U.S. – Cuba Trade Glossary
Every term you need to know
Plain-English definitions of TSRA, OFAC, ALIMPORT, Incoterms, KYB, and 80 more terms – no unnecessary jargon.
How to use this glossary: Browse by letter in the A–Z index above, or use Ctrl+F to find any term. Each definition includes practical context for the U.S. – Cuba corridor.
A
ADUANA (Cuban Customs Authority)
Cuba's national customs authority (Aduana General de la Republica) that inspects imports, collects duties, and enforces Cuban import regulations. All U.S. food…
AES (Automated Export System)
The U.S. Census Bureau's electronic system for filing export declarations. All Cuba-bound food shipments require AES filing – the ITN number generated must…
AGR Exception (Agricultural License Exception)
A BIS license exception (15 CFR 740.18) that allows U.S. exporters to ship food, agricultural commodities, and medicine to Cuba without applying for an…
ALIMPORT (Empresa Cubana Importadora de Alimentos)
Cuba's state-owned food import enterprise – historically the only authorized channel for large-scale food imports into Cuba. Understanding ALIMPORT is…
AUP (Acceptable Use Policy)
Contract that governs permissible use of the AquiCargo platform. Prohibits circumvention attempts, false information, and activities that violate TSRA, OFAC,…
B
Beneficial Ownership
The natural persons who ultimately own or control a legal entity. In Cuba trade compliance, identifying all beneficial owners is required for OFAC screening –…
Bill of Lading (B/L)
The carrier-issued shipping document that serves as receipt, contract of carriage, and title document for goods in transit. The original B/L must be presented…
BIS (Bureau of Industry and Security)
The U.S. Department of Commerce agency that controls exports of dual-use goods through the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). For food exports to Cuba,…
BTS (Buyer Trust Score)
AquiCargo's buyer trust score, from 0 to 100. Calculated automatically from the quality of RFQs submitted, response speed, transactions closed, and KYB…
C
CACR (Cuban Assets Control Regulations)
The comprehensive U.S. federal regulations implementing the Cuba embargo – codified at 31 CFR Part 515 and administered by OFAC. All authorized Cuba trade…
Cáritas Cuba
the humanitarian arm of the Cuban Catholic Church and one of the principal channels for U.S. humanitarian shipments into Cuba. In February 2026 it received…
Cash-in-Advance
The mandatory TSRA payment requirement: U.S. exporters must receive full payment before goods are shipped. No credit terms, no payment after delivery – the…
Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
The official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community and the principal U.S. partner channel for humanitarian shipments into Cuba.
CCL (Commerce Control List)
BIS list of items that require an export license based on their ECCN classification. For TSRA trade, most food and OTC medicines are EAR99 (not on the CCL) or…
CDA (Cuban Democracy Act)
U.S. law (22 U.S.C. §6001 et seq.) that established the regulatory framework for U.S.–Cuba trade. Section 6004(b) and (c) authorize the export of food,…
Certificate of Origin
An official document certifying that exported goods were produced in the U.S. Required for TSRA compliance – TSRA authorizes export of U.S.-origin agricultural…
CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight)
An Incoterm specifying that the seller pays all costs – including freight and marine insurance – to deliver goods to the named destination port. The most…
CoA (Certificate of Analysis)
Document issued by the manufacturer or an independent laboratory certifying a product's chemical and nutritional composition. Required in particular for…
Commercial Invoice
The legally binding document issued by the U.S. vendor after shipment, declaring the transaction value, product details, and delivery terms. Cuban customs uses…
Coordination Fee
AquiCargo's service fee charged to vendors upon deal confirmation. It is a percentage of the GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) of the confirmed transaction and is…
Cuba Restricted List (CRL)
A U.S. State Department list of Cuban entities with which direct financial transactions by U.S. persons are prohibited. Complements the OFAC SDN List –…
CUP (Cuban Peso)
Cuba's national currency – non-convertible for international trade purposes. All AquiCargo transactions are in USD. Cuban MiPyME buyers must convert CUP…
D
DAP (Delivered at Place)
An Incoterm where the seller delivers goods to the buyer's named location in Cuba at seller's risk – but the buyer handles import customs and duties. Less…
Deal Room
AquiCargo's secure digital workspace where buyers and vendors manage the complete transaction lifecycle – from RFQ through payment and shipment documentation…
Due Diligence (Trade Compliance)
The comprehensive investigation of a buyer or vendor before entering a transaction – including OFAC SDN screening, beneficial ownership tracing, and license…
E
EAR (Export Administration Regulations)
BIS regulations that control the export, re-export, and transfer of items for national security, foreign policy, and other reasons. Most TSRA food and medicine…
