Shipping is a global industry that requires us to interact with vendors, clients, and agencies all over the world.
Although English is the primary language of choice when liaising with international associates, there can be times when we may encounter other languages – and the need to understand those languages. As effective as Google Translate is in helping us decipher the hieroglyphics we see when faced with languages foreign to our own, it is not always the best tool when it comes to shipping terms. For example, if you use a search engine to translate the English word “Breakbulk” into Italian, you could end up with the misleading result alla rinfusa which means “randomly.”
To avoid confusion, and maybe give you a chance to impress your overseas colleagues with your knowledge of the assicurazione that will be required for specific shipments, here is a compilation of authentic translations gathered from friends and colleagues around the world who have firsthand experience with these terms in English and in their own native tongue.
Translation of Common Shipping Terms by Language
| English | Spanish | Italian | Portuguese |
| Bill of Lading | Conocimiento de embarque | Polizza | Conhecimento de Embarque |
| Container | Contenedor | Contenitore | Contêineres (pl) |
| Demurrage | Estadia | Soste | Sobrestadia |
| Letter of Credit | Carta de credito | Lettera di Credito | Carta de Crédito |
| Rate | Precios | Rata | Preço |
| Cargo | Carga | Merce | Mercadoria |
| Release Type | Tipo de liberacion | Tipo di Rilascio | Tipo de liberação |
| Agent | Agente | Agente | Agente |
| Import | Importacion | Importazione | Importação |
| Export | Exportacion | Esportazione | Exportação |
| Insurance | Seguro | Assicurazione | Seguro |
| Reefer | Refrigerado | Refrigerato | Conteiner refrigerado |
| Tare | Tara | Tara | Tara |
| Departure | Salida | Partenza (Salpare) | Saída |
| Transshipment | Transbordo | Trasbordo | Transbordo |
| Arrival | Llegada | Arrivo | Chegada |
| Breakbulk | Carga a granel | Merci Sfuse | Carga solta |
| Transit Time | Tiempo de transito | Tempo di Transito | Tempo de trânsito |
| English | German | French | Turkish |
| Bill of Lading | Frachtbrief | Connaissement maritime | Konsimento |
| Container | Container | Conteneur | Konteynir |
| Demurrage | Liegegebühr | Surestaries | Ardiye |
| Letter of Credit | Kreditbrief | Lettre de crédit | Kredi onayli |
| Rate | Rate | Taux de fret | Fiyat |
| Cargo | Fracht | Fret / Marchandise | Kargo |
| Release Type | Freigabeart | Type de relâche | Konsimentonun duzenlenis sekli |
| Agent | Agent | Agent | Acenta |
| Import | Einfuhr | Import | Ithalat |
| Export | Ausfuhr | Export | Ihracat |
| Insurance | Versicherung | Assurance | Sigota |
| Reefer | Kühlraum | Conteneur réfrigéré | Soguk Hava Konteyneri |
| Tare | Lehrgewicht | Tare | Dara |
| Departure | Abfahrt | Départ | Ayrilis |
| Transshipment | Umschlagen | Transbordement | Aktarma |
| Arrival | Ankunft | Arrivée | Varis |
| Breakbulk | konsolidierte Stückgüter | Marchandises en vrac | Dokme yuk |
| Transit Time | Laufzeit | Temps de transit | Yolculuk suresi |
| English | Arabic | Cantonese | Mandarin |
| Bill of Lading | بوليصة شحن | 提單 | 提单 |
| Container | حاوية | 集裝箱 | 集装箱 |
| Demurrage | مصا يف تخزين | 滯期費 | 滞期费 |
| Letter of Credit | خطاب ضمان | 信用證 | 信用证 |
| Rate | نولون | 率 | 率 |
| Cargo | حاوية | 貨物 | 货物 |
| Release Type | 發布類型 | 发布类型 | |
| Agent | وكيل | 代理人 | 代理人 |
| Import | وارد | 進口 | 进口 |
| Export | صادر | 出口 | 出口 |
| Insurance | تامين | 保險 | 保险 |
| Reefer | ثلاجة | 冷藏箱 | 冷藏箱 |
| Tare | وزن الحاوية فارغة | 皮重 | 皮重 |
| Departure | مغادرة | 出發 | 出发 |
| Transshipment | ترانزيت | 轉運 | 转运 |
| Arrival | وصول | 到達 | 到达 |
| Breakbulk | |||
| Transit Time | وقت السفر |
If you do not see your language on this list or you have additional terms that you would like to add please share your translations in the comments below.
A special thank you to Dana Finch, Matheus Fernandes, Federico Recchia, Y. Can Sekman, Jenny Cepeda, Virginie Tonti, Matthieu Marchione, Richard Rojas, and Wassim Rafla for your translation contributions.
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