GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 19, 2026

terminal handling; transshipment at a terminal

A container arrives by truck, sits in the yard for several days, then gets loaded onto a vessel – everything that happens in between is terminal handling.

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Last updated: 19 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transshipment

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Logistics Concept

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Definition & Explanation

A container arrives by truck, sits in the yard for several days, then gets loaded onto a vessel – everything that happens in between is terminal handling. The term covers all physical and administrative operations involved in transferring, storing, and forwarding cargo between transport modes within a terminal: truck to ship, ship to rail, rail to truck. In day-to-day freight forwarding, terminal handling is where most cost touchpoints arise – Terminal Handling Charges (THC), customs documentation, and liability for cargo damage all concentrate here. The efficiency of these operations, measured by turnaround speed, damage rates, and documentation accuracy, has a direct bearing on total freight costs and delivery reliability. Unlike transport itself, terminal handling focuses on the mode change and interim cargo management at a central interchange point.