EAR99
The BIS classification for commercial goods subject to the Export Administration Regulations but not listed on the Commerce Control List. Most food products…
ECCN (Export Control Classification Number)
A BIS alphanumeric code from the Commerce Control List classifying a product's export control status. Most food products are EAR99 (no ECCN), but non-food…
EEI / AES Filing (Electronic Export Information / Automated Export System)
The mandatory U.S. government electronic export declaration that all exporters must file for Cuba-bound shipments. The AES/EEI confirms the export license or…
EIN (Employer Identification Number)
U.S. federal tax identification number for businesses, issued by the IRS. Required in AquiCargo's KYB process to verify the legal identity of U.S. vendors. The…
F
FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
U.S. federal agency regulating processed foods, medicines and medical devices. Exporters to Cuba need FDA registration for food manufacturing facilities and…
FOB (Free on Board)
An Incoterm where the seller delivers goods loaded onto the vessel at the named port of shipment. Risk and costs transfer to the buyer once goods are on board …
Freight Forwarder
A licensed logistics intermediary that arranges ocean freight, prepares export documentation, and manages the shipping process for U.S. – Cuba food trade…
Freight Rate
The cost charged by a shipping carrier to transport goods from a U.S. port to Cuba. Freight rates vary by carrier, season, and container type – and directly…
G
GAESA (Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A.)
Cuba's military-controlled business conglomerate operating in tourism, hospitality, and import distribution. Multiple GAESA entities are on the Cuba Restricted…
General License (OFAC)
A standing OFAC authorization published in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations that permits certain otherwise-prohibited transactions without requiring a case…
GMV (Gross Merchandise Value)
Total commercial value of goods in a confirmed transaction, before deducting fees, taxes, or other charges. AquiCargo's coordination fees are calculated as a…
I
Incoterms (International Commercial Terms)
The ICC's 11 standardized trade terms defining who pays for freight, insurance, and customs in international transactions. FOB and CIF are the most used…
ITN (Internal Transaction Number)
Confirmation number generated by AES after successful EEI filing. Required to appear on the bill of lading before the cargo can be loaded. The ITN proves that…
K
KYB (Know Your Business)
The due diligence process by which AquiCargo verifies the identity, legal standing, and ownership structure of businesses on the platform – required before any…
KYC (Know Your Customer)
The individual identity verification process applied to authorized representatives, directors, and beneficial owners on AquiCargo. KYC complements KYB to…
L
Landed Cost
The total cost of getting imported goods to the buyer's location in Cuba – including product cost, freight, insurance, Cuban import duties, and port handling…
LCL and FCL (Less-than-Container Load and Full Container Load)
Ocean freight terms describing how cargo fills a shipping container. FCL means the shipper's goods fill the entire container; LCL means goods are consolidated…
Letter of Credit (LC)
A bank-issued payment guarantee commonly used in international trade – but generally unavailable for U.S. – Cuba transactions due to OFAC restrictions on Cuban…
M
Marketplace Compliance (AquiCargo)
The systems and procedures AquiCargo enforces to ensure all transactions comply with U.S. export sanctions and Cuban import law – including product screening,…
MINCEX (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior)
Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Trade – the government authority that issues import licenses to Cuban entities, including MiPyMEs. A valid MINCEX import…
MINCIN (Ministerio de Comercio Interior)
Cuba's Ministry of Interior Commerce – the authority that regulates domestic trade and distribution of imported goods within Cuba. Relevant for AquiCargo…
MININT (Cuban Ministry of the Interior)
Cuba's Ministry of the Interior. MININT and its subordinate entities appear on the Cuba Restricted List and on OFAC's SDN List. Trade with MININT is prohibited…
MiPyME (Micro, Pequena y Mediana Empresa)
Cuba's private sector small and medium enterprises, legalized in 2021. MiPyMEs are now the fastest-growing buyer segment on AquiCargo – the new face of Cuban…
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
The smallest quantity a vendor will sell in a single order. MOQs in U.S. – Cuba food trade are driven by container economics – typically 1 FCL for bulk…
MT (Metric Ton)
Unit of weight equal to 1,000 kilograms or 2,204.6 pounds. Most pricing in the agricultural commodity corridor – grains, oils and flours – is quoted in dollars…
N
NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)
Non-profit organizations that may import humanitarian goods such as food and medicine into Cuba under specific OFAC conditions. AquiCargo operates a dedicated…
