Q

Qualifier
A data element whose value shall be expressed as a code that gives specific meaning to the function of another data element or a segment.

Quality (ISO8402)
The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.
Note: The ISO9000 standards on quality management and quality assurance consists of 4 standards: 9000 guidelines for selection and use, 9001 model for quality assurance in design/development 9002 model for quality assurance in production and installation, 9003 model for quality assurance in final inspection and test, and 9004 guidelines for quality management and quality system elements, part 2 are guidelines for services.

Quality Assurance (ISO8402)
All those planned and systematic actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements for quality.

Quality Control (ISO8402)
The operational techniques and activities that are used to fulfill requirements for quality.

Quantity Charge
The unit rate which is lower than the normal rate and applies to shipments meeting specific weight requirements (aircargo).

Quantity Discount
A proportional reduction of a rate based on quantity (aircargo).

Quarantine
The period during which an arriving vessel, including its equipment, cargo, crew or passengers, suspected to carry or carrying a contagious disease is detained in strict isolation to prevent the spread of such a disease.

Quay
That part of a wharf which is intended for the mooring of vessels.
Synonym: pier.

Queue
A stored arrangement of computer data, programs or messages, waiting to be processed in the order in which they were submitted.

Quoin
Timber wedge used to secure drums against movement.

Quotas
A system of controlling imports, exports or production by specifying a certain limitation.

Quotation
Amount stated as the price according to tariff for certain services to be provided or issued to a customer with specification on conditions for carriage.

Quotation expiration date
The date as from which a quotation price is no longer valid.

Quota Restrictions
Restraints upon trade which limit the volume of exports into a country, abolished within the EC by 1968, and removed in many of the international agreements to which the EC is party.

R

Rail Car
A wheeled wagon used for the carriage of cargo by rail.

Rail Consignment Note
A document evidencing a contract for the transport of goods by rail.

Ramp
An artificial inclined path, road or track along which wheeled vehicles, cargo and trailers may pass for the purpose of changing their elevation and facilitating the loading and unloading operation (e.g. an entrance way into a Roll-on Roll-off vessel).
For aircargo see Platform.

Rate
The price of a transport service.
Quantity, amount or degree measured or applied.
 

Rate of Calculation
A factor for the calculation of an amount.

Rate of Turn
The figure indicating the speed of a change of course of a means of transport expressed in degrees per minute.

Rating
A class to which an article is assigned.

Real-Time
The description for an operating system that responds to an external event within a short and predictable time frame. Unlike a batch or time-sharing operating system, a real-time operating system provides services or control to independent ongoing physical processes

Rebate
That part of a transport charge which the carrier agrees to return.

Receipt
A written acknowledgement, that something has been received.

Receiving Carrier
The carrier receiving a consignment on behalf of a carrier, agent or shipper for onward transport (aircargo).

Receiving Stock
The stock comprising all the goods that have arrived at the door of the receiving organization and which is not yet available in the stock of that organization.

Reconditioning
All activities connected with restoring and or adjusting the packaging of a product. In such manner that it can be presented to the customer in the requested form.

Reconditioning of Garments
The act or process of bringing garments after transport in shop's condition.

Redelivery
Return of a shipment to the party who originally delivered it to the carrier (aircargo).
Return of a charter vessel to the owners.

Reefer
Refrigerated trailer with insulated walls and a self-powered refrigeration unit. Most commonly used for transporting food.

Reefer Cargo
Cargo requiring temperature control.

Reefer Container
A thermal container with refrigerating appliances (mechanical compressor unit, absorption unit etc.) to control the temperature of cargo.

Reforwarding Charge
Charges paid or to be paid for subsequent surface or air transport from the airport of destination by a forwarder, but not by a carrier under the Air Waybill (aircargo).

Refund
The repayment to the purchaser of the total charge or a portion of that charge for unused carriage.

Region
Specified geographical area for operational purposes.

