Ocean Sea Freight Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Ocean Sea Freight facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The Hague-Visby Rules primarily govern: → Ocean carrier liability for loss or damage to cargo
2. A 'Sea Waybill' differs from a Bill of Lading in that it: → Is non-negotiable and cargo is released to the named consignee without original documents
3. A 'Shipper's Load and Count' (SLC) notation on a Bill of Lading means: → The carrier accepts no responsibility for the contents or quantity inside the container
4. What is an 'Original Bill of Lading' and why is it significant? → A negotiable title document required to take possession of cargo at destination
5. A route for transporting import and export commodities between ports and inland locations → Inland Carrier
6. What information is NOT typically found on a commercial invoice for an ocean freight shipment? → The vessel name and voyage number
7. What is a 'Certificate of Origin' used for in international shipping? → To certify the country where goods were manufactured or produced
8. What is a 'Manifest' in ocean freight? → A master document listing all cargo aboard a vessel, submitted to customs
9. What does 'POD' stand for in ocean shipping documentation? → Port of Discharge
10. Which form of charter gives complete command over the ship? → Bareboat
11. Which document details the contents, weight, and dimensions of each package in a shipment? → Packing List
12. A shipper sends a container from Los Angeles to Shanghai. Which type of service does this represent? → Transpacific service
13. Under which Incoterm does the seller pay freight and insurance to the destination port, with risk transferring at the origin port of loading? → CIF
14. What is a 'House Bill of Lading' (HBL)? → A B/L issued by a freight forwarder or NVOCC to the shipper
15. Which class of character gives the ship's captain complete control? → Demise
16. Which international convention governs liability for ocean carriers under most modern shipping contracts? → The Hague-Visby Rules (amended Hague Rules)
17. What is 'Free Time' in ocean freight port operations? → The number of days a container can remain at the terminal before demurrage charges begin
18. What does 'THC' stand for in ocean freight charges? → Terminal Handling Charges
19. What does 'FAK' (Freight All Kinds) rate mean in ocean freight? → A single uniform freight rate applied regardless of the type of commodity being shipped
20. Which of the following is NOT typically covered under a standard marine cargo insurance policy? → Inherent vice — the natural tendency of cargo to deteriorate or damage itself
21. What is a 'Telex Release' (also called Surrender B/L) in ocean freight? → A method of electronically releasing cargo without a paper original Bill of Lading
22. What does Institute Cargo Clauses (ICC) A (All Risk) primarily cover? → All physical loss or damage from any external cause except named exclusions
23. Which document serves as the contract of carriage between the shipper and the ocean carrier? → Bill of Lading
24. What does the term 'FCL' stand for in ocean freight shipping? → Full Container Load
25. What does 'ETA' stand for in ocean freight logistics? → Estimated Time of Arrival
26. Which document serves as the primary contract of carriage between the shipper and ocean carrier? → Bill of Lading
27. What is a 'vessel schedule' used for in ocean freight planning? → Planning shipments based on published departure and arrival dates of ocean carriers
28. A shipper needs to transport 5 cubic meters of cargo. Which ocean freight mode is most cost-effective? → LCL
29. What is the standard container size most commonly used in global ocean freight? → 40-foot standard
30. Which US government agency requires an ISF (Importer Security Filing) for ocean imports? → US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)