O/A: Open Account.
O&R: Ocean and rail.
OBLIGORS: All principals and sureties so shown on a Customs Bond or other financial guarantees required to be given under the Customs laws to secure a transaction by specifically binding such parties to certain described covenants.
OCEAN BILL OF LADING: A receipt for cargo and a contract for transportation between a shipper and the ocean carrier.
O.E.M.: Original equipment manufacturer.
OFFSET: A government imposed restriction on the amount of certain goods that can be imported and that must be balanced by an equal amount of goods exported.
O/N: Order notify.
ON BOARD BILL OF LADING: A bill of lading issued by the steamship company confirming the receipt of merchandise and the fact that it was loaded on board the ocean vessel.
ON-HAND NOTICE: A carrier-prepared document used to notify the consignor and the consignee that a delivery cannot be completed, usually for reasons beyond the carrier's control.
OPEN INSURANCE POLICY: A marine insurance policy that applies to all shipments made by an exporter over a period of time rather than to a single shipment.
OPPORTUNITY COSTS: The expected returns of one activity which are foregone in order to pursue other activities or projects. This term is often used in financial evaluation of project feasibility, and refers to the foregone investment in comparable securities.
OPTICAL SCANNERS: Reading devices used in material handling to automatically record and count to complete sortation, stocking and picking.
ORDER BILL OF LADING: A form used by the shipper when payment is desired before goods are delivered to the consignee. This bill allows the shipment to be turned over only to the person named specifically thereon.
ORDER CLERK: The person responsible for reading and ensuring the accuracy of orders.
ORDER NOTIFY: A document used for goods consigned or destined to the order of a person or company named on the bill of lading.
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER: A manufacturer of products which become components or parts of the product of a second manufacturer.
ORIGINATING CARRIER: The first carrier to receive a shipment of merchandise from the shipper.
O.R.M.: Other regulated material.
O.S.: Out of stock.
O.S.&D. REPORT: Over, short, and damage report prepared by the warehouse receiver. It provides the raw material for settlement of a potential claim against the shipper and/or the common carrier.
O.S.H.A.: Occupational Safety and Health Act. A federal law to regulate and inspect safety practices in the workplace. Also Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
O.T.: On truck or railway.
OUTAGE: A quantity of some item lost in transportation or storage.
OUTSIDE DIMENSION (O.D.): The exterior dimension of a container or package. In drums it is the diameter measured over the rolling hoops.
OUTWARD FOREIGN VOYAGE: A vessel's route of progress commencing at the port where cargo or passengers are first laden for carriage to a foreign destination and terminating at the port of final discharge of outbound passengers or cargo. (19CFR4.90)
OVERHEAD COST: The costs which are not directly attributable to a specific item, but are still part of the total cost. They include janitorial costs, hat, power, light, maintenance, depreciation, taxes and insurance.
OVERSHIPMENT: A shipment containing more than originally ordered.