P

Private & Confidential

P & I

Protection and indemnity insurance

P & I Club

Protection & Indemnity Club. A mutual Association formed by shipowners to provide protection from large financial loss by one member by contribution towards that loss by all members. The P & I Clubs cover liabilities not insurable by the shipowner in th

P+C

Private & Confidential

P. & I.

Protection and indemnity

P. & L.

Profit and Loss

P. O. D.

Paid on delivery

P.A.

Particular average

P.A.N.

Premium advice note

P.B.

Permanent Bunkers

P.D.

Port dues

P.D.O.

Property damage only

P.G.

Persian Gulf

P.I.

Personal injury

P.I.A.

Peril insured against

P.I.L.

Premium income limit

P.L.

Public liability

P.L. 480

Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954.

P.L. 664

Mandates that 50 percent of government impelled cargoes be carried under U.S. flag. Known as the 50/50 shipping law.

P.M.L.

Probable maximum loss

P.O.D.

Pay on delivery, Port of distress

P.P.

Perpendicular

P.P.I

Policy proof of interest

P.S.T.

Pacific Standard Time

P.T.

Premium transfer

P/A

Particular average. Power of attorney. Private account

P/C

Price Current, Petty Cash, Percent, Particular charges, profit commission

P/E

Purchase enquiry

P/F

Pro Forma

P/G

Persian Gulf

P/L

Partial loss

P/N

Promissory note

P/S

Public sale

PA

Particular average

PAD

Pacific Australia Direct

PADAG

Abbreviation for Please Authorize Delivery Against Guarantee. A request from the consignee to the shipper to allow the carrier or agent to release cargo against a guarantee, either bank or personal. Made when the consignee is unable to produce original bills of lading.

PAIRED (PORT OF ARRIVAL IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND

A U.S. Customs program that allows entry documentation for an import shipment to be filed at one location, usually an inland city, while the merchandise is cleared by customs at the port of entry, normally a seaport. May be ineffective with certain types of high-risk cargoes, such as quota-regulated textiles or shipments from drug production regions. Cities where there is a natural flow of cargo are actually paired in the program; e.g., Atlanta, an inland city, is linked with Savannah, a seaport.

PAN

Panama

PANAMAX

A vessel designed to be just small enough to transit the Panama Canal

PANDC

Private & Confidential

PANDI

Protection and Indemnity's (Club) name

PAPERLESS RELEASE

Where part of an airline's scheduled flight is sold as if it were a charter in its own right. Often incorrectly used as a synonym for split charter.

PARTICULAR AVERAGE (PA)

Partial loss or damage to goods.

PASSENGER SHIP

A passenger ship that its authorized to carry over twelve passengers.

PASTUS

Past Us

PB

Permanent bunkers; poop and bridge

PBEC

Pacific Basin Economic Council

PBF

Poop, bridge and forecastle

PC

Period of Charter, Port Clearance; Port Consumption

PCC

Pure car carrier

PCGO

Part cargo, parcel cargo

PCM

Per calendar month (hire)

PCNT

Panama Canal Net Tonnage

PCT

Patent Cooperation Treaty

PCTC

Pure car and truck carrier

PD

Port dues

PDM

Punta De Madeira

PDPR

Per day pro-rata

PE

Centrally Planned Economy

PEC

President's Export Council

PECC

Pacific Economic Cooperation Council

PECSEA

President's Export Council, Subcommittee on Export, Administration

PEFC

Private Export Funding Corporation

PER CONTAINER RATE

Rates and/or changes on shipments transported in containers or trailers and rated on the basis of the category of the container or trailer.

PER SE

By Itself

PERDIEM

By the Day

PERISHABLES

Any cargo that loses considerable value if it is delayed in transportation. This usually refers to fresh fruit and vegetables

PERSONAL FLOATATION DEVICE

Approved floats meant as life preservers and carried on board American ships.

