Glossary

The following are the main definitions of the key concepts in the planning and execution of logistics and port activities carried out by the Port of Cartagena Group.

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Accident

An undesired event that may result in injury, illness, or death of persons, property damage, or other losses.

Accident (2)

Damage or claim formalized to the insurance company.

Arrival draughts

A reading by the crew of the draught indicated at the bow and stern of a vessel when docking at the site.

Arrival at port

Date and time a vessel arrives in port, as recorded at the maritime authority’s pilot station. Eventually, it means the set of activities done to attend a vessel in port, from its arrival to its departure in the same trip.

Audit program

A set of one or more audits planned for a given period of time for a specific purpose.

Audit plan

Description of the activities and agreed details of an audit.

Audit evidence

Records, statements, or other information that are verifiable and relevant to the audit criteria.

Audit closing

Final stage of the audit process where the audit findings are discussed and agreed upon and the audit plan is finalized.

Audit findings

The result of an audit, which is provided by the audit team after considering the audit objectives and findings.

Adjuster

Intermediary between the insurance company and the organization who is in charge of defining the value of the damages and the percentage the insurance company will pay for their repair.

Adjust records

Make a modification to the system records due to an inconsistency between the SAC-400 and SPARCS systems, to reflect the logical container movement made.

Anchoring

Safe point to which personal fall protection equipment, with certified breaking strength and safety factor, designed and certified for installation by a manufacturer and/or a qualified person, can be connected. It can be fixed or mobile, depending on the need.

ARIM

Authorization of withdrawal/entry of merchandise.

ARL (Labor Risks Administrator)

Entity that prevents, attends, and protects workers from accidents and/or illnesses that may occur as a result or consequence of their work.

Abandoned merchandise

Situation in which merchandise that has not been withdrawn from the port is found in the warehouse and the term has expired.

Audited Party

Organization, area, or process being audited.

Authorized personnel

Persons in charge of entering a confined space and performing a specific job. They are responsible for the use of personal protective equipment and for complying with the procedures established for such work.

Auditor

Person in charge of conducting an audit.

Audit

Systematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining audit evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which audit criteria are met.

 

B/L or bill of lading

Bill of lading or document that the shipper issues as certification that it has received the merchandise to be delivered at the destination.

Baan and/or Zeus

Computer system to support administrative and financial activities.

Bad weather

Weather conditions that slow down or stop the operation, making it very risky.

Baplie

Electronic document showing stowage positions.

Berth

Operation by which a ship is secured to the berthing site, installing its warps or ropes in the berth's fastening cleats.

Barge

Large boat, generally without a sail or engine, used during ships’ loading and unloading operations, as well as in port work and different services. It usually needs a tugboat to move. They are intended for river navigation.

Bay

In the stowage plan, it represents a series of cross sections of a vessel that constitute a bay. Bays are numbered from bow to stern, using odd numbers (01-03-05-07-09) for 20-foot containers; a 40-foot container occupies two 20-foot bays and uses even numbers./p>

For example, a container located in bays 03/05 is usually represented by the number 04.

Boom

Part of the gantry crane, it is the metallic structure where the trolley moves. In a Reach Stacker, it is the mechanical arm located at the front of the Reach Stacker that extends and retracts, with a spreader located at the upper end.

Bulk cargo

Set of particles, non-enumerable grains, or liquids not packaged in a module independent of the means of transport, whose global identification is made by its nature, weight, and/or volume, and that due to its handling emits particulate matter into the environment harmful to human health.

Bow

Front section of the vessel.

 

Corrective action

Action taken to eliminate the cause of a nonconformity.

CAL (Container Announcement List)

Container list, which shows the identification of each module to be loaded or unloaded on a specific vessel.

Cruise passenger

Any person who pays for a ticket to travel on a cruise ship.

Contamination surveyor

Representative of the maritime authority on board a vessel during the intake, delivery, or transfer of fuels.

Covers

Maritime operations are delayed or halted due to the loading or unloading of a vessel cover.

Captain

Superior chief of the ship, in charge of its management and direction. It is vested with the authority, powers, and duties set forth in the "code of commerce" and other pertinent regulations.

Cargo

Articles of any kind that are or will be transported in a container or otherwise. Containerized and non-containerized merchandise are included within this definition.

Cargo announcement

SAC-400 module to look up vessels and cargo scheduled to arrive.

Cargo owner

Legal or natural person who owns the cargo. For imports, it is identified as the consignee, or who the transport document (b/l) is issued to.

Containerized cargo

Cargo transferred to or from containerized vessels and stored in the same modules.

Cabotage port

A port that can only be used for operations between Colombian ports.

Confined spaces

Any space with limited space to enter/exit and unfavorable ventilation in which toxic or flammable contaminants may accumulate, or which may have an oxygen-deficient atmosphere and which is not intended to be continuously occupied by the worker.

Container movement

Effect produced on the container by loading, unloading, or mobilization with dock or yard port equipment. Movement is the physical unit for collection purposes. MSDS-Material Safety Data Sheets.

Commercial Registry

Its purpose is to keep the registration of merchants and commercial establishments, as well as the registration of all acts, books, and documents when required by law. Commercial registration is done at the Chamber of Commerce.

