How Service Type Works

Service Type is a short code from shipment documentation that describes how the shipment is handled from origin to destination.

ImportYeti shows both the original service type code and a plain-English label when available. This helps you understand whether a shipment is door-to-door, port-to-port, yard-based, roll-on / roll-off, break bulk, or non-containerized.

Service Type is useful logistics context, but it should not be treated as an Incoterm, a shipment status, or a guarantee of the exact physical route.

What Service Type means

A service type describes the general responsibility or movement pattern shown in the source documentation. Most codes are made from common logistics locations such as house, pier, container yard, container station, roll-on / roll-off cargo, or non-containerized cargo.

Service Type = Origin Handling + Destination Handling

For example, HH usually means House-to-House, while PP means Pier-to-Pier.

In simple terms, Service Type answers: “Where does the documented shipment service begin, and where does it end?”

How to read the common words

Many service type labels use the same few logistics terms. Once you understand those terms, the codes become much easier to read.

House

Door / facility

Usually refers to a shipper, consignee, warehouse, factory, or other inland business location.

Pier

Port / terminal

Usually refers to port-side handling, where cargo is received or released at the pier or marine terminal.

Container Yard

Usually refers to terminal yard handling for full containers before loading or after discharge.

Container Station

CFS / station

Usually refers to a station where cargo may be consolidated, deconsolidated, stuffed, or stripped.

Roll on - Roll Off

Wheeled cargo

Usually refers to cargo that can be driven or rolled onto and off a vessel, such as vehicles, trailers, or certain types of heavy equipment.

Break Bulk / Non-containerized

Loose cargo

Indicates cargo is not moving as a standard containerized shipment.

Common Service Type codes

ImportYeti keeps the original code from the source data and displays a readable label when we have one. The table below explains the most common service types users may see.

Code	Label	Plain-English meaning
HH	House-to-House	The documented service generally starts at an inland shipper location and ends at an inland consignee location. This is the easiest way to think about door-to-door service.
HP	House-to-Pier	The documented service generally starts at an inland shipper location and ends at the destination pier, port, or terminal.
PH	Pier-to-House	The documented service generally starts at the origin pier, port, or terminal and ends at an inland consignee location.
PP	Pier-to-Pier	The documented service generally runs from port-side handling at origin to port-side handling at destination. Inland pickup or final delivery may be outside the documented service.
CY	Container Yard	The shipment is associated with container yard handling. This usually points to terminal-yard movement for full containers rather than door-level pickup or delivery.
CS	Container Station	The shipment is associated with a container station or freight station, often used when cargo is consolidated, deconsolidated, stuffed, or stripped.
BB	Break Bulk	The cargo is handled as break bulk instead of moving in a standard sealed container. This can apply to oversized, loose, or individually handled cargo.
RR	Roll on - Roll Off	The cargo is associated with roll-on / roll-off handling. This usually applies to wheeled cargo, such as vehicles, trailers, machinery, or equipment that can be driven or rolled onto and off a vessel.
MD	Mixed Delivery	The shipment may involve more than one delivery arrangement or a mixed handling pattern.
HL	Headload or Devanning	Headload/Devanning (HL) refers to the unloading (“devanning” or stripping) of cargo from a container at the destination, typically at a warehouse, CFS (Container Freight Station), depot, or consignee facility. It indicates that the sealed container is opened and its contents are broken down for storage, distribution, or inspection rather than being delivered as a full intact container.
SD	Store Door	Store Door (SD) refers to a delivery arrangement where the carrier is responsible for the destination drayage leg from the port of discharge to the consignee’s facility (final delivery point). In other words, the carrier owns and executes the final inland delivery segment after import arrival at the destination port, delivering the container directly to the consignee rather than the importer arranging pickup from a CY or rail ramp.

What Service Type can tell you

Service Type can help you understand how complete or limited the freight arrangement may be. From a customer’s perspective, it gives a rough signal of what the freight forwarder, carrier, customer, supplier, or buyer may each be responsible for.

Service Type = Clue About Freight Scope

A wider service type may suggest the freight provider is handling more of the shipment journey. A narrower service type may suggest that pickup, delivery, drayage, warehousing, or inland transportation is handled separately.

HH — House-to-House

This suggests a more complete door-to-door freight arrangement.

Provider roleThe freight provider may coordinate pickup, international movement, and final delivery.

Customer roleThe customer may have fewer physical handoffs to manage, though documents, customs instructions, and commercial terms still matter.

Customer takeaway“This shipment appears to be managed across most of the journey, from origin door to destination door.”

PP — Pier-to-Pier

This suggests the freight provider’s role may be focused mainly on the port-to-port or ocean portion.

Provider roleThe freight forwarder may handle the ocean portion of the move between the origin pier and destination pier.

Customer roleThe customer and supplier may handle inland transportation before the origin port and after the destination port.

Customer takeaway“My freight forwarder handles the ocean portion of the move while myself and my supplier handle the inland transportation.”

SD — Store Door

This suggests the carrier is responsible for the destination drayage leg from the port to the consignee’s facility.

Provider roleThe carrier owns and executes the final inland delivery segment after import arrival at the destination port.

Customer roleThe customer usually provides cargo instructions, delivery information, documentation, and any arrangements outside the agreed service scope.

Customer takeaway“The carrier appears to be delivering the container directly to my facility rather than me arranging pickup from a CY or rail ramp.”

RR — Roll on - Roll Off

This suggests the shipment may involve vehicles, trailers, machinery, or other wheeled cargo.

Provider roleThe provider may coordinate roll-on / roll-off vessel handling, port movement, inspection timing, and inland movement.

Customer roleThe customer may need to manage vehicle condition details, equipment readiness, documentation, and pickup or delivery timing.

Customer takeaway“This shipment appears to involve wheeled or equipment-based cargo rather than a regular sealed container.”

How ImportYeti uses Service Type

Service Type is used as a filtering and context field. It helps users narrow down shipments by the kind of logistics movement shown in the source documentation.

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We preserve the original code

If the source says HH, PP, CY, or another code, we keep that code visible so users can trace the field back to the original data.

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We add a readable label when possible

Known codes are expanded into labels like House-to-House, Pier-to-Pier, Store Door, Roll on - Roll Off, or Break Bulk.

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We do not over-interpret unknown codes

If a code does not have a reliable label, ImportYeti shows the source code as-is instead of guessing.

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We treat it as logistics context

Service Type helps explain the shipment setup, but it is not the same as Incoterms, customs duties, freight cost, shipment status, or TEU.

Quick takeaway: Service Type gives a rough signal of the freight provider’s responsibility from the customer’s perspective. It helps you understand whether the freight provider appears to be handling door-side service, port-side service, yard-based handoff, roll-on / roll-off cargo, break bulk, or non-containerized cargo.