transport and transshipment

104. Cross-docking – reloading of goods without intermediate storage.

105. Multimodal transport – transport using several modes of transport.

106. Modal split – distribution of freight transport between modes of transport.

107. Positioning – Localization of the means of transport.

108. Return cargo – return transport of goods.

109. Return – Return of transported goods.

110. T1 document – transit document in the EU customs procedure.

111. Handover point – place where responsibility is transferred.

112. Overhang – Overhanging load.

113. Transhipment – transfer of goods to another means of transport.

114. Transhipment – reloading of goods.

115. Transfer point – place of transfer.

116. Turnaround times – times between loading and unloading points.

117. Loading – The loading of a means of transport.

118. Transport manager – person responsible for commercial road haulage.

119. Mode of transport – means of transport (road, rail, sea, air).

7. Documentation and customs

120. ECMT authorisation – authorisation for cross-border road transport.

121. Customs Clearance – Customs clearance.

122. DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) – Delivery free of charge, including all costs and duties.

123. Certificate of arrival – proof of delivery within the EU.

124. Warehouse receipt – document confirming the storage of goods.

125. Delivery note – document confirming delivery.

126. Receipt – confirmation of receipt.

127. Customs clearance – processing of customs regulations.

128. Customs duty – tax levied on the import of goods.

129. Customs agent – service provider for handling customs formalities.

130. Customs tariff – classification for calculating customs duties.

8. Other special terms and technology

131. DGR – Dangerous Goods Regulations; rules for the transport of dangerous goods.

132. Validity period – the period during which a contract or document is valid.

133. Lifting platform – loading equipment for heavy goods.

134. Average – accident involving a means of transport.

135. Cold chain – Uninterrupted cooling during transport and storage.

136. Loading meter – unit of measurement for the loading area of a truck.

137. Load securing – measures to prevent goods from slipping.

138. Truck-mounted forklift – Portable forklift.

139. Special Drawing Rights – monetary unit for limiting liability.

140. Tariff – Price structure for transport services.

141. Shipping logistics – organization of shipping processes.

142. Shipping center – facility for handling shipping.