R.P.

Return Premium.

Rail Consignment Note

Document evidencing a contract for the transport of goods by rail.

Ramp

Artificially 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).
Platform (air cargo)

Ramp Handling

Platform Handling

Rate

Charge per unit of freight for a specific service.

Rate of Calculation

Factor for the calculation of an amount.

Rate of Turn

Figure indicating the speed of a change of course of a means of transport expressed in degrees per minute.

Rate Proration

Proration on the basis of the applicable local rates (air cargo).

Rating

Classification.

Re-invoicing

Procedure whereby goods are invoiced in two stages: at first by the supplier to an intermediary and subsequently by the intermediary to the customer.

Rebate

Discount.

Receipt

Written acknowledgement confirming receipt of goods, cash or documents.

Received for Shipment Bill of Lading

Bill of Lading issued by the carrier evidencing actual receipt of merchandise for shipment. Also referred to as a Dock Receipt.
Dock Receipt Mate’s Receipt

Receiving Carrier

Carrier receiving a consignment on behalf of a carrier, agent or shipper for onward transport.

Receiving Stock

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 so that it is presented to the customer in the requested form.

Recovery

Amount recovered from a third party responsible for a loss on which a claim has been paid.

Red Clause Letter of Credit

Letter of Credit that allows the exporter to receive a percentage of the face value of the Letter of Credit in advance of shipment. This enables the exporter to purchase inventory and any other costs associated with producing and preparing the export order.

Redelivery

Return of a charter vessel to the owners.

Reefer Cargo

Cargo requiring temperature control.

Reefer Container

Thermal container with refrigerating appliances (mechanical compressor unit, absorption unit, etc.) to control the temperature of cargo.

Rerforwarding 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 (air cargo).

Refund

Repayment to the purchaser of the total charge or a portion of that charge for unused carriage.

Register Ton

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

Regroupage

Process of splitting up shipments into various consignments (degroupage) and combining these small consignments into other shipments (groupage).
Degroupage Groupage

Rejection

Non-acceptance of e.g. cargo.

Released Bill

Type of affreightment where no specific value has been declared for carriage (No Value Declared).

Remitting Bank

Bank that sends the draft to the overseas bank for collection.
Collecting Bank

Replenishment

Completion of stock.

Rerouting

Route to be followed as altered from the one originally specified in the Air Waybill (air cargo).

Reservation

Allotment in advance of space or weight capacity. Also referred to as “booking” (air cargo).

Reserve Inventory

Safety Stock

Responsible Carrier

1. The carrier liable under the terms of a Bill of Lading.
2. Carrier responsible for the transport of goods as indicated in the transport document (air cargo).

Synonym: Principal Carrier

Return Shipment

Goods returned to the place of acceptance.

Reverse Distribution

Collection of used, damaged, or outdated products and/or packaging from end-users.
Waste Logistics

Revocable Letter of Credit

Letter of Credit that can be cancelled or altered by the drawee (buyer) after it has been issued by the drawee’s bank.
Irrevocable Letter of Credit

Road Carrier

Synonym: Haulier, Trucker

Roll Trailer

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

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

Roll-on/Roll-off

Rotation

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

Round Trip

Voyage, a journey, etc. to a certain place, port or country and back again.
Voyage

Route

Track along which goods are (to be) transported.

Routing

1. The determination of the most efficient route(s) to follow.
2. The process of determining how a shipment will be moved between shipper and consignee or between place of acceptance by the carrier and place of delivery to the consignee. 3. The process of aiding a vessel’s navigation by supplying long-range weather forecasts and indicating the most economic and safe sailing route.

Routing Orders

Abbreviation: R/O. The routing order is a specific written Shipping Instruction issued by the buyer. It is usually issued in the case of “ex-works” or “delivered at frontier”/“free on board” deals, thereby ensuring that the supplier organizes the transport according to the wishes of the buyer.

Row

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.