Check in

The process by which a receptionist registers the arrival of a customer at a hotel, airport, or port.

Consequential damages

All costs related to transportation, loss of business, loss of profits, etc., which may be incurred as a consequence of an accident or issue.

Crane mobilization

Maritime operations may be delayed or halted due to unscheduled mobilization of dockside cranes, according to operation requirements.

Cruise Terminal

Area of the terminal designated for receiving and attending cruise ship passengers and crew members.

Certification for safe work at heights

This means having a certificate for being trained for safe work at heights or a certificate in that area of work.

Certificate of existence and legal representation

Documents certifying that a specific person has been identified as the legal representative of a legal entity in the scope of its professional or commercial activity.

CFS (Container Freight Station)

Containerized cargo operations station where the processes of consolidation, deconsolidation, porting, stockpiling, and stacking of cargo coming from the modules or being taken to the modules are carried out.

Combustible

Any material capable of violently releasing energy when oxidized, with gradual heat release. It involves the release of an energy from its potential form (binding energy) to a usable form.

Connector

Any certified equipment that allows the worker's harness to be attached to the anchorage point.

Connections/disconnections

Connection and disconnection to refrigerated containers both on board the vessels and in yards.

Consortium

An economic association in which a number of companies seek to develop a joint activity through the creation of a new company, without losing their legal status.

Container

Any standardized 20', 40', 45' containers, including flat racks, platforms, climate controlled, refrigerated, and tanks.

Complaint

Expression of criticism, protest, dissatisfaction, or disagreement by the client regarding an inadequate provision of service or irregular conduct by those involved. This does not entail a disbursement of money to the customer, but may result in a non-conforming service.

Corrective maintenance

All repair services and replacement of elements done on equipment with failures or defects, which affect the equipment’s availability for operation by limiting its proper functioning in the short or long term.

Cross Docking

This activity consists of sending the goods directly from the production plant to the place of sale, passing through a warehouse where the cross docking operation is carried out. It is used to reduce costs and entry times for fast moving and perishable goods.

For land transport, it is the procedure by which goods are unloaded from a vehicle (e.g. the truck in which it made the long-distance journey) and—without intermediate storage—are transferred to another vehicle (or container) to continue its journey or distributed to its destination.

Crew member

Any person who is in the service of any means of transportation during the course of a commercial journey.

Cut off

Time in which the shipped goods must be properly prepared and documented at the marine terminal. This is stipulated by the different shipping lines’ operations manuals.

Cleat

Structure where the moorings of a vessel are secured.

Claim

The right of any person to demand, request, or require a solution, whether for general or particular reasons, in reference to the improper provision of a service or delay in addressing a request as part of what was expected or agreed upon. The claim brings about a disbursement of money, either by exoneration, discount, refund, fines, collection of policies, or other.

Customs broker

Customs brokerage agents. Formerly called Customs Brokerage Company (SIA, as per its acronym in Spanish.

Comprehensive social security system

Balanced set of public and private entities, rules, and procedures that make up the general regimes established for pensions, health, occupational risks, and complementary social services as defined in Law 100 of 1993.

Customs brokerage company

Legal entity whose main corporate purpose is customs brokerage, for which it must obtain authorization from the DIAN.

 

Damage report

List or report of damages caused to equipment, infrastructure, or vessels.

Damage

Damage, loss.

Damaged cargo

Delay or stoppage of the maritime operation caused because the mobilized cargo has some type of damage, such as holes, perforations, or other modification of its normal condition.

Dangerous atmosphere

Atmosphere that may expose workers to risk of death, serious injury, illness, or impaired ability to self-rescue in an unaided space due to oxygen deficiency, flammable gases, or toxic or irritating gases and vapors.

Dock cranes

Refers to gantry and mobile cranes.

Deductible

Value to be assumed by the organization in the indemnities paid by the insurance.

Departure draughts

A reading by the crew of the draught indicated at the bow and stern of a vessel when undocking from the site.

Dock replacement

Delay in the maritime operation caused by changes in the location of the dock or in the location of the crane.

Demurrage

Penalty for delay and non-compliance with the agreed deadlines in the stevedoring/unloading operation, incurred by the stevedore with respect to the contracting party.

Departure

A vessel leaving the port.

De Facto Partnerships

A company that does not have its own legal personality and is independent of those who constitute it. As a general rule, de facto partnerships are not registered. However, if the de facto partnership has a commercial establishment, it must be registered within the month following the opening date.

Delayed cargo

Partial delivery of the cargo to the warehouse and/or cargo consignee under a defined sequence to optimize the operation of the wharfage company.

Deconsolidation

Opening the seal and doors of a container and emptying its contents. It includes all resources and activities necessary for the provision of such services.

Disembarkation

Transfer of cargo from the deck or hold of a vessel to land, including cargo moved for stowage or unstowage purposes. It includes all the resources and activities necessary for the provision of such service.

DIAN

National Directorate of Taxes and Customs.

Direct withdrawal cargo

Cargo whose delivery between the shipper and the consignee, or its representative, is made without being stored at the port and is delivered directly to the transport vehicles after unloading.

Docuware

A program that electronically manages documents and allows efficient and fast filing and recordkeeping on a computer.

