A/B: Able bodied seaman, a member of the crew who is able to perform all duties of an experienced seaman.
A/S: Alongside
AA: Always afloat
AAAA: Always accessible always afloat
AAOSA: Always afloat or safely aground
AARA: Amsterdam-Antwerp-Rotterdam Area
ABT: About
ADCOM: Address Commission
AFSPS: Arrival First Sea Pilot Station (Norway)
AG: Arabian Gulf – also called PG – Persian Gulf
AGW: All going well
AHL: Australian hold ladders
ANTHAM: Antwerp-Hamburg range
APS: Arrival pilot station
AR: Accounts receivable
ARAG: Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Gent range
ASPW: Any safe port in the world
ATDNSHINC: Any time day/night Sundays and holidays Included
ATUTC: Actual times used to count
B/C: Bulk carrier. Single deck ship carrying homogenous unpackaged cargoes. Loaded through large hatchways
B/L: Bill of lading. A document signed by the carrier which acts as a Contract of Affreightment, a receipt and evidence of title to the cargo.
BAF: Bunker adjustment factor. A fuel surcharge expressed as a percentage added or subtracted from the freight amount, reflecting the movement in the market place price for bunkers.
BBB: Before breaking bulk. Refers to freight payments that must be received before discharge of a vessel commences
BDI: Both dates inclusive
BENDS: Both ends (load & discharge ports)
BI: Both inclusive
BIMCO: The Baltic and International Maritime Council
BL: Bale
BL (or B/L): Bill of Lading
BM: Beam
BN: Booking note BOB: Bunker on board
Boffer: Best offer
BPM: Bridge procedure manual
BROB: Bunkers remaining on board
BSM: Barber Ship Management
BSS: Basis
BSS 1/1: Basis 1 port to 1 port
BT: Berth terms
BWAD: Brackish water arrival draft
C/P: Charter Party
C/SNEE (or Consignee): Name of agent, company or person receiving consignment
CAF: Currency adjustment factor
CAR: Corrective action request
CBA: Collective bargaining agreement (Salary scales for different nationalities of seamen) Used by crewing.
CBFT (or CFT): Cubic feet
CBM: Cubic meters
CBT: Clean ballast tanks
CFC: Chlorofluorocarbon compounds. See HCFC
CFR: Cost and freight. Cost and freight means that the seller delivers when the goods pass the ship’s rail in the port of shipment. The seller must pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination BUT the risk of loss of CHENG: Chief engineer
CHOF: Chief Officer or chief mate, second in command of the vessel
CHOPT: Charterers option
CHTRS: Charterers
CIF: Cost, insurance and freight. Means that the seller delivers when the goods pass the ship’s rail in the port of shipment. The seller must pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination BUT the risk of loss of or dam
CIP: Carriage and insurance paid to… Means that the seller delivers the goods to the carrier nominated by him but the seller must in addition pay the cost of carriage necessary to bring the goods to the named destination. This means that the buyer bears all
CKD: Completely knocked down
Clean (CPP): Refined petroleum products with light color (gas, paraffin, gas oil, naphtha)
CM: Contingency manual
CO2: Carbon dioxide – a combustion product from burning all types of fuel. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may increase the temperature at the Earth’s surface – known as the greenhouse effect
COA (Contract of Affreightment) – Owners agree to accept a cost per revenue ton for cargo carried on a specific number of voyages.
COACP: Contract of Affreightment charter party
COB: Closing of business
COBLDN: Closing of business London
COD: Cash on delivery
COGSA: Carriage of goods by Sea act
CONS: Consumption
COP: Custom of port
CP (or C/P): Charter party
CPD: Charterers pay dues
CPT: Carriage paid to… Means that the seller delivers the goods to the carrier nominated by him but the seller must in addition pay the cost of carriage necessary to bring the goods to the named destination. This means that the buyer bears all risks and any
CQD: Customary quick dispatch
CR: Current rate
CRN: Crane
CROB: Cargo remaining on board
CRT: Cargo retention clauses, introduced by charterers based on shortage of delivered cargo because of increased oil prices
CST: Centistoke
CTR: Container fitted CVS: Consecutive voyages
D&A: Drug & Alcohol
D/A: Disbursement account
DAF: Delivered at frontier. Means that the seller delivers when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer on the arriving means of transport not unloaded, cleared for export, but not cleared for import at the named point and place at the frontier, but
DAMFORDET: Damages for detention. Penalty if cargo is not ready when ship arrives for working (1st day of Laycan). This is not detention which is charged for ships time on delay. If the cargo is ready there is no DAMFORDET.