PERT

Progress evaluation and review technique

PF

Pro Forma

PFD

Personal Floatation Device

PFP

Policy Framework Paper

PFSO

Petroleum Floating Storage Offloading

PFT

Per freight ton

PG

Persian Gulf

PGH

Per Geared Hatch

PHC

Port handling charges

PHD

Per hatch day

PHIL

Philippines

PHO

Port health officer

PHPD

Per Hatch Per Day

PIC

Person in charge

PIGS

A railroad term for trailers loaded on flat cars

PILFERAGE

As used in marine insurance policies, the term denotes petty thievery-the taking of small parts of a shipment-as opposed to the theft of a whole shipment or large unit. Many ordinary marine insurance policies do not cover against pilferage, and when this coverage is desired it must be added to the policy.

PILOT

A person who is qualified to assist the master of a ship to navigate when entering or leaving a port.

PILOT HOUSE

The enclosed space on the navigating bridge from which a ship is controlled when under way.

PILOTAGE

The act carried out by a pilot of assisting the master of a ship in navigation when entering or leaving a port. Sometimes used to define the fee payable for the services of a pilot. Assisting the master of a ship in navigation when entering or leaving a port.

PILOTAGE DUES

A fee payable by the owner or operator of a ship for the services of a pilot. This fee is normally based on the ship's tonnage.

PIOPIC

P & I Oil Pollution Indemnity Clause

PIP

Post-Initiated Promotion

PIVOT WEIGHTS

That weight of a ULD above which a higher tariff applies. In effect, it is an incentive to maximize cargo density.

PL

Protectively Located spaces (Marpol 13g).

PLACE

A particular street address or other designation of a factory, store, warehouse, place of business, private residence, construction camp, or the like at a point.

PLACE OF REST

This term, as used in the Containerized Cargo Rules, means the location of the floor, dock, platform, or doorway at the CFS to which cargo is first delivered by the shipper or agent thereof.

PLC

Pre-License Check, Public Limited Company

PLS

Please

PLT

Per Long Ton

PMA

Pacific Maritime Association.

PMO

Passing Muscat outbound

PMQS

Provided minimum quantity supplied

PMT

Per Metric Ton

POA

Place of acceptance

POB

Pilot on board

POC

Port of call

POD

Abbreviation for: - Port of Discharge. - Port of Destination. - Proof of Delivery. A document required from the carrier or driver for proper payment

POINT

A particular city, town, village, or other community or area which is treated as a unit for the application of rates.

POL

Abbreviation for: - Port of Loading. - Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants

POOL TRAILERS

Free-running trailers owned by leasing companies

POPS

Purchase Options

POR

Port of refuge

PORT AUTHORITY

A government body (city, county, or state) which in international shipping maintains various airports and/or ocean cargo pier facilities, transit sheds, loading equipment, or warehouses for air cargo. It has the power to levy dockage and wharfage charges, landing fees, and other costs.

PORT MARKS

An identifying set of letters, numbers, or geometric symbols followed by the name of the port of destination that are placed on export shipments. Foreign government requirements may be exceedingly strict in the matter of port marks.

PORT OF DISCHARGE

A port where a vessel is off-loaded and cargo discharged.

PORT OF LOADING

A port where cargo is loaded aboard the vessel, lashed, and stowed.

POSN

Position

POT (able)

POTable water

POW WOW

The POW WOW is a trade show (held annually in the United States and annually in Europe) which brings together U.S. sellers and foreign buyers of travel-related services pertaining to travel to the United States.

PP

Purchase Price

PPE

Personnel Protective Equipment

PPM

Parts Per Million

PPOSE

Propose

PPROPOSE

Please Propose

PPS

Pumps

PPSE

Please Propose

PPT

Prompt

PPUK

Picked ports of U.K

PQ

Province of Quebec

PR

Polish Register

PRAC

Primary Response Action Contractor

PRE-SLUNG CARGO

Cargo shipped already in a cargo sling or net, such as coffee in bags or coconut shells. It is usually prepared and loaded at the pier, ready for the vessel's arrival and subsequent loading.