Duty free

Any legal person, authorized by the national customs office, that has a premises located in international airports to store and sell national or foreign merchandise that is exempt from customs duties to passengers in international transit or to national or foreign travelers leaving the country.

Duty paid

Definition of sales of taxable items.

Dock

A structure built in 'navigable' waters to facilitate the mooring and/or unmooring of vessels and the embarkation and/or disembarkation of merchandise or passengers.

Dry cargo

Goods that do not require refrigeration or any specific treatment, but must be under cover, as they cannot get wet. Products considered to be dry cargo are: footwear, textiles, toys, furniture, boxes, machinery, etc.

 

E.I.R.

Equipment Interchange Recipt.

E.T.A. (estimated time of arrival)

It is the declaration, by a ship agent, of the estimated date and time of arrival of a vessel.

E.T.B. (estimated time of berthing)

The estimated date and time a ship agent requests a vessel to berth at a berthing site.

E.T.D. (estimated time of departure)

It is the declaration, by a ship agent, of a vessel’s estimated departure date and time.

Early passengers

Passengers arriving at the port facility for embarkation before the time set by the cruise line.

Ediexcel

Standard electronic form supplied by shipping agencies that has the containers to be loaded or unloaded.

Equipment damage

Technical failures of dockside cranes can cause delays or halt maritime operations.

EPS (Public Healthcare Provider)

Entities responsible for the affiliation and registration of their affiliates, as well as for the collection of their contributions (delegated by Fosyga).

Electrical substation

An installation designed to modify and establish the voltage levels of an electrical infrastructure in order to facilitate the transport and distribution of electrical energy.

Electronic contribution payments

Form that can be filled out online. This allows users to make payments to the integral social security system electronically.

Explosiveness

This is the percentage of gases with respect to air, meaning the mixture may be explosive.

 

Fall protection lanyard

A system comprised of rope, webbing, cable, or other materials that allows the worker to be attached to the harness at the anchorage point. Its function is to stop a person's fall by absorbing the energy of the fall so that the maximum load on the worker is 900 pounds.

F.C.L. (full container load)

The condition of a container loaded with a single consignee’s goods and handled only by that consignee. Delivery from the shipper to the consignee or his/her representative must be made without the module being previously opened and emptied at the port premises.

Fairplay

Tool to obtain information on ports and shipping lines.

Free warehouse

Place authorized by the DIAN for the storage, exhibition, and sale of goods to travelers entering or leaving the national customs territory.

Find400

SAC400 module to check the information recorded and that serves as a support tool for the different processes carried out in the system.

Firefighting equipment

Equipment used to extinguish any type of outbreak of fire during intake, delivery, or transfer.

Focal point

Person designated by the shipping lines to carry out the necessary operational coordination for the development and fulfillment of the operating programs at the terminal. Responsible for informing the shipping company of the stowage characteristics of the cargo to be loaded and unloaded, and for supervising the execution of the instructions to carry out these operations.

Fosyga (solidarity and guarantee fund)

Account under to the Ministry of Health managed by a fiduciary, without legal status or its own plant, whose resources are allocated for health investments.

Fuel intake

Receipt of fuel or oil on board a vessel. It can be delivered by a tank truck or naval craft.

Fuel delivery

Provision of fuel, using its own means, to another vessel, tank truck, or naval artifact.

Full body harness

Personal protective equipment designed to distribute the impact generated during a fall to various parts of the body. It is manufactured with properly secured straps and includes elements to connect equipment and secure it to an anchor point. It must be certified under a national or internationally accepted standard.

 

Gantry

Crane movement on quay rails driven by an electro-mechanical system.

Gantry crane

Equipment composed of a metallic structure with a gantry design, used for lifting and moving containers and cargo.

General Power of Attorney

Conferred for all business of the mandator.

General Superintendence of Ports

Entity in charge of implementing policies, programs, projects, rules, and regulations related to maritime port activity. As an entity that is part of the national transportation system—in charge of presenting proposals for port sector development—it has a major role in defining integrated coastal management policies.

The Superintendency must submit all its executive and administrative acts to the environmental rules and regulations established by both the Ministry of the Environment and the Regional Autonomous Corporations in each area of its jurisdiction. For this reason, when granting concessions for the use of beaches and low tide areas to both public and private port companies—which intend to develop ports, docks, or piers in these sites—the regulation of the concession regime must be subject to the respective environmental licenses, permits, and authorizations granted by the environmental authorities.

Regarding port work of public interest, the Superintendency must previously consult with Dimar and the environmental authorities on the convenience, necessity, and mechanisms to mitigate the environmental impact generated by that type of work. .

GRT

Gross Register Tonnage.

General cargo

Any type of non-liquid or solid bulk cargo whose nature, form, packaging, or standardized condition determines how it is handled, stored, and transported.

General breakbulk cargo

All general cargo, except containerized cargo.

 

Hose connection

The action of joining or connecting the tank where the fuel will be stored by means of an appropriate hose to the vehicle that transports it.

Hook (crane or jib)

A vessel element located at the end of forklifts (cranes, winches, or jib cranes) used to attach or hook props used to load or unload cargo. Eventually, it is used as a reference point to outline the breakdown of responsibilities over the cargo, in the different types of freight contracts.

