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SCAC Code - See Owner Code.

Schedule B - The Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States.

Sea-Bee Vessels - An ocean vessel that has been constructed with heavy-duty submersible hydraulic lifts or elevators at the stern of the ship. The Sea-Bee system facilitates forward transfer and positioning of barges. Sea-Bee barges are larger than LASH barges.

Sealift Enhancement Program (SEP) - Special equipment and modifications which adapt merchant-type dry cargo ships and tankers to specific military missions. They are typically installed on RRF ships or ships under MSC control. Sealift enhancements fall into three categories: productivity, survivability, and operational enhancements.

Security Classification - A category to which national security information and material is assigned by the United States Government to indicate the degree of damage that unauthorized disclosure could cause national defense or foreign relations of the United States. Furthermore, security classifications are broken down into three categories, to denote the degree of protection. The three categories of classification are:

• TOP SECRET: National security information or material that requires the highest level of protection and the unauthorized disclosure could cause exceptionally severe damage to the national security.
• SECRET: National security information or a material that requires a substantial level of protection and unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to the national security.
• CONFIDENTIAL: National security information or material that requires protection and unauthorized disclosure could cause damage to the national security.

SID- Abbreviation for Sight Draft or Sea Damage.

SED - U.S. Commerce Department document. An abbreviation that stands for Shipper's Export Declaration.

Service - The defined, regular pattern of calls made by a carrier in the pick-up and discharge or cargo.

Service Agent - A service agent may provide any of the following services. A service agent may provide pre-move survey, packing, inventory, loading, residence to port transportation, ocean or air transportation, customs clearance, from port to residence delivery transportation, storage, unloading, unpacking of your household goods, packing material removal and post-move survey.

Service Contract - A contract between a shipper and an ocean carrier or conference, in which the shipper makes a commitment to provide a minimum quantity of cargo over a fixed time period, and the ocean carrier of conference commits to a rate or rate schedule as well as a defined service level, such as space, transit time, port rotation and other features.

Service Failure - Carrier noncompliance with applicable tenders, tariffs, contracts, Jaws, regulations, GBL instructions, or commitments to the shipper(s).

Service-Unique - Equipment operations and resources that are specific to individual DOD Component commands.

Settlement Date - The date on which payment for a transaction must be made.

Severability Clause - A contract term that provides that each portion of the agreement is independent of the others, allowing a court to invalidate a clause of the contract without voiding the entire agreement.

Ship Categories:

• Bulk Carriers: All vessels designed to carry bulk cargo such as grain, fertilizers, ore and oil.
• Freighters: Break-bulk vessels that may be refrigerated or not, containerships, partial containerships, roll-on I roll-off vessels, and barge carriers.
• Combination Passenger and Cargo Ships: Ships with a capacity for 13 or more passengers.
• Barge Carriers: Ships that have been designed to carry barges; some are fitted to act as full container-ships, while others can carry a varying number of barges and containers at the same time. Currently, this class of vessels includes two types: LASH and Sea-Bee.
• General Cargo Carriers: Break-bulk freighters, car carriers, cattle carriers, pallet carriers and timber carriers.
• Full Containerships: A vessels that is equipped with permanent container cells, with little or no space for other types of cargo.
• Partial Container Ships: These are multipurpose containerships where one or more, however not all compartments are fitted with permanent container cells. The remaining compartments are used for other types of cargo.
• Poll-on I Roll-off vessels: Ships that are specially designed to carry wheeled containers or trailers using interior ramps.
• Tankers: Ships fitted with tanks to carry liquid cargo such as: crude petroleum and petroleum products; chemicals, Liquefied gases (LNG and LPG), wine, molasses and similar product tankers.
• Ship Chandler - An individual or company that sells equipment and supplies for ships.

Ship Demurrage - A charge for delaying a steamer beyond a stipulated period of time.

Ship's Bells - Measure time on board ship. One bell sounds for each half hour. One bell means 12:30, two bells mean 1:00, and three bells mean 1:30, and so on until 4:00 (eight bells). At 4:30 the cycle begins anew with one bell.