NIT (Cuban Tax Identification Number)
Cuban business tax identification number, the equivalent of the U.S. EIN. Required in AquiCargo's KYB process for Cuban buyers to verify the company's legal…
NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier)
Freight agent that issues its own bills of lading but operates no vessels. NVOCCs consolidate cargo from multiple exporters, negotiate rates with the shipping…
O
OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control)
The U.S. Treasury bureau that administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions programs – including the Cuba embargo. Every U.S. – Cuba trade transaction…
OTC (Over the Counter)
Medicines sold without a prescription. OTC medicines are one of the three main categories authorized under TSRA, alongside food and medical devices: analgesics…
P
Packing and Labeling Requirements (Cuba)
The specific packaging, labeling, and palletization standards U.S. vendors must meet for Cuba-bound food shipments – including Spanish-language labels, metric…
Packing List
A shipping document listing the physical contents, weights, and dimensions of each carton or pallet in a shipment. Required alongside the commercial invoice…
Phytosanitary Certificate
An official USDA APHIS document certifying that U.S. plant products (grains, seeds, fresh produce) meet Cuba's import health requirements. Required for most…
Port of Mariel
Cuba's modern deepwater container terminal 45km west of Havana. With post-Panamax capability and PSA International management, Mariel is becoming the preferred…
Proforma Invoice
A preliminary invoice issued before shipment that triggers the buyer's cash-in-advance wire transfer in U.S. – Cuba trade. Different from the commercial…
R
Reefer (Refrigerated Container)
Temperature-controlled shipping containers used for frozen and chilled food exports to Cuba. Cold chain management from U.S. origin through Cuban customs…
REEUP (Cuban Special Enterprise Registry)
Cuba's special enterprise registry, used by certain state entities and cooperatives. Together with the NIT, the REEUP number is one of the corporate identity…
RFQ (Request for Quotation)
The formal document a Cuban buyer sends to U.S. vendors requesting a price and availability quote for specific goods. On AquiCargo, the RFQ is the starting…
S
Schedule B
U.S. Census Bureau's product classification system for export statistics, based on the Harmonized System. Used for AES/EEI filing. Schedule B codes match HS…
SCP (Support for the Cuban People)
BIS license exception (15 CFR §740.21) authorizing certain exports to Cuba intended to support the Cuban people. March 2026 update: BIS suspended SCP for…
SDN List (Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons)
OFAC's master list of individuals and entities with whom U.S. persons are prohibited from transacting. A Cuban buyer or their owner appearing on the SDN List…
T
TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit)
Container measurement unit. A 20-foot container equals 1 TEU and a 40-foot container equals 2 TEU. Standard TEU capacity is roughly 20 to 28 metric tons of…
Third-Country Financial Institution
A bank or financial entity incorporated outside the United States that can process payment transactions between a U.S. vendor and a Cuban buyer. Required by…
Trade Finance and Export Working Capital
Short-term financing that helps U.S. vendors fund production before Cuban buyer payment arrives. Trade finance is for vendors only – TSRA prohibits extending…
TSRA (Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act)
The U.S. federal law that carved a permanent legal exception allowing American companies to export food, agricultural products, and medicine to Cuba – provided…
TSRA-Eligible Products
The specific goods – primarily food, agricultural commodities, and medicine – that qualify for export to Cuba under TSRA. Not every product is automatically…
U
U.S. Person
Under OFAC regulations: any U.S. citizen, permanent resident, entity organized under U.S. law, or any person located in the United States. U.S. persons cannot…
USDA APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Issues phytosanitary certificates for plant and animal product exports, required for fruit, vegetable…
USDA FGIS (Federal Grain Inspection Service)
The USDA's Federal Grain Inspection Service. Issues quality and inspection certificates for bulk grain and agricultural commodity exports. Cuban buyers of corn…
W
W-9 (IRS Taxpayer Identification Form)
IRS form certifying the taxpayer identification number, EIN or SSN, of a U.S. business or individual. Required in AquiCargo's KYB process for U.S. vendors.
Wire Transfer (International)
The electronic bank-to-bank fund transfer that serves as the payment mechanism for all U.S. – Cuba food trade. Cuban buyers send USD wires from third-country…
WMP (Whole Milk Powder)
Whole milk powder with a minimum 26% fat content, HS Code 0402.21. One of the highest-demand dairy products in Cuba. Q1 2026 reference price: $3,200 to $3,800…
Ready to trade?
Now that you know the vocabulary, take the first step in the U.S. – Cuba wholesale market.