P&I Club

Protection and Indemnity Club

P.A.

Particular Average.

P.P.I.

Policy Proof of Interest (honor policy).

Package

1. Any physical piece of cargo in relation to transport consisting of the contents and its packing for the purpose of ease of handling by manual or mechanical means.
2. The final product of the packing operation consisting of the packing and its contents to facilitate manual or mechanical handling.

Packaging

Materials used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods and the activities of placing and securing goods in those materials.

Packing

Any container or other covering in which goods are packed.

Packing Instruction

Document issued within an enterprise giving instructions on how goods are to be packed.

Packing List

Document specifying the contents of each individual package.
Container Manifest

Packing Unit

Type of package where a standard quantity of products of a specific product type can be packed and that requires no additional packaging for storage and shipment.

PACOM

Panalpina’s inhouse communications system. Stands for Panalpina Communication.

Pallet

Low portable platform, usually wooden, on which cargo is stacked for storage or transportation; a skid.

Pallet Convertor

Superstructure which can be applied to a pallet to convert it into either a box or post pallet.

Pallet Rack

Skeleton framework, of fixed or adjustable design, to support a number of individual pallet loads.

Pallet Truck

Pedestrian- or rider-controlled non-stacking lift truck fitted with forks.

Panamax Size

Maximum measurements and dimensions of a vessel capable of passing the Panama Canal.

PanTrace

Panalpina’s global track and trace system which enables both Panalpina employees and customers to check the status of consignments.

Parcel

Package

Part-Participant

Neither a CASS Airline nor a billing participant, which advises the Settlement Office of amounts due to it from agents (air cargo).
CASS Airline

Participating Carrier

1. A carrier participating in a tariff and which therefore applies the rates, charges, routing and regulations of the tariff (air cargo). 2. A carrier over whose air routes one or more sections of carriage under the Air Waybill is undertaken or performed (air cargo).

Particular Average

Abbreviation: P.A. 1. Partial loss or damage to the goods. 2. Fortuitous partial loss to the subject matter insured, proximately caused by an insured peril but which is not a general average. Particular average only relates to damage, loss and/or expenses which are exclusively borne by the owners of a vessel which has sustained damage as a result of e.g. heavy weather or by the owners of the cargo, which has been damaged in transit.
Average General Average Free Particular Average

Partition

Divider

Payee

Party to whom a payment is made or owed.

Payer

Party who pays or is to pay.

Payload

Maximum amount of cargo weight which can be loaded on a particular means of transport.

Payment against Documents

Instructions given by a seller to a bank that the buyer may collect the documents only upon payment of the invoice.

Performance Indicator

Variable indicating the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a process.

Performance Measurement

Comparison of the results of business processes with certain standards in order to know the effectiveness of these processes and/or the supportive actions.

Perils of the Sea

Fortuitous accidents or casualties, peculiar to transportation on a navigable water, such as stranding, sinking, collision of the vessel, striking a submerged object or encountering heavy weather or other unusual forces of nature.

Perishables

Fresh produce that can spoil in a short amount of time (such as fruits, fish, meat, flowers).

Physical Distribution

Those activities related to the flow of goods from the end of conversion to the customer.

Physical Distribution Management

Planning execution and control of those activities which are related to the flow of goods from the end of conversion to the customer.

PIC

Pilot in Command

Pick and Pack

Taking goods out of a stock and packing them according to customer conditions.

Pick Order

Order to pick certain quantities of goods out of a stock.

Pick-up and Delivery

Service concerning the collection of cargo from the premises of the shipper and the delivery to the premises of the consignee.

Pick up Service

Carriage of outbound consignments from the shipper’s place to the place of departure.

Picking

Taking products or components out of a stock.

Picking List

List used to collect items from stores to fulfil an order.
Synonym: Material Issue List, Kitting List

Pier

Jetty Quay

Piggypack

Carriage of road vehicles and trailers on railway wagons.
Synonym: Huckepack Carriage

Pilferage

Theft of part of the contents of a shipping package.

Pilot in Command

Abbreviation: PIC. Pilot responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight time (air cargo).

Pipeline

1. A method for conveying liquids and gasses. 
2. The physical goods flow from a supplying organization to a receiving organization.

Pipeline Inventory

Amount of goods in a pipeline: the sum of loading stock, goods in transit and receiving stock.
Synonym: Floating Stock

Pivot Weight

Minimum chargeable weight of a Unit Load Device (air cargo).
Over Pivot Rate Over Pivot Weight

Place of Acceptance

Place of Receipt

Place of Delivery

Location where a consignment (shipment) is delivered to the consignee viz. the place where the carrier’s liability ends for the transport venture.

Place of Receipt

Location where a consignment (shipment) is received by the carrier from the shipper viz. the place where the carrier’s liability for transport venture commences.
Synonym: Place of Acceptance

Placement

Activity of positioning an object or goods in a chosen location or position.
Displacement

Planning

Setting of goals over a certain time and determining the methods for achieving these goals as well as the resources used.

Platform

Area on an airport where aircraft are parked for embarkation and/or loading and discharging purposes.
Synonym: Apron Ramp

Platform Body

Truck or trailer with a floor but no ends, sides or top.

Platform Handling

All activities connected with an aircraft during the time it is on the platform.
Synonym: Ramp Handling

Plimsoll Mark

Mark, welded on both sides of the vessel, which gives the limit to which a vessel may be loaded, depending on the specific gravity of the water in which the vessel is situated.