PREMISE

Use penalty assessed to shippers or consignees for holding private trailers or containers at the origin or destination terminal in excess of allotted free time

PREP

National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program

PREPAID FREIGHT

Generally speaking, freight charges both in ocean and air transport may be either prepaid in the currency of the country of export or they may be billed collect for payment by the consignee in his local currency. On shipments to some countries, however, freight charges must be prepaid because of foreign exchange regulations of the country of import or rules of steamship companies or airlines.

PRIMA FACIE

A Latin term frequently encountered in foreign trade that means on first appearance. When a steamship company issues a clean bill of lading, it acknowledges that the goods were received in apparent good order and condition and this is said by the courts to constitute prima facie evidence of the conditions of the containers; that is, if nothing to the contrary appears, it must be inferred that the cargo was in good condition when received by the carrier.

PRIV

Private

PRO NUMBER

(1) A number assigned by the carrier to a single shipment, used in all cases where the shipment must be referred to. (2) The number used in identifying waybills and freight bills. Pro means progressive and agents use progressive numbers for this identification

PROBO

Combined Products and Bulk Carrier

PRODUCT CARRIER

A tanker which is generally below 70,000 deadweight tons and used to carry refined oil products from the refinery to the consumer. In many cases, four different grades of oil can be handled simultaneously.

PRODUCTION UNIT

Equipped to extract petroleum, e.g. oil production ship.

PROFORMA

When used with the title of a document, the term refers to an informal document presented in advance of the arrival or preparation of the required document, in order to satisfy a customs requirement.

PROOF OF DELIVERY (POD)

The delivery receipt copy of a freight bill indicating the name of the person who signed for a package with the date and time of delivery.

PROPANE CARRIER

A ship designed to carry propane in liquid form. The propane is carried in tanks within the holds; it remains in liquid form by means of pressure and refrigeration. Such ships are also suitable for the carriage of butane.

PROPORTIONAL PRICE

Price from or to an intermediate point; may be used only to construct an interline price; i.e., a combination of two prices

PRT

Port

PSC

Port state control

PSG

Passing

PSI

Pounds per square inch; pre shipment inspection

PSIX

Port State Information Exchange (USCG)

PSSG

Passing

PST

Pacific Standard Time; Per Short Ton

PSV

Post-Shipment Verification

PT

Private terms

PTA

Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African, States

PTON

Per ton

PU

Pumps

PUS

Past Us

PVOs

Private Voluntary Organizations

PWH

Per Workable Hatch

PWHD

Per Workable Hatch Day

PWWD

Per Weather Working day

PY

Py-gas

Pac.

Pacific coast ports

Pacific Basin Economic Council

The PBEC is a private sector group organized in 1967 to promote regional trade and investment. PBEC currently includes about 1,000 corporations and 14 national membership committees.

Pacific Economic Cooperation Council

The PECC is a nongovernmental organization founded in 1980 and aimed at promoting cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Members are drawn from 20 countries and territories: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States.

Pacific Rim

The Pacific Rim, referring to countries and economies bordering the Pacific ocean, is an informal, flexible term which generally has been regarded as a reference to East Asia, Canada, and the United States. At a minimum, the Pacific Rim includes Canada, Japan, the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, and the United States. It may also include Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong/Macau, Indonesia, Laos, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Russia (or the Commonwealth of Independent States), Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. As an evolutionary term, usage sometimes includes Mexico, the countries of Central America, and the Pacific coast countries of South America.

Packing List

Itemized list of commodities with marks/numbers but no cost values indicated

Paired Ports

A U.S. Customs program wherein at least two designated Customs ports will enter cargo that arrives at either port without the necessity of an in-bound document.

Pallet

A platform with or without sides, on which a number of packages or pieces may be loaded to facilitate handling by a lift truck.

Palletised Cargo Ship

A single or multi deck cargo ship loaded and unloaded by way of pallets lift(s). There are no weather deck hatches

Paper Ramp

A technical rail ramp, used for equalization of points not actually served

Paper Rate

A published rate that is never assessed because no freight moves under it.

Parcel Receipt

An arrangement whereby a steamship company, under rules and regulations established in the freight tariff of a given trade, accepts small packages at rates below the minimum bill of lading, and issues a parcel receipt instead of a bill of lading.

