Glossary of Terms - S

SITPRO

National organisation for the Simplification of International Trade Procedures in the United Kingdom (e.g. in The Netherlands SITPRO is called 'Sitproneth', in France 'Simprofrance' and in Japan 'Jastpro').

Said to Contain (STC)

Term in a Bill of Lading signifying that the master and the carrier are unaware of the nature or quantity of the contents of e.g. a carton, crate, container or bundle and are relying on the description furnished by the shipper.

Seal

A device used for containers, lockers, trucks or lorries to prove to relevant parties that they have remained closed during transport.

Seal Log

A document used to record seal numbers.

Semi Trailer

A vehicle without motive power and with one or more axles designed to be drawn by a truck tractor and constructed in such way that a portion of its weight and that of its load rest upon e.g. the fifth wheel of the towing vehicle.

Shed

See Warehouse

Ship Broker

Acts as intermediary between shipowners or carriers by sea on the one hand and cargo interests on the other.

Ship Operator

A ship operator is either the shipowner or the (legal) person responsible for the actual management of the vessel and its crew.

Ship's Protest

Statement of the master of a vessel before (in the presence of) competent authorities, concerning exceptional events which occurred during a voyage.

Shipper

The merchant (person) by whom, in whose name or on whose behalf a contract of carriage of goods has been concluded with a carrier or any party by whom, in whose name or on whose behalf the goods are actually delivered to the carrier in relation to the contract of carriage.

Shipper's Export Declaration (SED)

A United States customs form to be completed for all exports to assist the government in compiling export statistics.

Shipping Note

Document provided by the shipper or the agent to the carrier, multimodal transport operator, terminal or other receiving authority, giving information about export consignments offered for transport, and providing for the necessary receipts and declarations of liability.

Shipping Marks

The identification shown on individual packages in order to help in moving it without delay or confusion to its final destination and to enable the checking of cargo against documents.

Shuttle Service

The carriage back and forth over an often short route between two points.

Single Administrative Document (SAD)

A set of documents, replacing the various (national) forms for customs declaration within the European Union (EU), implemented on January 1st, 1988. The introduction of the SAD constitutes an intermediate stage in the abolition of all administrative documentation in intra European Union trade in goods between member states.

Skeleton Trailer

Road trailer consisting of a frame and wheels specially designed to carry containers.

See Chassis

Skids

Battens fitted underneath frames, boxes or packages to raise them off the floor and allow easy access for fork lift trucks, slings or other handling equipment.

Sliding Tandem

An undercarriage with a subframe having provision for convenient fore and aft adjustment of its position on the chassis/semi-trailer. The purpose being to be able to shift part of the load to either the king pin or the suspension to maximise legally permitted axle loads (road cargo).

Sling

Special chain, wire rope, synthetic fibre strap or ropes used for cargo handling purposes.

Slip Sheeting

Hard plastic sheeting used to stack cartons, optimising container space.

Slot

The space on board a vessel, required by one TEU, mainly used for administrative purposes.

Slot Charter

A voyage charter whereby the shipowner agrees to place a certain number of container slots (TEU and/or FEU) at the charterer's disposal.

Space Charter

A voyage charter whereby the shipowner agrees to place part of the vessels capacity at the charterers disposal.

Split Shipment

In case of indirect delivery through consolidation and if split shipment conditions occur then each split part of the shipment will be delivered in a different consignment but all consignments identified by the same unique original shipment id.

Spreader

Device used for lifting containers and unitised cargo.
Beam or frame that holds the slings vertical when hoisting a load, to prevent damage to cargo.

Stowage

The placing and securing of cargo or containers on board a vessel or an aircraft or of cargo in a container.

Stowage Factor

Ratio of a cargo's cubic measurement to its weight, expressed in cubic feet to the ton or cubic metres to the tonne, used to determine the total quantity of cargo which can be loaded in a certain space.

Stowage Plan

A plan indicating the locations on the vessel of all the consignments for the benefit of stevedores and vessel's officers.

Straddle Carrier

Wheeled vehicle designed to lift and carry containers within its own framework. It is used for moving, and sometimes stacking, containers at a container terminal.

Straddle Crane

A crane usually running on rails and spanning an open area such as rail-tracks or roadways.

Stripping

The unloading of cargo out of a container.

Stuffing

The loading of cargo into a container.

Swop Body

Separate unit without wheels to carry cargo via road sometimes equipped with legs to be used to carry cargo intermodal within Europe.
The advantage being that this unit can be left behind to load or discharge whilst the driver with the truck/chassis can change to another unit.

These units are not used for sea transport.