M

Shipping and freight
forwarding glossary

Term	Definition
Manufacturing	Manufacturing is the process of turning raw resources or goods into finished products. This can be done by hand, using machines, or using a combination.
Material Flow	Material flow is the movement of goods within a company or supply chain. Material flow analysis is a way to optimize this movement by identifying weaknesses and improving efficiency.
MAWB	MAWB stands for Master Air Waybill. A Master Air Waybill (MAWB) is a document used to transport goods via air. The MAWB is a contract between the shipper and the airline and outlines the shipment’s terms and conditions. The MAWB also includes the details of the shipment, such as the origin, destination, and weight.
Means of Transportation	Any transport infrastructures used to move people and products from one place to another are considered means of transportation. There are many types of transportation. The most common are: cars, buses, trains, planes, and boats.
Mesh Box Pallet	A mesh box pallet is a form of transportation that consists of a steel frame structure and a pallet. It’s utilized to load and store cargo.
Middleware	Middleware is computer software that connects different computer systems and allows them to share data.
Milk Run	A milk run is a type of business logistics route. In a milk run, many different businesses are served by a single truck or other vehicles. This is typically done to save on transportation costs.
Minimum Weight	The minimum weight in logistics is the least weight a shipment can have and still be considered economically feasible to transport. This weight is typically set by the shipper or the transportation company and may vary depending on the type of goods being shipped.
Mixed Load	A mixed load is a trailer or container filled with various products. For instance, the trailer or container may be filled with multiple things, such as dry goods, fruit, meat, and dairy products.
Mode of Transportation	Mode of transportation describes the many means through which products or persons are moved from one location to another via land, air, or sea.