Hot work

Any work involving the use of open flame, arc welding, cutting with oxy-acetylene equipment, grinding, and work on power sites.

 

ICG front retail

IT tool that processes and records transactional information on sales made at the cruise terminal's duty paid stores.

In-bond warehouse

A specific place, under the customs authority’s control, where imported goods or goods to be exported are temporarily located. These are not subject to import duties or customs service fees. They are also called bonded warehouses.

ICG manager

Computer tool that processes and registers transactional information of sales and inventories of the duty free store.

ICA

International Cargo Agents.

Issue

Minor event or accident, which apparently has no responsible party or record of how it happened.

IMDG

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code.

IMO

Acronym for the International Maritime Organization.

IMO Cargo

Merchandise classified as such by the International Maritime Organization, as described in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code.

ISPS Code

Agreement of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a security measure against terrorism and illicit acts of a global nature with the possibility of occurring in the maritime sector.

IMS

Integrated Management System.

Improvement action

After analyzing and identifying the causes, this is an action taken to eliminate a detected deviation or other undesired situation.

Independent cargo (PSM)

Cargo that does not require the use of a vehicle for its transportation.

Incident

An event that causes an accident or has the potential to become an accident.

Indemnification

Payment for financial loss or damage.

Indirect withdrawal cargo

Cargo whose delivery between the shipper and the consignee, or its representative, is done through a warehouse and, after unloading, is deposited in the port’s storage area.

Immobilizations

Requests to block merchandise made by the competent authority.

Inspection and visit by authorities

Refers to a stop or delay of the maritime operation caused by inspections or visits made by the authorities.

Instructions

Document that specifically describes in detail how to develop a specific activity (tasks, principles, rules, and techniques), in order to guarantee its effectiveness and control. It is usually derived from a procedure.

Intermediary companies

Those that carry out activities for clients who own cargo by means of mandate, power of attorney, transport contract, or other document. For example, customs brokers, shipping agents, shippers, international shippers, consolidators, and, in general, port service providers.

In-transit cargo

Cargo unloaded from a vessel to the port to later be loaded onto another vessel or means without having been verified as having temporarily or partially left the primary zone to be transported to its final destination. These are foreign goods passing through the country, when this is part of a total journey that begins abroad and must be completed abroad.

Interchange

Physical inspection of the containers, where the containers’ condition is determined during reception and delivery, which is carried out by a qualified inspector.

International vessel registration

Vessel registration number issued by Lloyd's register of shipping, London.

Iso Code

International standard for assigning a unique code to cargo containers.

Itracks

Vehicle inventory control software.

 

Jira

It is a web application used to place service orders for software support.

 

Lashing

Fastening of the cargo to the vessel’s structure, which includes personnel and materials to carry out this activity. Materials may be provided by the customer, the shipper, the vessel, or the stevedore, depending on the nature of the agreement.

L.C.L. (less than container load)

Condition of a container loaded with merchandise belonging one or more consignees, handled by the carrier. The delivery of the cargo from the shipper or transporter to the consignee or his/her representative must be made after the module has been emptied at the port premises.

Landing operator

Company in charge of the shipping process.

Legal entity

Collective or legal entity resulting from the association of individuals, which is independent of the individuals that comprise it and has legal status.

Legalized merchandise

Merchandise that is salvaged by means of a legalization declaration within one month of being abandoned.

Locking module

Computerized tool that allows for users to block or make inquiries about cargo.

Loading

Moving a container or cargo from the port to a vessel.

Legal status

Corporations or associations that form a group of persons of real or physical existence.

Liner cargo

Cargo whose stowage/unloading on a given vessel is done by the shipowner or his/her representative.

Lloyds and scale

Unique international identification number for each cargo vessel, and sequence of berths in the same port.

 

Mandate

Consensual contract by which one of the parties, called the mandator, entrusts its representation, the performance of a service, or the management of a business to another person, called the agent.

Manifest

It is the document that supports the transportation of merchandise before the different authorities, when these are mobilized in public service vehicles, by contracting legally constituted cargo transportation companies authorized by the Ministry of Transportation.

Maritime Authority

Entity that executes the government's maritime policy on behalf of the State. It authorizes, directs, coordinates, controls, and monitors the development of maritime and fluvial activities in its jurisdiction and determines the requirements for registering, granting, and renewing the licenses of natural and legal persons engaged in such activities. Currently, it is made up of the General Maritime Directorate and its port captaincies. When deemed necessary, the national maritime authority, with respect to the maritime and inland waterway pilotage activity, shall exercise its functions in coordination with the entity in charge of monitoring and controlling port terminals.

Maritime unloading of merchandise

It consists of unstowing and placing the cargo on the dead center of the crane on board the ship, lifting and unloading the cargo onto the ship's deck, and lowering it onto the dock or onto the means of transport (truck). The cargo is free of rigging.

Maneuvering rope

Any of the ropes used on board, which, depending on their thickness, consist of two, three, or four strands. This one in particular is strong enough to support the movement of a larger vessel.

Main or reducing electrical substation

An electrical substation designed to reduce the voltage level to values usually ranging from 13.2, 15, 20, 45, or 66 kilowatts. In addition, it provides power to the distribution network.