Ship's Manifest - A statement that lists the particulars of all shipments loaded to one shipment for a specified voyage. All rigging, etc., utilized on a ship to load or unload cargo.

Ship's Tackle - All rigging, etc., utilized on a ship to load or unload cargo.

Shipment - The tender of one lot of cargo at one time from one shipper to one consignee on one bill of lading.

Shipment Container -A receptacle of sufficient strength, due to materials, design and construction, to be shipped safely without further packing (e.g., wooden boxes or crates, fiber and metal drums, and corrugated and solid fiberboard boxes).

Shipper - The person or company who is usually the supplier or owner of the commodities being shipped. Also known as the consignor.

Shipper Export Declaration (SED, Ex Dec) -A form required for all shipments by the U.S. Treasury Department and prepared by the shipper indicating the value, weight, destination and other basic information about an export shipment.

Shipper Load and Count (SL&C) - Note on a bill of lading indicating that the contents of a container were loaded and counted by the shipper not checked or verified by the Steamship Company. Shippers Association - A non-profit entity that represents the interests of a number of shippers. The main focus of shippers associations is to pool the cargo volumes of members to leverage the most favorable service contract rate levels.

Shippers Summary Export Declaration - Shipper who meets certain criteria can use this document to report on a monthly basis rather than include a SED each time a shipment is made.

Shipper's Instructions - The shipper's communications to its agent and/or directly to the international water-carrier.  The instructions may be varied, depending on specific clauses or details that must be printed on the 8/L, directions for cargo pick-up and delivery.

Shipper's Letter of Instruction for issuing an Air Waybill - Document required by the carrier or freight forwarders to obtain (besides the data needed) authorization to issue and sign the air waybill in the name of the shipper.

Shipping Act of 1916 - Act of Congress (1916) that created the U.S. Shipping Board to develop water transportation, operate the merchant ships owned by the government and regulate the water carriers engaged in commerce under the flag of the United States. As of June 18, 1984 this act only applies to domestic offshore ocean transport.

Shipping Act of 1984 - Effective on June 18, 1984, it describes the law covering water transportation in the U.S. foreign trade.

Shipping /Item Discrepancies -Any variation in quantity or condition of goods received from that shown on the covering authorized shipping documents, purchase order, or other authorized shipping documents. This includes lost or damaged parcel post shipments or other discrepancies not the result of a transportation error.

Shipping Order - The shipper's instructions to the carrier for forwarding goods; usually the triplicate copy of the bill of lading.

Shore - A prop or support placed against or beneath anything to prevent sinking or sagging.

Short Shipment - Piece of freight missing from shipment. Cargo received is less than what is stipulated by documents on hand.

Short Ton (ST) - 2,000 pounds.

Shortage - The condition that exists when the number of pieces of freight (packaged or loose) received is less than the number recorded on the applicable shipment or movement document.

Shrink Wrap - Polyethylene or similar substance heat-treated and shrunk into an envelope around several units, thereby securing them as a single pack for presentation or to secure goods onto a pallet.

Side-Door Container - Container fitted with a rear door and a minimum of one side door.

Side Draft - A financial instrument payable upon presentation or demand. A bill of exchange may be made payable upon presentation or demand, or within a particular period after demand is made.

Side Loader - A lift truck fitted with lifting attachments operating to one side for handling containers

Sight Draft - A draft that is payable upon presentation to the drawee. Compare with "Date Draft" and "Time Draft".

Single Port Manager (SPM) - MTMC is the DOD-designated SPM for all common-user seaports worldwide. The SPM performs those functions necessary to control the strategic flow of the deploying force's equipment and the sustaining of supply between seaport of embarkation (SPOE) and hand-off to the theater CINC in the seaport of debarkation (SPOD). The SPM is responsible for providing strategic deployment status information to the CINC and workload the SPOD Port Operator based on the CINC's priorities and guidance. The SPM is responsible through all phases of a theater port operational continuum from a bare beach deployment to a commercial contract deployment.