Point-to-Point Transport

House-to-House Transport

Point Value

Point value is the relative value of an empty container of a certain size and type in a depot location. The system serves to quantify the imbalance costs resulting from a full container move and are the result of empty optimization calculations. Point values are created on forecasted container flows between depot locations. They are calculated taking into account the forecasted imbalances plus repositioning, storage and container costs for empty moves and expressed in USD. Note: In the various computer systems point values are used to calculate the imbalance charge or credit for a particular container flow. This charge or credit is the difference in point values between start and end depot location.

Political Risk

In export financing, the risk of loss due to currency inconvertibility, government action preventing entry of goods, expropriation or confiscation, and war.

Pontoon

Vessel with flat deck and a shallow draft.
Floating Crane

Pool

Shared use of e.g. equipment by a number of companies that also share the investment required.
European Pallet Pool

Poop

Aft part of a vessel where the steering engine is located.

Port

1. Harbor with facilities for vessels to moor and load or discharge. 
2. Left side of a vessel when facing towards the front or forward end.

Port of Discharge

Port where the cargo is discharged from the ocean- going vessel.

Port of Loading

Port where the cargo is loaded on board the ocean -going vessel.

Portal Crane

Type of gantry crane with vertical legs of sufficient height and width to permit vehicles or railroad equipment to pass between the legs.

Portlog

Record of a vessel’s actual arrival and departure time, used tugs, draft, deadweight, quantity of discharged and loaded goods/containers and any other important particulars.
Log Book

Positioning

Transport of empty equipment from a depot to shipper’s premises or from consignee’s premises back to a depot as the empty leg of a carrier haulage transport.

Postal Code

National code maintained by the Postal Authorities designed to indicate areas and accumulated addresses to facilitate sorting and the delivery of mail and other goods.
Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP)

Pre-Slinging

Act of placing goods in slings which are left in position and are used for loading into and discharging from a conventional vessel.

Pre-Trip Inspection

Abbreviation: PTI. Technical inspection of Reefer containers prior to positioning for stuffing.

Pre-Carriage

Carriage of goods (containers) by any mode of transport from the place of receipt to the port of loading.

Pre-Carrier

Carrier by which the goods are moved prior to the main transport.

Prepaid Charge

Charges entered on the Air Waybill for payment in advance by the shipper (air cargo).

Prepaid Freight

Freight paid by the shipper to the carrier when merchandise is accepted for shipment. Not refundable even if the merchandise does not arrive at the intended destination.

Pre-Shipment Inspection

Abbreviation: PSI. Checking of goods before shipment for the purpose of determining the quantity and/or quality of said goods by an independent surveyor (inspection company). The inspection can also be for the purpose of determining whether the price charged for certain goods is correct, a practice used by some countries.

Price Quotation/Pro Forma Invoice

Invoice prepared by the seller in advance of shipment that documents the cost of goods sold, freight, insurance and other related charges. It is often used by the buyer to secure a Letter of Credit, an import licence or a foreign currency allocation.

Principal

Person or entity for whom another acts as agent.

Principal Carrier

Responsible Carrier

Priority Order

Order which is identified as taking precedence over other orders to ensure its completion in the minimum time.
Synonym: Urgent Order, Rush Order

Pro-Forma Invoice

Draft invoice sent to an importer by the exporter prior to order confirmation and shipment to assist in matters relating to obtaining import licenses or foreign exchange allocations, or to advise the value of a consignment so that Letters of Credit can be opened.

Procurement

Activities which ensure the availability of the material and/or services in the desired quantity, quality, place and time from the supplier.

Procurement Logistics

Control of the flow of materials up to the manufacturing process.

Productivity

Relative measure of output of labor hour or machine hour.

Profit Center

Organizational unit which is held accountable for its own profits and losses.

Project Cargo

Goods connected to the same project and often carried at different times and from various places.

Proof of Delivery

Receipt signed by the consignee upon delivery.

Proportional Rate

Rate which is used in combination with other rates to establish a through rate.

Prorate

Portion of a joint rate or charge obtained by proration.

Proration

Division of a joint rate or charge between the carriers concerned on an agreed basis.
Prorate Rate Proration

Protection and Indemnity Club

Abbreviation: P&I Club. Mutual association of shipowners which provides protection against liabilities by means of contributions.

Protest

Sworn statement made by a ship’s captain following an accident.

Protocol

Statement drawn up to attest certain events.

Proximate Cause

Most direct cause of loss, that is, the most effective, but not necessarily the last, in a series of events.

PSI

Pre-Shipment Inspection

PTI

Pre-Trip Inspection

Public Authorities

Agencies or officials in a country responsible for the application and enforcement of the laws and regulations of that state.

Public Warehouse

Warehouse which is available to all companies and individuals who wish to make use of the services offered.

Published Charge

Charge, the amount of which is specifically set forth in the carrier’s rates tariff.
Synonym: Published Rate

Published Rate

Published Charge

Pull Distribution System

System to provide warehouses with new stock on request of the warehouse management.

Purchase Order

Definite order for one or more deliveries by the supplier to the customer of a specific quantity of goods, materials, services or products under agreed terms of delivery and prices.

Purchasing Agent

Agent that purchases goods in their own country on behalf of foreign importers such as government agencies and private companies.

Push Distribution System

System to provide warehouses with new stock upon decision of the supplier of the goods.