Maintenance plan

Set of activities that allow constant control of equipment, components, and/or installations. It includes conservation, repair, restoration, and overhaul work necessary to ensure the system functions properly in the correct conditions.

Mobile crane

Equipment composed of a vertical metallic structure, supported by four outriggers, which has a reticulated boom and is used to lift and move containerized or non-containerized cargo.

Maneuver

Movement of the vessel in the water. Generic name given to a set of ropes and/or rigging.

Mapping

Parameterization of the items in which the characteristics of the product are established as reference, price (in dollars), type of item, purchase tax rate, sales tax rate, cost (in Colombian pesos).

MARPOL 73/78

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973) and its respective protocol (1978) with subsequent amendments.

Master-key

Port entry card that can be used to generate multiple entries and multiple exits. It is used for special processing in different cases.

Maximo

A system that provides complete support for asset, maintenance, resource, and parts supply chain management needs.

Maximum length

Length of the vessel measured in its longitudinal plane between the furthest protruding points from bow to stern. Measured in meters.

Mobilizations

Authorizations for the release of goods immobilized by the competent authority.

Mty (empty container)

Abbreviation for an empty container.

Muisca

Acronym for the Single Revenue, Services, and Automatic Control Model.

Ministry of National Defense Port

A port permanently constituted or operated by the Nation, through the Ministry of National Defense.

Maritime agency

Representative of the vessel in a given port. It is responsible for notifying and processing docking and undocking permits before the competent authorities. It also informs port operators of the vessels’ docking and departure times.

Mooring

Operation consisting of securing the vessel to the dock front by means of warps, ropes, chains, or cables, including all land resources and activities necessary for the provision of such services.

 

Naval vessels

Any floating construction (other than a ship) auxiliary to navigation but not intended for navigation, although it may move on the water to accomplish its specific purposes.

Natural person

Individual.

Non-conforming product or service

It is a service or product that fails to comply with a requirement established with the customer.

Non-owner operating travel agency

Travel agency operators that are not commercially related to the cruise lines and that provide services to independent tourists. These agencies are classified as:

  • Occasional travel agency operator.
  • Travel agency operators that are not commercially related to the cruise lines and that provide their services to independent tourists on a regular basis.
  • Regular travel agency operator.
  • Travel agency operators that are not commercially related to the cruise lines and that frequently provide their services to independent tourists.
  • Travel agency operator.
  • Travel agency operators that are commercially related to the cruise lines.

Notice of readiness (NOR)

Letter issued by the ship's captain, in the case of ocean cargoes, addressed to shippers and consignees, informing them that the vessel is ready to start loading/unloading operations.

 

Oil record book

Fuel log book.

Official Port

A port whose infrastructure belongs to a port company in which a public entity owns more than 50% of the capital. Official ports may be public service or private service ports.

Operating Agency

Maritime agency in charge of looking after the interests of the shipping line that owns the vessel.

Oversized cargo

Cargo that exceeds the normal margins of the containers or packaging used for this type of cargo, making it difficult to handle and stack in the storage areas. In addition, moving this cargo requires special equipment, accessories, or resources, and also requires additional supervision and safety standards in its operation.

 

Packing list

Document detailing the contents and identification of the cargo inside a container and, eventually, the position it occupies in the module.

Power shortage

Maritime operations are delayed or halted because of a failure to supply the dockside cranes with the electricity required to operate them.

Port maneuver

Assistance provided by a tugboat to a vessel in a specific port. It can be considered from vessel escort to assistance in arriving at or departing from a marine terminal.

Port clearance

Instance in which the vessel is authorized for entry by the maritime authority, an act that allows the stowage/unstowage operations and embarkation/disembarkation of passengers and/or crew members to start.

Port operator

Company that provides services in the ports—directly related to the port entity—such as loading and unloading, storage, pilotage, towing, stevedoring, loading and unloading, ground handling or porterage of cargo, dredging, classification, surveying, and utilities.

Port equipment

Groups of equipment operating in the port.

Pre-operational meeting

Gathering of personnel involved in the port operation of a vessel in order to coordinate and give instructions on the activities to be carried out.

Port activity

Port activities, construction, operation, and administration of ports and port terminals, as well as filling, dredging, and ocean engineering work are considered port activities. In general, these are all activities carried out in ports and port terminals, wharfs, buildings on beaches and low tide areas, and on riverbanks where there are port facilities.

Port Authority

They are port authorities within the scope of their respective competences.

Port society

Corporations incorporated with private, public, or mixed capital, whose corporate purpose is to invest in the construction and maintenance of ports and their administration. Port societies may also provide loading and unloading services, port storage services, and other services directly related to port activities.

The commercial registration is mandatory and must be done within the month following the company’s incorporation or operation permit.

 

Preventive maintenance

All services of systematic inspections, adjustments, conservation, and elimination of defects, which seek to reduce the frequency and impact of failures without affecting the equipment’s availability. This type of maintenance allows work to be planned so that assets are kept running efficiently.

Preventive action

Action taken to eliminate the cause of a potential nonconformity or other potentially undesirable situation.

Port Clearance

Document generated by the port authorities at the ship's dispatch, which authorizes the vessel's departure.

