@ - At (referring to price)

A. & C.P. - Anchors and chains proved

a.a. - "Always afloat, after arrival"

A.A.D. - Annual aggregate deductible

a.a.r. - Against all risks

A.B. - Able-bodied seaman

A.B.S. - American Bureau of Shipping is an American ship classification society.

a.c. - Account

A.C.A.S. - "Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service"

A.C.I.I. - Associate of Chartered Insurance Institute

A.C.V. - Air cushion vehicle (hovercraft)

A.F. - Advanced freight

a.f.a.a. - as far as applicable

A.G.W.I. - "Atlantic, Gulf, West Indies Limits"

a.h. - After hatch

A.H.F. - American hull form (insurance policy)

A.I.M.U. - American Institute of Marine Underwriters

A.M.I. - Absolute maximum loss

A.M.V.E.R. - Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue

A.O. Voy. - Any one voyage

A.O.B. - Any one bottom

A.O.E. - Any one event

A.O.L. - Any one loss

a.o.loc. - Any one location

A.O.O. - Any one occurrence

A.O.R. - Any one risk

A.O.V. - Any one vessel

A.P. - Additional premium

A.P.L. - As per list

A.R. - All risks

A.S.E.A.N. - Association of South East Asian Nations

A.T.L. - Actual total loss

A/C - Account current

A/o - Account of

A/P - Additional premium

A/R - All risks. Against all risks

A/S - "After sight, Account sales, Alonside (chartering)"

A/T - American terms (grain trade)

A/v - "Average, ad valorem (according to value)"

AADFI - Association of African Development Finance Institutions

AAEI - American Association of Exporters and Importers

AAIB - Arab-African International Bank

AATP - Association of African Trade Promotion Organizations

ABC - American Business Center

ABCA - Association des Banques Centrales Africaines

Abdnt. - Abandonment

ABEDA - Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ABI - "American Business Initiative, Automated Broker Interface"

Absorption - "Absorption is investment and consumption purchases by households,businesses, and governments, both domestic and imported. When absorption exceeds production, the excess is the country's current account deficit."

Abt. - About

ABTA - Association of British Travel Agents

ACAB - Association of Central African Banks

ACC - Arab Cooperation Council

Acc. - Acceptance. Accepted

ACCJ - American Chamber of Commerce in Japan

accomplished bill of lading - Original bill of lading surrendered to the carrying ship at the discharge port in exchange for the goods.

ACCT - Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation

Acct - Account

ACDA - Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

ACEP - Advisory Committee on Export Policy

ACH - Automated Clearinghouse

ACP - "African, Caribbean, and Pacific"

ACP - "African, Caribbean and Pacific States"

ACPC - Association of Coffee Producing Countries

ACS - Automated Commercial System

ACTPN - Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations

ACU - Asian Clearing Union

AD - Antidumping

Ad Val - Ad Valorem

Ad Valorem - "Literally: according to value. Any charge, tax, or duty that is applied as a percentage of value. "

Ad Valorem Equivalent - "AVE is the rate of duty which would have been required on dutiable imports under that item, if the United States customs value of such imports were based on the United States port of entry value. "

AD Valorem Tariff - "A tariff assessed as a percentage of the value of the goods cleared through customs. For example, 10 percent Ad Valorem means the tariff is 10 percent of the value of the goods."

Ad. val. - Ad valorem-according to value

ADB - Asian Development Bank

ADB - Asian Development Bank

ADF - "African Development Foundation, African Development Fund, Asian Development Fund"

ADFAED - Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development

Administrative Exception Notes - "CoCom controls exports at three levels, depending on the item and the proposed destination. At the lowest level, ""national discretion"" (also called ""administrative exception""), a member nation may approve the export on its own, but CoCom must be notified"

ADRs - American Depository Receipts

ADS - Agent Distributor Service ADS provides a custom search overseas for interested and qualified foreign representatives on behalf of a U.S. exporter. Officers abroad conduct the search and prepare a report identifying up to six foreign prospects that have examined the U.S. firm's product literature and have expressed interest in representing the U.S. firm's products.

Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations (ACTN) - "A group appointed by the U.S. President to advise him on matters of trade policy and related issues, including trade agreements."

Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations - "The ACTPN is a group (membership of 45; two-year terms) appointed by the President to provide advice on matters of trade policy and related issues, including trade agreements. The 1974 Trade Act requires the ACTPN's establishment and broad representation"

AECA - Arms Export Control Act

AEF - Africa Enterprise Fund

AEN - Administrative Exception Note

AERP - Automated Export Reporting Program

AfDB - African Development Bank

AfDF - African Development Fund

AFESD - Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

"Affreightment, contract of " - "An agreement by a steamship line to provide cargo space on a vessel at a specified time for a specified price to accommodate an exporter or importer, who then becomes liable for payment even if he is later unable to make the shipment."

AFREXIMBANKAfrican Export-Import Bank

Africa Project Development Facility - The APDF seeks to accelerate development of productive enterprises sponsored by private African entrepreneurs as a means of generating self-sustained economic growth and productive employment in Sub-Saharan Africa. The facility provides advisory services

African Development Bank - AfDB (French: Banque Africaine de Developpement) provides financing through direct loans to African member states to cover the foreign exchange costs incurred in Bank-approved development projects in those countries. Fifty-one African countries are member

aft - At or towards the rear of a ship.

AFTA - ASEAN Free Trade Area

AG - "Aktiengesellschaft, Australia Group"

Agency for International Development - "AID was created in 1961 to administer foreign economic assistance programs of the U.S. Government. AID has field missions and representatives in approximately 70 developing countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Near East."

Agent/Distributor Service - "The Agent/Distributor Service, ADS, is an International Trade Administration (ITA) fee-based service which locates foreign import agents and distributors."

Agrement - Agreement by one government to accept the accreditation of an ambassador from another government.

AGRICOLA - Agricultural OnLine Access

AGRIS - Agriculture Information System

Agt. - "Agent, Against, Agreement"

AIB - Arab International Bank

AIBD - Association of International Bond Dealers

AID - Agency for International Development

AID - Agency for International Development

Aide-Memoire - A short written summary of oral remarks made to a foreign government representative and left with that individual.

AIES - Automated Information Exchange System

AIG - Airbus Industries Group

AIMS - Agriculture Information and Marketing Services

Air Cargo Agent - A type of freight forwarder who specializes in air cargo and acts for airlines that pay him a fee (usually 5%). The Air Cargo Agent is registered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Airbus Industries Group - "AIG is a supranational management organization responsible for design, development, manufacture, marketing, sales and support of selected commercial aircraft. Member countries are France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Airbus Industries, G.I.E. "

Aircraft Agreement (ATCA) - "Formally known as the ''Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.'' (ATCA), this MTN agreement is the only major sector-specific civil aircraft agreement. It establishes a framework of rules governing the conduct of trade in civil aircraft based on commercial"

AIST - Agency for Industrial Science Technology

AIT - American Institute in Taiwan

AIT - American Institute in Taiwan

AKA - Ausfuhrkredit-Gesellschaft

Aktiengesellschaft - "AG (German, meaning: ""stock company"") is a corporation with a separate legal personality which must have at least five partners. The firm name usually reflects the activities of the company and must include ""AG."" "

ALADI - Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion

ALIDE - "Association Latinoamericana de Institutiones Financieras, de Desarrollo"

All Risks Coverage - "All Risks Coverage, a type of marine insurance, is the broadest kind of standard coverage, but excludes damage caused by war, strikes, and riots."

All-Risk Clause - An insurance provision that all loss or damage to goods is insured except inherent vice (self-caused).