Parcels Tanker

A chemical tanker with many segregated cargo tanks to carry multiple grades of chemicals as defined in the International Bulk Chemical Code. Typically these can have between 10 and 60 different tanks

Paris Club

The Paris Club has become a popular designation for meetings between representatives of a developing country that wishes to renegotiate its official debt (normally excluding debts owed by and to the private sector without official guarantees) and representatives of the relevant creditor governments and international institutions. These meetings usually occur at the request of a debtor country that wishes to consolidate all or part of its debt service payments falling due over a specified period. Meetings are traditionally chaired by a senior official of the French Treasury Department. Comparable meetings occasionally take place in London and in New York for countries that wish to renegotiate repayment terms for their debts to private banks. These meetings are sometimes called creditor clubs.

Paris Convention

The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, first adopted in 1883, is the major international agreement providing basic rights for protecting industrial property. It covers patents, industrial designs, service marks, trade names, indications of source, and unfair competition. The U.S. ratified this treaty in May of 1887. The treaty provides two fundamental rights:- The principle of national treatment provides that nationals of any signatory nation shall enjoy in all other countries of the union the advantages that each nation's laws grant to its own nationals. - The right of priority enables any resident or national of a member country to, first, file a patent application in any member country and, thereafter, to file a patent application for the same invention in any of the other member countries within 12 months of the original filing and receive benefit of the original filing date. The resident or national of a member country also can claim the filing date of a trademark application or industrial design filed in another member country within six months of the filing date in his or her own country or country of residence

Partial Containerships

Multipurpose containerships where one or more but not all compartments are fitted with permanent container cells. Remaining compartments are used for other types of cargo.

Partial Shipments

Under letters of credit, one or more shipments are allowed by the phrase partial shipments permitted.

Particular Average

See Insurance, Particular Average.

Pass-Through

Pass-through operations (also called transshipments) involve a foreign country's use of one country in a trade bloc as a means of gaining preferential treatment from other countries in the bloc.

Passenger Ship

A vessel certificated to carry more than 12 passengers, some of whom may be accommodated in cabins

Passenger Ship, Inland Waterways

A vessel used for carriage of passengers with purpose of a to b transport on rivers/lakes/canals, not suitable for open sea voyages.

Passenger/Container Ship

A container ship with accommodation for the carriage of more than 12 passengers

Passenger/Cruise

A vessel certificated to carry more than 12 passengers, all of whom may be accommodated in cabins

Passenger/Landing Craft

A landing craft certificated to carry more than 12 passengers

Passenger/Ro-Ro Ship (Vehicles)

A ro-ro cargo ship with accommodation for more than 12 passengers

Passenger/Ro-Ro Ship (Vehicles), Inland Waterways

A vessel designed for the transportation of Vehicles. Not designed for operation in open sea

Passenger/Ro-Ro Ship (Vehicles/Rail)

A ro-ro cargo ship for the additional carriage of rail-vehicles and with accommodation for more than 12 passengers

Passenger/Ro-Ro Ship (Vehicles/Train), Inland Waterways

A vessel designed for the transportation of Vehicles or Rail vehicles. Not designed for operation in open sea

Patent Cooperation Treaty

The Patent Cooperation Treaty, PCT, is a worldwide convention, open to any Paris Convention country. The PCT entered into force in 1978. Unlike the Paris Convention, which addresses substantive intellectual property rights, the PCT addresses procedural requirements, aiming to simplify the filing, searching, and publication of international patent applications.

Patrol Vessel

A non military vessel used for patrol duties

Patrol Vessel, Naval

A naval vessel for patrolling duties

Pax

Passenger Vessel

Payee

A party named in an instrument as the beneficiary of the funds. Under letters of credit, the payee is either the drawer of the draft or a bank.

Payer

A party responsible for the payment as evidenced by the given instrument. Under letters of credit, the payer is the party on whom the draft is drawn, usually the drawee bank.