Port users

Shipowners, cargo owners, port operators and, in general, any person who uses the facilities or receives services at the port.

PFA (Pension Fund Administrators)

An entity whose objective is to manage its members’ pension savings and maximize them in order to provide the best possible income when they stop working.

Planned inspections

Systematic tour of a complete area, with a broad and comprehensive approach. These inspections may involve reviews of company equipment, tools, and materials and their use by employees, supplemented by observation of tasks.

Pila (Integrated Contribution Settlement Form)

System that allows contributors to make the integrated payment of social security and other parafiscal contributions, either electronically or over the phone.

Pilot

Experienced seaman who drives vessels in dangerous or heavily trafficked waters, such as harbors, narrow channels, or rivers.

Personal protective equipment

As applicable, this includes life vests, safety harnesses, helmets, protective shoes, safety goggles, gloves, ear plugs, and respirators.

Procedure

Document that contains the description of the activities in a process, and includes the what, how, and who required for each activity.

Process

A set of sequential and interdependent phases or stages that transform input elements into output elements.

Port services provider

Natural or legal person engaged in providing port services to port operators registered at the terminal.

Port

It is the set of physical elements—including work, access channels, and service facilities—that take advantage of an area with favorable conditions on the coast or river bank, to carry out loading and unloading operations of all kinds of vessels and exchange of merchandise between land, maritime, and/or river traffic.

The port contains port terminals, docks, and piers.

Port concession

Administrative contract by virtue of which the Nation, through the General Superintendence of Ports, allows a port company to temporarily and exclusively occupy and use the beaches, low tide lands, and accessory areas to build and operate a port. This is done in exchange for an economic consideration in favor of the country and the municipalities or districts where the ports operate.

Port services

For the purposes of these regulations, port services are understood to be those derived from the definition given for port activity in Article 3 of these regulations. Likewise, the classification of port services of Resolution 0478 of 1999 issued by the Superintendence of Ports and Transportation is taken into account.

Private service port

A port where services are provided only to companies legally or economically bound to the port company that owns the infrastructure.

Public service port

A port where services are provided to all who are willing to pay the fees and comply with operation conditions.

Port enabled for foreign trade

A port for foreign trade operations.

Private port

A port whose infrastructure belongs to a port company in which individuals own more than 50% of the capital.

Private ports may be public service or private service ports.

Push point

Section where the tugboat approach and apply pressure on the hull to move the vessel.

 

Railing

Barrier installed at the edge of a site to prevent the possibility of a fall. It must guarantee a load-bearing capacity and have a top grab rail—a barrier placed at ground level to prevent objects from falling—and an intermediate rail or barrier to prevent people from passing between the top rail and the bottom barrier.

Refrigerated cargo

Cargo stored at a controlled temperature.

RD

Trucks with trailers.

Reach Stacker

Vehicle equipment used for stacking containers. In its front part it has a boom that extends and retracts, and has a spreader at its upper end.

Recap in SPARCS

Summary created by the SPARCS system that lists the containers in a vessel that need to be unloaded, loaded, and stowed.

Refrigerated containers

Also known as reefer containers. They are used to transport goods at low temperatures, such as fruit, flowers, vegetables, meats, and dairy products. These have a complete and integral refrigeration machine that is capable of maintaining internal temperatures between 25 and -25 degrees Celsius.

Recovery

Collection of the value paid to as a consequence of the damages to the responsible third parties.

Request or suggestion

Proposal, idea, or indication presented by a client to influence or improve a process related to the provision of the service or the performance of the organization in this task.

Return temperature

Internal container temperature.

River port

A port located on the banks of a navigable waterway, suitable and conditioned for river activities.

Requirement

An established need or expectation, usually implicit or mandatory.

Report on inconsistencies or irregularities

Document by means of which shortages, surpluses, or irregularities found between the data consigned in the transport document and the state of the merchandise received are recorded.

Row

Longitudinal sections are represented by number systems assigned from sea to land.

RTG

Acronym for rubber-tired gantry. It is a diesel electric gantry crane, supported on rubber tires with an adjustable telescopic spreader, used for lifting, moving, and stacking containers.

 

SA

Shipment authorization.

SAC-400

The organization’s computerized administrative system for cargo.

SAR

Shipping Authorization Request.

Salesforce

CRM (customer relationship management) software that manages customer service interactions with users.

Salvage

Assistance provided to a vessel when a loss, accident, or failure occurs or when the vessel is in danger of loss.

Salvage (insurance)

Items damaged by an accident that can be sold to reduce the loss.

Insurance or policy

A contract whereby the organization transfers the risks of accidents or potential claims to an insurer by means of an established premium.

Seal

Security seal, a type of lock, with a number, used on containers to secure cargo.

Scheduling appointment control

SPRCOnline module to consult availability of appointments for container withdrawal.

Shipowner

A person who commercially or non-commercially operates a ship or naval vessel, and who is responsible for its navigation. In terms of ownership, the shipowner may or may not be the owner of the vessel.

Ship

Extent and limits of an audit.

Scope of the audit

Extent and limits of an audit.

Shipping documents and instructions

Delay or halt of maritime operations as a result of an order given by the shipping line the vessel is operating for, or due to any inconvenience with the documents of any cargo being moved in the operation.