AMB - Ambassador

AMCHAM - American Chamber of Commerce

Amendments - Article XXX of the GATT Agreement provides that amendments (that become effective upon acceptance by two thirds of the Contracting Parties) are to be effective only for those parties which accept them.

American Business Initiative - "The ABI, or American Business and Private Sector Development Initiative for Eastern Europe, emphasizes the export of American telecommunciations, energy, environment, housing, and agriculture products and services to Eastern European countries. "

American Depository Receipts - "ADRs are negotiable receipts for the securities of a foreign company which are kept in the vaults of an American bank, allowing Americans to trade the foreign securities in the United States while accruing any dividends and capital gains. "

American Institute in Taiwan - "The AIT is a non-profit corporation that represents U.S. commerical, cultural, and other interests in Taiwan in lieu of an embassy. In 1979, the United States terminated formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan when it recognized the People's Republic of China."

American Traders Index - "The American Traders Index, ATI, is the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service headquarters compilation of individual US&FCS domestic client files, for use by overseas posts to generate mailing lists. "

AMF - Arab Monetary Fund

amidships - At or towards the middle of a ship.

AMS - "Agricultural Marketing Service, Automated Manifest System"

AMSC - African Management Services Company

amt. - Amount

AMU - Arab Maghreb Union

Andean Group - The Andean Group (Spanish: Grupo Andino; sometimes referred to as Pacto Andino or Corporation Adino de Fomento; formal reference is Acuerdo de Cartegana in recognition of the Group's establishment in Cartegena in October 1969) is an association of Latin

Andean Reserve Fund - "The Andean Reserve Fund (Spanish: Fondo Andina de Reservas), associated with the Andean Group, was established to strengthen the balance of payments positions of member countries by offering credit, guarantee loans, and promoting compatibility among members"

ANF - Arrival notification form

Anti-Dumping Clause - A tariff imposed to discourage sale of foreign goods in the United States market at very low prices (below foreign country's domestic market) which might hurt U.S. manufacturers.

Antidumping - "Antidumping, as a reference to the system of laws to remedy dumping, is defined as a converse of dumping."

Antidumping Duty Order - "A notice issued following final determination of sales at less than fair value and material injury, or threat of material injury, providing for the imposition of antidumping duties."

Antidumping Investigation Notice - The notice published in the Federal Register announcing the initiation of an antidumping investigation. An investigation must be initiated within 20 days of the filing of a valid petition.

Antidumping/Countervailing Duty System - "The Antidumping/Countervailing Duty System, a part of Customs' Automated Commercial System, contains a case reference database and a statistical reporting system to capture data for International Trade Commission reports on antidumping and countervailing "

AOSIS - Alliance of Small Island States

AP - Administrative Protective Order

APAC - Auto Parts Advisory Committee

APDF - Africa Project Development Facility

APEC - Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation

API - American Petroleum Institute

Appd. - Approved

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa - The ABEDA (French: Banque Arabe pour le Developpement Economique en Afrique -- BADEA) was created by the League of Arab States in November 1973 (began operations in March 1975) to promote economic and technical cooperation between Arab and African states

Arab Cooperation Council - "The ACC was created in 1989 to promote economic cooperation and integration. Members include Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and North Yemen. The ACC, partly intended as a counterpart to Gulf Cooperation Council, was created one day subsequent to the establishment"

Arab Trade Financing Program - "The ATFP promotes trade among Arab countries and exports from Arab countries. The Program was established in 1989 by the Arab Monetary Fund; headquarters are in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. "

Arbitrage - The simultaneous buying and selling of the same commodity or foreign exchange in two or more markets in order to take advantage of price differentials.

Arbitrage - The practice of exchanging the currency of one country for that of another or a series of countries to gain an advantage from the differences in exchange rates.

Arbitration Clause - A clause in a sales contract outlining the method under which disputes will be settled.

