Cubic Foot 1,728 cubic inches. A volume contained in a space measuring one foot high, one foot wide and one foot long. A government office where duties are paid, import documents filed, etc., on foreign shipments. Customs Government agency charged with enforcing the rules passed to protect the country's import and export revenues. A warehouse authorized by Customs to receive duty-free merchandise.
All countries require that the importer make a declaration on incoming foreign goods.
The importer then normally pays a duty on the imported merchandise. The importer's statement is compared against the carrier's vessel manifest to ensure that all foreign goods are properly declared. A phrase often included in charter parties and freight contracts referring to local rules and practices which may impact upon the costs borne by the various parties. The latest time cargo may be delivered to a terminal for loading to a scheduled train or ship. The terms in this glossary have been carefully selected from the myriad of terms one can encounter in the shipping business.