Register Ton
The unit of measurement for the internal capacity of a vessel whereby one register ton equals 100 cubic feet (2.83 cubic meter). The gross (bruto) tonnage comprises all spaces below the main (tonnage) deck and the enclosed spaces above the main (tonnage) deck less exempted spaces.
The net tonnage consists of the gross tonnage less exemptions like ballast tanks, engine room, living quarters etc. The register tonnages are mentioned on the tonnage certificate.

Regroupage
The process of splitting up shipments into various consignments (degroupage) and combining these small consignments into other shipments (groupage).

Re-invoicing
The procedure whereby goods shipped directly from a supplier to the customer are invoiced in two stages: at first by the supplier to an intermediary and subsequently by the intermediary to the customer.

Rejection
Non-acceptance of e.g. cargo.

Relay
Common practice in the less-than-truckload industry, in which one driver takes a truck for 8 to 10 hours, then turns the truck over to another driver, pony express style.

Reliability of Delivery
The reliability of a supplier concerning the agreed terms of delivery with regard to the quality, quantity, delivery time, conditions and price.

Replacement
Indicating that a subject is interchangeable with another subject, but which differs physically from the original subject in that the installation of the replacement subject requires extra machining or provisions in addition to the normal application and methods of attachment.

Replenishment
Completion of stock.

Request for Proposals (RFP)
Invitation to suppliers to bid on supplying products or services that are difficult to describe for a company or public agency.

Request for Quotation (RFQ)
Invitation to suppliers to bid on supplying easily described products or services needed by a company or public agency.

Reservation
Allotment in advance of space or weight capacity. Also referred to as 'booking'.

Reserve Inventory
See Safety Stock.

Responsible Carrier
The carrier liable under the terms of a consortium Bill of Lading.
Carrier responsible for the transport of goods as indicated in the transport document (aircargo).
Synonym: Principal Carrier.

Returns
Goods returned to their place of acceptance.

Revenue
Amounts of income stemming from the provision of transport services.

Reverse auctions
Buyers post their need for a product or service, then suppliers bid to fulfill that need. Unlike an auction, prices only move down. FreeMarkets (industrial parts, raw materials) uses reverse auctions as its primary market mechanism, serving large buyers. Since buyer power is key to reverse auctions, they work either for large enterprises or when practiced by intermediaries like KillerBiz andBizBuyer, which aggregate demand of many small buyers. Reverse auctions also are becoming common features of many Net markets.

Reverse Distribution
The collection of used, damaged, or outdated products and/or packaging from end-users.

Rinacertificate
Certificate issued by the Italian Government for carrying dangerous goods in Italian Waters.

Road Carrier
Party undertaking transport by road of goods from one point to another such as indicated in the contract.
Synonym: Haulier.

RoadRailer
Semitrailer specially designed to travel both on highway and on rails. Manufactured by Wabash Corp.

Road Vehicle
A means of transport capable and allowed to move over public roads and other landways.

Roll Trailer
Special trailer for terminal haulage and stowage on board of Roll-on Roll-off vessels.
Also referred to as Mafi Trailer.

Rolling Resistance
The total frictional force that a tyre, a set of tyres or all the tyres on a vehicle is developing with the road.

Roll-on Roll-off
Abbreviation: RoRo.
System of loading and discharging a vessel whereby the cargo is driven on and off by means of a ramp.

RoRo
See Roll-on Roll-off.

Rotation
Sequence in which a vessel calls at the ports on her itinerary.

Round Trip
A voyage, a journey etc. to a certain place, port or country and back again.

Route
The track along which goods are (to be) transported.

Routing
The determination of the most efficient route(s) that people, goods, materials and or means of transport have to follow.
The process of determining how a shipment will be moved between consignor and consignee or between place of acceptance by the carrier and place of delivery to the consignee.
The process of aiding a vessel's navigation by supplying long range weather forecasts and indicating the most economic and save sailing route.

Row
A vertical division of a vessel from starboard to portside, used as a part of the indication of a stowage place for containers. The numbers run from midships to both sides.