Arms Control and Disarmament Agency - ACDA is an independent agency within the State Department. ACDA participates in interagency working groups that discuss export license applications requiring dispute resolution. ACDA is interested in dual-use license applications from a non-proliferation

Arr. T. L. - Arranged total loss

Arrangement on Guidelines for Officially Supported Export Credits - "The Arrangement is an international agreement under Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development auspices governing the conditions -- such as interest rate, repayment term, and cash downpayment -- of medium- and long-term official export credit "

arrest - Seizure of a ship by an authority of a court of law either as a debt security or to prevent the ship from departing until a dispute is settled.

ARS - African Regional Organization for Standardization

AsDF - Asian Development Fund

ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ASEAN - Association of South-East Asian Nations

ASEAN Free Trade Area - "The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed in January 1992 to create a free trade area (ASEAN Free Trade Area, or AFTA) with use of a common effective preferential tariff. Under the agreement ASEAN members will cut tariff rates within 15 years"

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation - "APEC, established in November 1989, is an informal grouping of Asia Pacific countries that provides a forum for Ministerial level discussion of a broad range of economic issues. APEC includes the six ASEAN countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine"

Asian Development Bank - "The ADB helps finance economic development in developing countries in the Asian and Pacific area through the provision of loans on near-market terms, with its Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR), and on concessional terms, through the Asian Development Fund "

Asian Development Fund - "The ADF (or AsDF), an affiliate of the Asian Development Bank, lends funds on concessionary terms to the Bank's least developed member countries."

Assessment - The imposition of antidumping duties on imported merchandise.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations - "ASEAN was established in 1967 to promote political, economic, and social cooperation among its six member countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei. ASEAN headquarters are in Jakarta, Indonesia. In January 1992, ASEAN"

At. wt. - Atomic Weight

ATFP - Arab Trade Financing Program

athwartships - Across the ship or from side to side.

ATI - "American Traders Index, Andean Trade Initiative"

Atl. - Atlantic

ATLAS - Automated Trade Locator Assistance Network

ATMIC - Agricultural Trade and Marketing Information Center

ATOs - Agricultural Trade Offices

ATP - Advanced Technology Products

ATPA - Andean Trade Preference Act

ATPI - Andean Trade Preference Initiative

AUMA - "Die Ausstellungs- und Messe-Ausschuss der Deutschen, Wirtschaft"

Ausfuhrkredit-Gesellschaft - AKA (English: Export Credit Establishment) is an association of German banks which provide medium and long-term funding for exports.

Ausstellungs (Die) - und Messe-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft - "AUMA (German: the German Industry Council for Exhibitions and Trade Fairs) promotes exports by bringing together government, semiprivate, and private organizations in the coordination of domestic and overseas trade events. AUMA is a private organization "

Automated Broker Interface - "ABI, a part of Customs' Automated Commercial System, permits transmission of data pertaining to merchandise being imported into the United States. Qualified participants include brokers, importers, carriers, port authorities, and independent data process"

Automated Commercial System - "The Customs Service's Automated Commercial System, ACS, is a joint public-private sector computerized data processing and telecommunications system linking customhouses, members of the import trade community, and other government agencies with the Customs"

Automated Information Exchange - "AIES, a part of Customs' Automated Commercial System, allows for exchange of classification and value information between field units and headquarters. "

Automated Manifest Systems - "AMS, a part of Customs' Automated Commercial System (ACS) controls imported merchandise from the time a carrier's cargo manifest is electronically transmitted to Customs until control is relinquished to another segment of the ACS. "

Automated Trade Locator Assistance Network - "ATLAS is a Small Business Administration-sponsored, contractor-operated, automated system which provides market research information and statistics on world markets by SIC code (and possibly harmonized system). Indirect access is available for businesses."

AUTOVON - Automatic Voice Network

Aux. - Auxiliary Vessel

Av. - Average

Av. disbts. - Average disbursements

AVE - Ad Valorem Equivalent

AWB - Airway Bill