From A2A to ZRH: logistics terms to make you sound like a pro

Like many other industries, the logistics and supply chain sector is full of industry-related terms that can be confusing to outsiders. From A2A (airport to airport) to ZRH (Zurich Airport), there are thousands of terms and acronyms to learn, which may be overwhelming at first. However, understanding the different types of shipment and related vocabulary is crucial to ensure your goods get shipped on time, meet all compliance rules, and arrive in good shape. Here are some international shipping terms and acronyms you must be aware of:

Airline codes

If you want to ship your goods via air freight, you must be aware of the different airline codes, which are geocodes used to locate a particular airport in documents relating to flight timetables, passenger reservations, ticketing, luggage tags, and more. There are two main types of airport codes, IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), but IATA codes are more common. If you want to know the 2-letter code of an airline or find out which airport uses a particular code, visit IATA.

Seaport codes

Similar to airlines, ports have their own set of codes as well, which are based on the ports’ locations. Thus, if you are shipping via ocean freight, you must be familiar with different international port codes. According to the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), the first two letters refer to the country, while the other three are port identifiers. You can look up port names, UN/LOCODEs, and seaport codes for international seaports here. 

The complete glossary of air cargo abbreviations

FIATA, an organization representing logistics providers and freight forwarders worldwide, provides a complete glossary of air cargo abbreviations, including handling codes used to identify the type of shipment which you may find in an air waybill (AWB). Some of the most commonly used abbreviations are 3PL (third-party logistics provider), CSL (container stuffing list), and FTL (full truckload).

The complete glossary of supply chain terms

You should also familiarize yourself with supply chain terms, which have been put together by Inbound Logistics. From now on, if you read the word CIA you can relax; they are just talking about cash in advance.  

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