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Reference

Glossary.

Glossary group

Commercial and planning terms

Incoterms

The agreed trade terms that define which party is responsible for transport, risk, and costs at each stage of the shipment.

Landed cost

The total import cost after freight, customs, duty, GST, handling, and delivery are taken into account.

Commercial invoice

The supplier invoice used to describe the goods, value, and trading terms for customs and freight purposes.

Packing list

A shipment document showing package counts, weights, dimensions, and how the goods are packed.

Glossary group

Freight and container terms

FCL

Full container load shipping where one importer uses a dedicated container rather than sharing space.

LCL

Less than container load shipping where multiple consignments share the same container.

ETA

Estimated time of arrival for the vessel, flight, or local delivery movement.

VGM

Verified gross mass, the declared packed container weight required before sea-freight loading.

Glossary group

Customs and compliance terms

HS code / tariff classification

The customs classification used to determine duty treatment, compliance requirements, and how the goods are declared.

Customs value

The value basis used for customs assessment, duty, and GST calculations.

ABF

Australian Border Force, the agency responsible for customs control and border enforcement.

BICON

The Australian biosecurity import conditions system used to review whether goods need permits, treatments, or special quarantine controls.

Related support

Pages often used alongside the glossary

These pages help move from terminology into live freight, customs, and document workflows.

FAQ

Commercial questions on shipping from China, customs timing, FCL, LCL, and delivery support.

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Contact the Team

Open the commercial quote workflow once the shipment details and terminology are clear enough to brief properly.

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Need help turning freight terms into the right shipment plan?

Send the route, product type, and delivery requirement. Beyond Borders can help connect the commercial language to the real freight and customs pathway.