Skids - Battens or a series of parallel runners fitted beneath boxes or packages to raise them clear of the floor to permit easy access of forklift blades or other handling equipment.

Sleepers - Loaded containers moving within the railroad system that are not clearly identified on any internally generated reports.

Sliding Tandem - An assembly rigged on a chassis that may be shifted to adjust axle weights.

Slurry - Dry commodities that are made into a liquid form by the addition of water or other fluids to permit pumping through pipelines.

Soft Currency - Currency that is not fully convertible to all currencies, but only to some other soft currencies.

SPA - Abbreviation for Subject to Particular Average. Also see Particular Average.

Space "A" Travel - A benefit available to service members, retirees, and their families. A service member can travel for a minimal fee on a DoD aircraft after official personnel and cargo for that aircraft are loaded. The "A" stands for available.  Space "A" Travel is also known as "military hops."

Space Available (space A) Cargo - That cargo eligible for, but unfunded for movement within the DTS.

Special Assignment Airlift Mission (SAAM) - A mission performing special assignment airlift. SAAM is defined as airlift requirements for special pickup or delivery by AMC at points other than established AMC routes, and which require special consideration because of the number of passengers involved, the weight or size of the cargo, the urgency or sensitivity of movement, or other special factors.

Special Drawing Rights - Created by the International Monetary Fund as a supplemental international monetary reserve asset based on a basket of currencies- the U.S. dollar, the German mark, the French franc, the Japanese yen and the British pound.

Special Policy of Insurance - Document issued on behalf of the Underwriter stating the terms and conditions of the marine insurance. Issued when evidence of insurance is required, as by the bank issuing the Letter of Credit.

Special Train Service - The expedited movement of rail cars in unscheduled service between specified points under special arrangements with the AAR.

Spine Car - An articulated five-platform railcar. Used where height and weight restrictions limit the use of stack cars. It holds five forty-foot containers or combination of forty and twenty-foot containers.

Sponsoring Service - DOD Component that validates initial requirements and is sponsoring a particular activity, movement, or operation.

Sponsorship Program - This is a mentoring program available within all military branches under the guidance of unit leadership and RAP. Through this program, a service member moving to a new duty station is assigned to a service member at their destination location who will provide direct personal assistance throughout the relocation process.

Spot Exchange - The purchase or sale of foreign exchange for immediate delivery.

Spotting - Placing a railcar to be loaded I unloaded.

Spreader - Device for spreading lifting cables on crane to provide balanced lift on four corners of container allowing load to be lifted straight up.

Stability - The force that holds a vessel upright or returns it to upright if keeled over. Weight in the lower hold increases stability. A vessel is stiff if it has high stability and tender if it has low stability.

Stack Car - An articulated five-platform rail car that allows containers to be double stacked. A typical stack car holds ten forty-foot equivalent units (FEU's)

Stacktrain - A rail service whereby rail cars carry containers stacked two-high on specially operated unit trains. Each train includes up to 35 articulated multi-platform cars and each car is comprised of five well-type platforms upon which containers can be stacked. Chassis do not accompany the containers.

Stale - A Bill of Lading is termed "stale" when the exporter or his or her agent does not present the bill of lading to the issued bank under a letter of credit transaction within a reasonable time after its date. The requirement is such that the bill of lading arrives at the port of importation before the Steamer arrives.

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) - A standard numerical code system used by the U.S. government to classify products and services.

Standard International Trade Classification (SITC} - A standard numerical code system developed by the United Nations to classify commodities used in international trade.

Standard Point Location Code - A code that was designed to provide each point originating freight and each point receiving freight with a unique code number so constructed as to identify the point within its geographic location.

Standby Letter of Credit - Very similar in nature to a guarantee. The beneficiary can claim payment in the event that the principal does not comply with its obligations to the beneficiaty. Payment can usually be realized against the presentation of a sight draft and written statement that the principle has failed to fulfill his/her obligation.