Pearl Shells Carrier

A vessel equipped for the carriage of pearl shells

Per Diem

A charge, based on a fixed daily rate.

Performance Requirements

Performance requirements refers to government-mandated or -approved activities that investors must undertake, usually as a condition of establishment or operation in a particular country.

Perils of the Sea

Those causes of loss for which the carrier is not legally liable. The elemental risks of ocean transport.

Period of Investigation

The period, usually 6 months, beginning at least 150 days before and continuing 30 days after the first day of the month when an antidumping petition is filed, during which an exporter's home market (or third country) and United States prices and other appropriate facts are investigated to determine whether sales to the United States have been at less than fair value.

Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Co

The Committee (French: Comite Permanente Interetats de Lutte contre la Secheresse dans le Sahel, CILSS) provides drought protection assistance to the eight countries of the Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal) through such forms as food silo construction, agricultural development, improving roads, and preventing desertification. The Committee, founded in 1976, works in cooperation with the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Economic Community, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Permanent Shore Facility

Any vessel which has been decommissioned as a non floating permanent facility

Pers. Acc.

Personal Accident

Person

See: Foreign Person.

Persona Grata

A diplomatic representative who is acceptable to the government of the country where he or she is assigned.

Persona Non Grata

A diplomatic representative who is no longer acceptable to the government of the country where he or she is assigned.

Petrodollars

This term refers to oil earnings of petroleum-exporting countries in excess of their domestic needs and deposited in dollars in Western banks. However, a large part of the revenues that OPEC countries were unable to spend has been recycled to oil-importing countries in an attempt to balance international accounts.

Pfo.

Portfolio

Phytosanitary Inspection Certificate

A certificate issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to satisfy import regulations of foreign countries; indicates that a U.S. shipment has been inspected and found free from harmful pests and plant diseases.

Pickup

The act of calling for freight by truck at the consignor's shipping platform

Pier

The structure perpendicular to the shoreline to which a vessel is secured for the purpose of loading and unloading cargo.

Pier-to-House

A shipment loaded into a container at the pier or terminal, thence to the consignee's facility.

Pier-to-Pier

Containers loaded at port of loading and discharged at port of destination.

Piggy Packer

A mobile container-handling crane used to load/unload containers to/from railcars

Piggyback

A transportation arrangement in which truck trailers with their loads are moved by train to a destination. Also known as Rail Pigs.

Pile Driving Vessel

A vessel equipped for pile driving operations

Pilf.

Piferage

Pilot Vessel

A vessel from which pilots operate

Pipe Burying Vessel

A vessel equipped to carry small stones and aggregates and to deliver them via a flexible fall pipe system to bury pipes and cables on the sea bed

Pipe Carrier

A platform supply ship equipped with increased scantlings & longer deck space for the transportation of pipes

Pipe Layer

A vessel primarily equipped to lay solid or flexible pipes on the sea bed

Pipe Layer Crane Vessel

A pipe layer also equipped with a large crane or derrick

Pipe layer Platform, jack up

A jack up offshore pipe layer platform

Pipe layer Platform, semi submersible

A semi submersible offshore pipe layer platform

Pipeline Protection

Pipeline protection broadly refers to the protection accorded by a country for inventions, usually for pharmaceutical and agrichemical products, which already exist prior to that country's making patent protection available for such inventions.

Place of Delivery

Place where cargo leaves the care and custody of carrier.

Place of Receipt

Location where cargo enters the care and custody of carrier.

Platform Supply Ship

A vessel for the transportation of stores and goods to offshore platforms on an open deck, typically at the stern. May also be fitted with specialist under deck tanks for water, cement and/or drilling mud

Plaza Accord

In a September 1985 meeting at the Plaza Hotel in New York, G-5 officials ratified an initiative to use exchange rates and other macropolicy adjustments as the preferred and necessary means to bring about an orderly decline in the value of the dollar. The agreement, intended to curb increasing U.S. trade imbalances and protectionist action, supported orderly appreciation of the main non-dollar currences against the dollar.