DAPS: Days all purposes (Total days for loading & discharging)
DDP: Delivered duty paid. Means that the seller delivers the goods to the buyer, cleared for import, and not unloaded from any arriving means of transport at the named place of destination. The seller has to bear all the costs and risks involved in bringing th
DDU: Delivered duty unpaid. Means that the seller delivers the goods to the buyer, not cleared for import, and not unloaded from any arriving means of transport at the named place of destination. The seller has to bear the costs and risks involved in bringing
DEM: Demurrage (quay rent). Money paid by the shipper for the occupying port space beyond a specified “free time period.
DEQ: Delivered ex quay. Means that the seller delivers when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer not cleared for import on the quay (wharf) at the named port of destination. The seller has to bear costs and risks involved in bringing the goods to DES: Delivered ex ship. Means that the seller delivers when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer on board the ship not cleared for import at the named port of destination. The seller has to bear all the costs and risks involved in bringing the goo DESP: Dispatch. Time saved, reward for quick turnaround, in dry cargo only
DET: Detention (See DAMFORDET)
DEV: Deviation. Vessel departure from specified voyage course
DFRT (Deadfreight): Space booked by shipper or charterer on a vessel but not used
DHDATSBE: Dispatch half demurrage on all time saved both ends DHDWTSBE: Dispatch half demurrage on working time saved both ends
DISCH: Discharge
DK: Deck
DLOSP: Dropping last outwards sea pilot (Norway)
DNRCAOSLONL: Discountless and non-returnable cargo and/or ship lost or not lost
DO: Diesel Oil
DOC: Document of Compliance – refers to the ISM Code. Means a document issued to a Company which complies with the requirements of the ISM Code.
DOLSP: Dropping off last sea pilot (Norway)
DOP: Dropping outward pilot
DOT: Department of Transport
DP: Designated Person – refers to the ISM code
DRC: Document Review Committee
DRK: Derrick, crane, winch
DWAT: Deadweight all told
DWAT (or DWT): Deadweight. Weight of cargo, stores and water, i.e. the difference between lightship and loaded displacement.
DWCC: Deadweight cargo capacity
DWT (Deadweight tonnage): Weight in tons of cargo, stores, fuel, passengers, crew, etc., carried by the ship when loaded to her maximum summer load line.
DPS: Dynamic positioning system; keeping the ship’s position with the help of automatically controlled propellers
EC: East Coast
EIU: Even if used
ELVENT: Electric ventilation
EMM: Environmental management manual EPA: Environmental Protection Agency ERT: Emergency response team
ETA: Estimated time of arrival
ETC: Estimated time of completion
ETD: Estimated time of departure
ETS: Estimated time of sailing
EXW: Ex. works. Means that the seller delivers when he places the goods at the disposal of the buyer at the seller’s premises or another named place (i.e. works, factory, warehouse, etc.) not cleared for export and not loaded on any collecting vehicle.
FAC: Fast as can (loading or discharging)
FAS: Free alongside ship. Means that the seller delivers when the goods are placed alongside the vessel at the named port of shipment. This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss or damage to the goods from that moment.
FCA: Free to carrier. Means that the seller delivers the goods, cleared for export, to the carrier nominated by the buyer at the named place. It should be noted that the chosen place of delivery has an impact on the obligations of loading and unloading the goo
FD (FDIS): Free discharge
FDD: Freight demurrage deadfreight
FDEDANRSAOCLONL: Freight deemed earned, discountless and non-returnable (refundable) ship and or cargo lost or not lost
FDESP: Free dispatch
FEU: Standard 40’ Container
FHEX: Fridays and holidays excepted
FHINC: Fridays and holidays included
FI: Freight interest insurance
FILO: Free in/liner out. Seafreight with which the shipper pays load costs and the carrier pays for discharge costs.
FIO: Free in/out. Freight booked FIO includes the seafreight, but no loading/discharging costs, i.e. the charterer pays for cost of loading/discharging cargo.
FIOS: Free in/out stowed. As per FIO, but excludes stowage costs.
FIOST: Free in/out and trimmed. Charterer pays for cost of loading/discharging cargo, including stowage and trimming.
FIOT: Free in/out and trimmed. As per FIOS but includes trimming, e.g. the leveling of bulk cargoes. FIOS includes sea freight, but excludes loading/discharging and stowage costs.
FIT: Free in trimmed
FIW: Free in wagon
FLT: Full liner terms
FMC: Federal Maritime Commission
FME: Force Majeure excepted
FMS: Fathoms
FO1: For orders
FO2 (IFO): Fuel oil/intermediate FO
FO3: Free out
FOB: Free on board. Means that the seller delivers when the goods pass the ship’s rail at the named port of shipment. This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss of or damage to the goods from that point. The FOB term requires the seller
FOB: Free on board. Seller sees the goods “over the ship’s rail” on to the ship which is arranged and paid for by the buyer
FOC: Flag of convenience
FOFFER: Firm offer
FOG: For our guidance
FOQ: Free on quay
FOR: Free on rail
FOT: Free on truck
FOW: First open water
FOW: Free on wharf
FP (Free pratique): Clearance by the Health Authorities
FPSO: Floating production, storage and offloading vessel
FR: First refusal; first attempt at best offer that can be matched
Free dispatch: If loading/discharging achieved sooner than agreed, there will be no freight money returned.
