GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026

Cancelled Shipment

A cancelled shipment occurs when a consignor formally withdraws a transport instruction before final delivery has taken place.

Quick Answer

Last updated: 16 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.logisticsglossary.com/terms/cancelled-shipment

Category

Logistics Concept

Reading time

1 min

Words

126

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

A cancelled shipment occurs when a consignor formally withdraws a transport instruction before final delivery has taken place. The operational response depends on where the goods sit in the supply chain: at the origin warehouse, in transit, or already at a destination terminal – each scenario calls for a different course of action, whether return to sender, rerouting, or on-site disposal. Freight costs already incurred – pickup, customs clearance, terminal handling – are typically charged back to the consignor. Where an import entry has already been lodged, cancellation may trigger further customs procedures such as amendment of the declaration or initiation of re-exportation. A cancelled shipment is distinct from a return shipment, where goods have already been delivered to the consignee and are subsequently sent back.

Next steps

Matching tools and partners

Calculate customs valueWork out import duties and customs valueOpen Calculate transit timeEstimate duration per transport modeOpen Calculate transport costWork out freight / road costOpen Find a matching partnerFreight forwarders and logistics partners worldwideOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

Unshippable Order Handling

During shipment processing, an order often cannot be released as planned: address is incomplete or wrong, the product faces export…

Learn more

Shipment

A shipment is the operative unit of freight transport: goods moved from one consignor to one consignee under a single transport co…

Learn more

shipment registration process

A freight forwarder opens a new shipment record in the system, enters weight, dimensions, sender and recipient details along with …

Learn more

Goods shipment

For freight forwarders and logistics providers, goods shipment encompasses the complete logistics chain from order to delivery: pa…

Learn more

shipment packaging

A shipment leaves the warehouse intact but arrives crushed or broken – that is precisely the scenario proper shipment packaging is…

Learn more

Electronic Shipment Reconciliation

When a carrier invoice arrives, electronic shipment reconciliation kicks in: the system automatically matches billed charges again…

Learn more

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Free · No password · Never a paywall. Weekly top news and facts from logistics.

Cancelled Shipment

Next steps

Related Terms

Unshippable Order Handling

Shipment

shipment registration process

Goods shipment

shipment packaging

Electronic Shipment Reconciliation

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Community Questions & Answers