Plimsoll Mark

A series of horizontal lines, corresponding to the seasons of the year and fresh or saltwater, painted on the outside of a ship marking the level which must remain above the surface of the water for the vessel's stability.

Point of Origin

The place at which a shipment is received by a carrier from the shipper.

Policy Framework Paper

The PFP lays out the steps a country will take while receiving structural adjustment assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It describes the origins of the country's difficulties, corresponding improvement efforts, and requisite financing as well as probable impacts on environment and society. The paper, updated annually, is developed by the recipient government in collaboration with IMF and the World Bank. By design, it also serves as a vehicle for attracting orderly assistance from other donors.

Political Risk

With regard to Eximbank and Overseas Private Investment Corporation programs, political risk coverage normally includes defaults or losses due to action of inaction by governments, including war and civil unrest, expropriations, and inconvertibility of local currency to dollars. Losses due to currency devaluation are not considered a political risk.

Pollution Control Vessel

A vessel equipped for the primary function of pollution control. Typical types include oil spill recovery vessel and a pollution and debris collector

Pomerene Act, Also known as (U.S.) Federal Bi

U.S. federal law enacting conditions by which a B/L may be issued. Penalties for issuing B/L's containing false data include monetary fines and/or imprisonment

Pontoon (Function Unknown)

A non propelled pontoon whose function is unknown

Port

- Harbor with piers or docks. - Left side of a ship when facing forward. - Opening in a ship's side for handling freight

Port Shopping

Port shopping is the practice of exporters and importers choosing a particular port on the basis of their assessment of Customs' treatment, rather than on the quality of physical facilities and efficiency.

Port State Inspection

An inspection of a vessel carried out by the national marine authority of the Country in which the vessel is visiting.

Port of Call

Port where a ship discharges or receives traffic.

Port of Entry

Port where cargo is unloaded and enters a country.

Port of Exit

Place where cargo is loaded and leaves a country.

Portfolio Investment

In general, any foreign investment that is not direct investment is considered portfolio investment. Foreign portfolio investment includes the purchase of voting securities (stocks) at less than a 10 percent level, bonds, trade finance, and government lending or borrowing, excluding transactions in official reserves.

Post-Initiated Promotion

This is a scheduled low budget trade promotion totally within resources at post, such as BIO, BFC, or BSP.

Post-Shipment Verifications

PSVs are conducted to determine that a commodity is being used for the purposes for which its export was licensed. Firms or individuals representing the end user, intermediate consignees, or the purchaser may be subject to inquiries pertaining to the post-shipment verification. As part of the PSV process, BXA forwards a cable to the U.S. embassy or consulate in the respective geographical location to conduct an on-site inspection to ensure that the commodity is physically present and used as stated in the application. Post-shipment verifications are usually conducted six-to-eight months subsequent to export of the commodity. PSVs are also conducted by BXA agents.

Pow Wow Selection Committee

A committee of private industry representatives in foreign countries which is responsible for selecting invitees to the International POW WOW.

Powder Carrier

A single deck cargo vessel for the carriage of fine powders such as fly ash. There are no weather deck hatches

Pratique

License or permission to use a port

Pratique Certificate

Lifts temporary quarantine of a vessel; granted pratique by Health Officer.

Pre-License Checks

PLCs are conducted to determine that dual-use items on an export license application are destined for a legitimate end-use by a reliable end-user. Firms or individuals representing the licensee (the applicant), the consignee, the purchaser, the intermediate consignee, or the end user may be subject to inquiries pertaining to the pre-license check. As part of the process, BXA forwards a cable to the U.S. embassy or consulate in the respective geographical location to conduct an inspection or meet with company representatives to conduct inquiries on BXA's behalf.

Pre-cooling

A process employed in the shipment of citrus fruits and other perishable commodities. The fruit is packed and placed in a cold room from which the heat is gradually extracted. The boxes of fruit are packed in containers that have been thoroughly cooled and transported through to destination without opening the doors.

Preferences

These special trade advantages (e.g. tariff preferences) are given by governments to trading partners in order to promote export growth and development. These are often granted by developed countries to LDCs. Licensing practices, quotas or preferential application of other measures, including taxes, can also be granted in the non-tariff area.

Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and South

PTA, established in 1981, supports economic development and cooperation (agriculture, communications, customs, industry, monetary affairs, natural resources, and trade). Membership includes: Burundia, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. PTA's headquarters are in Lusaka, Zambia.

Preliminary Determination

The dumping determination by the International Trade Administration announcing the results of the investigation conducted within 160 days (or, in extraordinarily complicated cases, 210 days) after a petition is filed or an investigation is self-initiated by the International Trade Administration. If the International Trade Administration determines that there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that the merchandise under consideration is being sold or is likely to be sold at less than fair value, liquidation of all affected entries is suspended, and the matter is referred to the International Trade Commission. Preliminary determination also refers to the decision by the ITC where there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded by reason of the imports of the merchandise which is the subject of the petition. The ITC must make its decision within 45 days after the date on which the petition is filed or an investigation is self-initiated by the International Trade Administration. If this determination is negative, the investigation is terminated. See: Tariff Act of 1930

Prem. Red.

Premiums reducing

Prem. Res.

Premium reserve (reinsurance)

Prepaid (Ppd.)

Freight charges paid by the consignor (shipper) prior to the release of the bills of lading by the carrier.

President's Export Council

The President's Export Council (PEC) advises the President on government policies and programs that affect U.S. trade performance; promote export expansion; and provide a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related problems among the business, industrial, agricultural, labor, and government sectors. The Council was established by Executive Order of the President in 1973 and was originally composed only of business executives. The Council was reconstituted in 1979 to include leaders of the labor and agricultural communities, Congress, and the Executive branch. Twenty-eight private sector members serve at the pleasure of the President with no set term of office. Other members include five U.S. Senators and five Members of the House, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, State, and Treasury, the Chairman of the Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. Trade Representative. The Council reports to the President through the Secretary of Commerce. The President's Export Council, Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA), formed in June 1976, advises the PEC, the White House, and Commerce on all export control matters, including those which affect Commerce, State, Defense and Energy. The PECSEA membership comprises 25 industry representatives, selected by the Secretary of Commerce.

Principal Officer

See: Title and Rank.

Principal Supplier

The country that has the largest portion of total GATT trade in a product imported into a given country. The principal supplier has first rights to negotiate compensation should a country assess a duty in excess of its bound rate. Any tariff concessions granted to the principal supplier are granted automatically to all other countries accorded MFN status.

Prior Deposits

A government requirement that an importer deposit in a commercial bank or central bank a specified sum of money (usually a percentage of the value of the imports my for a specified length of time as a condition of importing). These deposits are often held without interest and thus represent a real cost. They are recognized as barriers to trade.

Private Export Funding Corporation

PEFCO is a private company, accessed through its member banks and a few exporters, that works with Eximbank in using private capital to finance U.S. exports. The corporation acts as a supplemental lender to traditional commercial banking sources by making loans to public and private borrowers located outside of the United States who require medium and/or longer-term financing of their purchases of U.S. goods and services

Private Voluntary Organizations

PVOs are non-profit, tax-exempt and nongovernmental organizations governed by a group of private /citizens whose purpose is to engage in voluntary, charitable and development operations overseas. The U.S. Agency for International Development has registered over 150 PVOs which are eligible to receive USAID funding.

Pro Forma

A Latin term meaning For the sake of form.

Pro Forma Invoice

An invoice provided by a supplier prior to the shipment of merchandise, informing the buyer of the kinds and quantities of goods to be sent, their value, and important specifications (weight, size, and similar characteristics).

Pro Rata

A Latin term meaning In proportion.

Product Groups

Commodity groupings used for export control purposes. See: Export Control Classification Number.

Product Tanker

A tanker built to comply with Annex 1 of Marpol 73/78 for the carriage of oil and engaged in the trade of carrying oil other than crude oil. This includes both clean and black products.