Shipowner or captain

A natural or legal person, which may or may not be the owner of the vessel, who operates the vessel and dispatches on its behalf.

Severity

A term that refers to the level of severity or criticality of an incident or accident..

Service number

It is the unique number assigned by sac400 to individually identify each activity with the client regarding cargo entered at the port for import or export. The purpose of this is to group and invoice the services provided while at the port.

Shore excursions

Shore excursions organized, on behalf of a cruise line, by independent organizations that carry out the various tours in the destination cities.

Shore pass

Document stamped by the immigration authorities to allow a ship's crew members to leave the port.

Ship agent or shipping agent

A natural or legal person who acts in the name and on behalf of the shipowner (the owner or captain of a vessel), for all acts and/or formalities concerning vessel services in the port of consignment.

Simulation

Simulation that measures the behavior of the personnel in charge of following spill procedures. It tests their reaction to special situations, which are structured as closely as possible to real emergencies.

Seized merchandise

Precautionary measure that involves the customs authority withholding merchandise.

Sirius

Contecar's computer system.

Sisnar

System for managing issues, accidents, and claims.

Sopep (Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plans)

Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plans. This is the emergency plan for fuel spills produced by ships.

Sortie container

Equipment or physical installation used to preserve the cold chain of perishable products that need to be refrigerated and/or frozen.

Spot inspections

Inspections of a company’s specific area or equipment, with a broad approach, trying to identify as many substandard conditions as possible.

Special treatment refrigerated containers

They are containers that use refrigeration techniques in order to control the internal atmospheres of the container, thus seeking to preserve product conditions. There are different technologies such as afam, autofresh, transfresh, purefresh, maxtend, cold treatment, extrafresh, xtendfresh, and others.

SPARCS

Computer system used as a support tool for planning, implementing, and monitoring the operations of a container terminal. It integrates, in real time, all container transfer activities from a vessel to the storage modules or vice versa, as well as container movement activities in the yard.

SPRCOnline

IT tool that the Port of Cartagena Organization offers to its customers and users. It is used for them to exchange information, documents, and transactions necessary for the entry and withdrawal of cargo, without the need to travel to the port offices and without presenting physical documents.

Spreader

Separator used as a rigging device between the crane and the load to move the containers.

Staff

Logistical support personnel used by the operating travel agencies.

Stowage plan

Document containing the graphic representation of the arrangement of the cargo in the holds of the vessel, including the respective tonnages.

Special or specific power of attorney

That which is conferred or exercised in one or more specifically determined matters.

Stern

Rear section of the vessel.

Standard

A document that describes in detail the rules or techniques that must be complied with for an activity or task.

Stowage

Movement of the merchandise from the time they are suspended on the side of the vessel until they are definitively placed on board so that they cannot move or be damaged or deteriorated, occupying as little space as possible and arranged so that they can subsequently be handled easily. It is the stowage of cargo inside the holds of a ship or on its deck. It includes all resources and activities necessary for the provision of such services.

Signaler

Person in charge of physically signaling or giving radio instructions to the crane operator about the movements to be made. This person should be located in a place visible to the crane operator.

Secondary electrical substation or transformer station

An electrical installation that receives power at high voltage (30 kV) or medium voltage (10, 15, or 20 kV) and delivers it at medium or low voltage for final use, usually 400 volts in three-phase and 230 in single-phase.

SOPEP spill kit

Equipment composed of elements used to prevent fuel spills.

Syga and Comex

Customs information systems (DIAN).

Sub-standard conditions

Conditions of low operational safety that are high risk or entail imminent danger, which imply that the operation is delayed or stopped until it meets the established safety standards.

Special cargo

Cargo or container whose dimensions are outside the standard one or two TEUs.

Stability and stowage

When a vessel is heeled, or heeled over, this may cause operational delays due to the change in position of the containers in reference to the spreader of the dockside cranes.

Stubs

Authorizations for emptying, filling, inspections, and cargo movements.

 

TAG

Internal number for the identification of a truck circulating in the port.

Tarificador

SAC-400 module in which all commercial agreements and invoicing conditions with customers are recorded, which are automatically reflected in the service invoices.

Towing maneuver

This is carried out in order to assist a vessel or naval craft that does not have its own propulsion mechanism, either when exiting or entering ports, or when crossing through restricted waters.

Tally

Control of the quantity and condition of the merchandise transported by a vessel, which is carried out during loading and unloading operations by specialized personnel. The tally is the SPRC’s official document certifying the receipt and clearance of all merchandise entering or leaving the port facilities. There are several types of tally.

Toxic atmosphere

Atmosphere containing one or more gases or vapors in a concentration that is hazardous to health if breathed.

Tally Manager

Employee or trusted person of the company or of the stevedoring/unloading company who is in charge of documenting the merchandise transferred from the merchant ships, its reception, and delivery to customers or port warehouses.

Terminal

Area comprising the port facilities and accessory and adjacent areas given in concession to the Cartagena Regional Port Society and stipulated in concession contract No. 007 of July 8, 1993, as amended.

Temperature chart

When a customer ships perishable cargo, written instructions must be sent to the ship's captain about how to proceed with the goods, what temperature they need to be transported at, what variation of the cargo is allowed, etc.