Standing Route Order - A route order issued which covers repetitive movements (two or more shipments per month) of specific items between points in CONUS or intra-theater by any mode of transportation when the origin, destination, commodity(ies), and frequency of shipments constitute a repetitive traffic pattern. Also see guaranteed traffic.

Starboard - Right side of a ship when facing the bow.

Statute of Limitation - A law limiting the time in which claims or suits may be filed.

Statutory Notice - Length of time required by law for carriers to give notice of changes in tariffs, rates, rules and regulations-usually thirty day, unless otherwise permitted by authority from Interstate Commerce Commission or other regulatory body.

Steamship Conference - A group of steam ship operators that operate under mutually agreed upon freight rates.

STCC - Standard Transportation Commodity Code.

Steamship Guarantee - An indemnity that is issued to the carrier by a bank; it protects the carrier against any possible losses or damages arising from release of merchandise to the receiving party. This instrument is usually issued when the bill of lading is lost or is not available.

Stern - The end of the vessel. Opposite the bow.

Stevedore - Person having charge of loading and unloading of ships.

Storage Demurrage - A charge made on property remaining on the dock past the pre-scribed free-time period.

Storage-in-Transit (SIT) - The temporary holding of a shipment in a warehouse facility, with the maximum period being 90 days. Charges are assessed monthly for storage costs, as well as warehouse handling fees, pick-up or delivery charges. S.I.T. can occur at origin or destination.

Store-Door Pick-up Delivery - Complete package pick-up or delivery services performed by a carrier from origin to final consumption point, the distribution facility.

Stow - To arrange in compact mass, e.g. stow cargo in hold of ship.

Straddle Carrier - Mobile truck equipment with the capacity for lifting a container within its own framework .

Straight Bill of Lading - A non-negotiable bill of lading in which the goods are consigned directly to a named consignee.

Strategic Mobility - The capability to deploy and sustain military forces worldwide in support of national strategy.

Strategic Airlift - The airlift capability necessary to deploy and sustain military forces worldwide in support of national strategy.

Strategic Port - U.S. commercial ports designated by the U.S. Army's Military Traffic Management Command and the Maritime Administration to support major force deployments.

Strategic Sealift - The afloat pre-positioning and ocean movement of military material in support of U.S. and Allied forces or other government-sponsored materiel deemed in the national interest. Includes government owned and commercially acquired shipping (U.S. and foreign flag) and associated shipping services.

Strategic Transportation - Movement between theaters or between the CONUS and a theater.

Stripping - In truck transportation, emptying truck and arranging shipments by destination.

Strike Price - The price at which the option buyer obtains the right to purchase (call option) or sell (put option) a security or currency.

Stuffing - Slang term for loading cargo containers.

Subrogation - The operation by which the insurance company (on payment of a claim) assumes all of the assureds right to recovery from· any third parties, substitution of one creditor for another. The right of an insurance company to recover amount paid to insured from third party who may have caused loss.

Subsidy - An economic benefit granted by a government to producers of goods or services often to strengthen their competitive position.

Sufferance Wharf - A wharf that is licensed and attended by Customs authorities.

Supply Chain - A logistical management system that integrates the sequence of activities from delivery of raw materials to the manufacturer through to the delivery of the finished product to the customer into measurable components. Just in Time is a typical value-added example of supply chain management.

Surcharge - An add-on charge to the applicable charges; motor carriers have a fuel surcharge and railroads can apply a surcharge to any joint rate that does not yield 110 percent of variable cost.

Surety Bond - Contract between principal and responsible third party (surety) which makes surety momentarily responsible for principal's fulfillment of obligation to oblige (party who is protected).

Surtax - An additional or extra tax.

Surveyor -A marine specialist who examines damaged property and determines the cause, nature and extent of damage and methods of repair and/or replacement. He is not an adjuster, and all of his actions are without prejudice to policy terms and conditions.

Systems Concept - A decision-making strategy that emphasizes overall efficiency of the whole rather than the efficiency of the individual parts of the system.