Shipping and freight
forwarding glossary

Term	Definition
General Average	General Average is a legal principle used in maritime law. It states that all parties in a sea voyage are responsible for losses that occur during that voyage. All parties must contribute to the losses, even if they did not cause them.
General Cargo	General cargo is a type of freight that includes a wide range of goods that can be transported individually in one piece, including everything from manufactured products to food and natural resources. This type of cargo is typically transported by ship, although it can also be moved by train, truck, or plane. On the other hand, liquid cargo such as milk, gasoline, gas, and other bulk items are not referred to as general cargo.
General Rate Increase (GRI)	A General Rate Increase (GRI) is a rate hike that shipping lines apply to all customers to cover increased operating costs. These increases can be applied to any shipping lane and are usually announced several months in advance. Customers typically have the option to accept the GRI or find another shipping provider.
Generalized System of Preference (GSP)	The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is the greatest and most established trade preference program. It is a program designed to promote economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty-free entry for up to 4,800 products from 129 designated beneficiary countries and territories.
Global Logistics	Global logistics is the coordination, management, and execution of transportation and storage of goods worldwide. It encompasses all aspects of managing the flow of materials and products from the point of origin to the point of consumption.
Girth Measurement	The girth measurement is the exterior perimeter of the package to limit transported goods’ dimensions. Many shipping companies and parcel services use it to limit the maximum size of a parcel to be shipped.
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)	A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is an internationally recognized product identification number used to identify trade items uniquely. The number is assigned to a trade item by the GS1 organization. GTINs can identify products in both the physical and electronic worlds. In the physical world, GTINs are used to identify products in barcodes. In the electronic world, GTINs identify products in electronic commerce transactions.
Goods	Goods are items that can be bought and sold. They can be anything from merchandise and supplies to raw materials and already completed products. Goods are usually categorized into durable goods, consumer goods, hard goods, and soft goods.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)	Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a value-added tax levied on most services and goods sold for domestic consumption. Consumers pay the GST, but it is remitted to the government by the businesses selling the goods and services.
Goods Issue	Goods issue is the formal record of the movement of goods out of the warehouse. A goods issue can be triggered by a customer order, stock requirement, or production order.
Goods Receipt	A Goods Receipt is an acknowledgment that the purchaser has received goods from the supplier. It is a document used to track incoming inventory and is typically used in conjunction with a purchase order.
Goods Received Note (GRN)	Goods received note (GRN) is a document that records the receipt of goods from a supplier. It is used to track incoming inventory and ensure that all goods ordered have been received. The GRN includes the date of receipt, the supplier, the number and type of goods received, and any other relevant information.
Goods-to-Person	The term “goods-to-person” refers to a type of order picking where the order picker remains in one position while the ordered goods are brought to him through a system. In other words, products are moved directly to the picker, who then picks what is needed to fulfill the customer orders.
Green Logistics	Green logistics typically refers to the practices and strategies employed to make transportation and distribution more environmentally friendly. This may include using alternative fuels, investing in energy-efficient technologies, or implementing green supply chain management practices.
Grey Fleet	A grey fleet is a collection of vehicles that are not owned or leased by a company but are instead owned by employees. These vehicles are often used for business purposes but are not managed by the company in the same way that a company-owned fleet would be.
Gross in logistics	The term “gross” describes the total amount of income, profit, or interest before any deductions. It can also be used to describe a load’s overall weight, which is known as gross weight.
Gross Weight	Gross weight is the shorthand for a load’s overall weight. Gross weight in shipping refers to the combined weight of the goods being shipped and their packaging. The method of transportation determines how to calculate the gross weight.
Groupage Freight	Groupage freight is a type of shipping in which multiple consignments are grouped together and shipped as one shipment. This is often done to save on shipping costs, as groupage shipments are typically cheaper than shipping each consignment individually.
GS1-128	GS1-128 is a barcode symbology that uses a set of 128 symbols to encode data. It encodes data such as product identifiers, serial numbers, and batch numbers.
GSM-R	GSM-R is a communication system used by railways. It is based on the GSM mobile phone network and is used to provide communication between trains and railway control centers.
Gulf of Aden Surcharge (GAS)	The Gulf of Aden Surcharge (GAS) is a surcharge assessed by shipping companies on shipments moving through the Gulf of Aden. The surcharge is intended to offset the increased costs associated with sailing through the gulf, considered a high-risk area due to the threat of piracy.