Travel Agencies

Authorized commercial enterprises constituted by natural or legal persons who are professionally engaged in the exercise of tourism activities. They are aimed at providing services directly or as intermediaries between travelers and service providers.

Travel agency operators

Commercial companies constituted by natural or legal persons who are professionally engaged in the operation of tourism plans.

Terminal cut off

Date and time at which the port stipulates that all cargo to be loaded on a vessel must be physically inside the port, ready, properly documented, and cleared.

Note: The "terminal cut off" is different from the "cut off" established by the shipping lines.

Tier

It represents the height of the container inside the module. These are counted by twos, starting from height 02 and continuing through 04, 06, 08, and so on.

Tier (2)

It is the vertical column formed by a series of levels. Container stowage below deck is numbered evenly ascending from the bottom of the mn (02-04-06-08-10-12) and above deck evenly, but is preceded by 8 or 9 (82-84-86-88-90-92).

TIP (Truck In Progress)

Truck awaiting an operation, according to SPARCS.

To Come

At SPARCS, containers (full or empty) announced for inland entry to the port facility.

Tank truck

Vehicle in charge of transporting and delivering fuel to the vessel.

Transfer

Customs procedure whereby goods are transferred, under customs control, from one transport unit to another, or to the same unit on a different journey, so that they may continue to their destination in another country.

Fuel transfer

Movement of fuels from one tank to another tank on the same vessel.

Trolley

Metallic structure with wheels that serves as a trolley to move the cargo hanging from the boom of the crane. Movement only with the boom.

Twist lock

Device for securing containers on trucks.

Tyca

Third party module and access control of the SAC-400.

Tourism service provider

Natural or legal person registered in the national tourism registry which provides, intermediates, or contracts the provision of the services referred to in the general tourism law (Law 300 of 1996, Title viii, Chapter i, Articles 61 and 62) with the tourist.

Tugboat

Vessel specially built for towing ships and/or naval artifacts.

 

UPS

Device that has two basic functions. On the one hand, its batteries can provide electrical energy to all the devices connected to it in the event of an absence in the supply of electrical energy through the network.

On the other hand, it improves the quality of the electrical power supplied to the connected cargo by filtering voltage oscillations, thus providing a constant voltage.

Unloading

Moving a container or cargo from the vessel to the port.

Unstowage

Movement of the cargo from its location at the ship's edge until it is suspended on the ship's side for unloading. It means the unloading of cargo inside the holds of a vessel or on its deck, and includes all the resources and activities necessary for the provision of such service.

Unlashing

Release of the cargo from the elements securing it to the vessel. It includes all the resources and activities necessary for the provision of such service.

Users

Shipowners, shipping agents, cargo owners, customs agencies, shippers, port operators, tour operators, contractors, and in general all persons who use the port facilities or receive services from the cruise terminal.

UVI

Unique vessel identifier. Corresponds to a consecutive number that is assigned by the system when a vessel’s arrival announcement is registered.

 

Vans

A van is a cargo vehicle whose storage area is located at the rear. The van differs from a container truck (18 wheeler) in that it has a smaller number of axles and its storage area is fixed to the body.

Since the determining factor in differentiating between types of trucks and vehicles at the port is the type of cargo they can carry, it is understood that a cargo truck that does not have the capacity to load a container is also called a van for in-port operations.

VIN

Vehicle identification number.

Vessel

It is any construction intended for navigation, whatever its class or dimension.

Vessel (2)

A ship with the ability to stay afloat, which may be propelled by one or two engines.

Vessel reception

Set of tasks and actions to administratively receive a vessel at the port until it is ready to be attended by the operators or receive port clearance.

 

Waiting for trucks to unload

Maritime operations are delayed or halted when waiting for the trucks that are receiving the containers from the dockside cranes.

Waiting for loading

Maritime operations are delayed or halted when waiting for trucks carrying containers or cargo to be unloaded by cranes to the vessel.

Witness (internal or external)

Person who witnesses an accident or incident and can provide information about what happened.

Work at heights (TSA)

Any work, labor, or task that is performed at a height of 1.5 meters or more, under dangerous conditions that could affect the worker in an eventual fall, such as areas with obstacles, dangerous edges, protruding or sharp elements, power systems, moving machinery, or others.

 

Contact Lines

Cartagena de Indias

Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena (SPRC)

  • 605 660 7781

Terminal de Contenedores de Cartagena S.A. (Contecar)

  • 605 657 1750
  • Fax: 605 667 2995

Customer service and judicial notifications

Transparent contact

Transparent contact line

  • Report improper acts of officials or contractors
  • 605 660 7781 - 605 657 1750
  • Link to report

Attention offices

  • Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena (SPRC) - Manga Maritime Terminal
  • Terminal de Contenedores de Cartagena S.A. (Contecar) - Mamonal KM. 1

Hours of operation

  • Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 18:00 continuous day 18:00 - 22:00 additional day (only attended by cell phone 312 623 1735)
  • Saturdays from 8:00 to 13:00 continuous shift 13:00 - 16:00 additional shift (only attended by cell phone 312 623 1735)
  • Sundays and holidays 8:00 to 12:00 via cell phone 312-6231735

Sales Team

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