Production Platform, jack up

A jack up offshore production platform

Production Platform, semi submersible

A semi submersible offshore production Platform

Production Testing Vessel

A vessel primarily equipped for testing the quality and amount of oil produced by a well

Products (Oil)

Oil which has been produced as the direct result of a refining process. The resultant product may be Clean Petroleum Products - CPP (Naptha, Gasoline, Gas Oil, Base Oils etc. Or Dirty Petroleum Products - DPP (Fuel Oils etc.)

Products Tank Barge, non propelled

A non propelled tank barge for the carriage of oil products

Products Tanker

A tanker for the bulk carriage of refined petroleum products, either clean or dirty

Products Tanker Barge, propelled

A self propelled tanker barge for the bulk carriage of refined petroleum products, either clean or dirty

Prof. Com.

Profit commission (reinsurance)

Profit

For the purposes of constructed value in an antidumping duty investigation or review, the profit used is the profit normally earned by a producer, from the country of export, of the same or similar product as that under investigation. By statute, the amount of profit shall not be less than 8 percent of the sum of general expenses and cost.

Project License

The Bureau of Export Administration uses the project license to authorize large-scale exports of a wide variety of commodities and technical data for specified activities. Those activities are restricted to capital expansion, maintenance, repair or operating supplies, or the supply of materials to be used in the production of other commodities for sale. Items intended for resale in the form received are not permitted and must be effected under a Distribution License.

Project Rate

Single tariff item, established to move multiple commodities needed for a specified project, usually construction.

Protectionism

The use of restrictions to discourage imports and artificially help domestic producers compete with foreign suppliers.

Protective Order

With regard to antidumping cases, a term for the order under which most business proprietary information is made available to an attorney or other representative of a party to the proceeding. See: Tariff Act of 1930.

Protest System

The Protest System, a part of Customs' Automated Commercial System, tracks protests from the date they are received through final action. A protest is the legal means by which an importer, consignee, or other designated part may challenge decisions made by a District Director of Customs.

Protocol

See: International Agreements Title and Rank.

Protocol of Provisional Application

A legal device that enabled the original contracting parties to accept general GATT obligations and benefits, despite the fact that some of their existing domestic legislation at that time discriminated against imports in a manner that was inconsistent with certain GATT provisions. Although meant to be temporary, the Protocol has remained in effect; and countries that signed the PPA in 1947 continue to invoke it to defend certain practices that are otherwise inconsistent with their GATT obligations. Countries that acceded to the GATT after 1947 have also done so under the terms of the Protocol.

Ptg. Std.

Petrograd Standard (timber trade)

Public Limited Company

See: Limited (Liability).

Public Service Commission

A name usually given to a State body having control or regulation of public utilities.

Publishing Agent

Person authorized by transportation lines to publish tariffs or rates, rules, and regulations for their account.

Pulp Carrier

A vessel designed for carrying paper pulp

Pulp Temperature

Procedure where carrier tests the temperature of the internal flesh of refrigerated commodities to assure that the temperature at time of shipment conforms to prescribed temperature ranges.

Pumping Platform

A platform dedicated to pumping operations

Pup

A short semi-trailer used jointly with a dolly and another semi-trailer to create a twin trailer.

Purchase Price

A statutory term used in dumping investigations to refer to the United States sales price of merchandise which is sold or likely to be sold prior to the date of importation, by the producer or reseller of the merchandise for exportation to the United States. Certain statutory adjustments (e.g., import duties, commissions, freight) are made, if appropriate, to permit a meaningful comparison with the foreign market value of such or similar merchandise. See: Tariff Act of 1930.

Purchaser

Within the context of export controls, the purchaser is that person abroad who has entered into the export transaction with the applicant to purchase the commodities or technical data for delivery to the ultimate consignee.

Purchasing Agent

An agent who purchases goods in his/her own country on behalf of large foreign buyers such as government agencies and large private corporations.

Purchasing Power Parity

Purchasing power parity is a theory which states that exchange rates between currencies are in equilibrium when their purchasing power is the same in each of the two countries.

Pusher Tug

A vessel equipped to push cargo carrying barges and pontoons. May be articulated to work with specifically designed barge(s)