Free EXINS: Free of any extra Insurance (Owners)
FRT: Freight. Money payable on delivery of cargo in a mercantile condition
FWAD: Fresh water arrival draft
FWDD: Fresh water departure draft
FYG: For your guidance
FYI: For your information
g/t-km: Denotes emissions in grams per tone of cargo shipped over a kilometer
GA plan: General arrangement plan
GEOROT: Geographical rotation
GL: General ledger
GLS (GLESS): Gearless
GM: General manager; head of local entity
GN (or GR): Grain (Capacity)
GNCN or Gencon: General conditions
GO: Gas oil
GP: Grain capacity. Cubic capacity in ‘grain’
GR: Geographical rotation. Ports in order of calling
GRD: Geared
GRT: Gross registered tonnage
GSB: Good, safe berth
GSP: Good, safe port
GTEE: Guarantee
H&M: Hull and machinery insurance
HA: Hatch
HBF: Harmless bulk fertilizer
HCFC: Hydro-chlorofluorocarbon compounds, such as freon 22 (R22)
HDLTSBENDS: Half dispatch lay time saved both ends
HDWTS: Half dispatch working (or weather) time saved
HFC: Hydrofluorocarbon
HFO: Heavy fuel oil. Used in ship’s engines and boiler systems
HHDW: Handy heavy d.w. (scrap)
HI: Hull interest insurance
HMS: Heavy metal scraps
HO: Hold; a compartment below deck in a large vessel, used solely for carrying cargo
HW: High water
IAS: International Accounting Standards. (Former name for IFRS.)
ICT: Information communication technology
ICW: Intercoastal waterway: bays, rivers, and canals along the coasts (such as the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts), connected so that vessels may travel without going into the sea
IFRS: International Financial Reporting Standards
ILO: International Labour Organization
IMDG: International Maritime Dangerous Goods code
IMO (International Maritime Organisation): Body created to regulate international maritime trade
IND: Indication
INMARSAT: International Maritime Satellite System
INTERMODAL: Carriage of a commodity by different modes of transport, i.e. sea, road, rail and air within a single journey
ISM Code: International Safety Management Code. The objectives of the ISM Code are to ensure safety at sea, prevention of human injury or loss of life, and avoidance of damage to the environment, in particular to the marine environment and to property. The purpose
ISMA: International Ship Managers Association
ISO 14000: ISO standard for environmental management
ISO 14001: International environmental standard
ISO 9001: International quality standard
ISPS: International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. The Objective with the ISPS code is to establish an international framework involving co-operations between contracting governments, government agencies, local administration and the shipping and port infrastructure
ITF: International Transport Federation
IU: If used
IUHTAUTC: If used, half time actually used to count
IWL: Institute Warranty Limits
L/C: Letter of credit
LAT (Latitude): The distance north or south of the equator measured and expressed in degrees.
LCR: Lowest current rate
LF: Load factor. Percentage of cargo or passengers carries e.g. 4 000 tons carried on a vessel of 10 000 capacity has a load factor of 40%
LOA: Length overall (of ships hull)
LOF: Lloyds Open Form
LOH: Loss of hire insurance
LOI: Letter of indemnity
LOLO: Lift on – lift off
LOW: Last open water
LPG: Liquefied petroleum gas – from refineries (mostly propane, butane)
LS (or LUMPS): Lump sum freight. Money paid to shipper for a charter of a ship (or portion) up to stated limit irrespective of quantity of cargo
LSD: Lashed secured dunnaged
LSFO: Low sulphur fuel oil (bunkers)
LT: Liner terms
LT: Long ton = 1 016.05 kilogram (2 240 lbs)
LTHH: Liner terms hook/hook
LW: Low water
LYCN: Laycan (Layday cancelling date)
M/V: Motor vessel / merchant vessel
Mark I: WW designation for ro-ro carriers built in 1978-79
Mark II: WW designation for ro-ro carriers built in 1984
Mark III: WW designation for ro-ro carriers built in 1996
Mark IV: WW designation for ro-ro carriers built in 2000-01
MB: Merchant broker
MDO (DO): Marine diesel oil
MDO / MGO: Marine diesel oil/marine gas oil
MED: Mediterranean Sea
MHI: Car carriers built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2004-06
MIAP: Mortgagee interest additional perils pollution
MII: Mortgagee interest insurance
MIN/MAX: Minimum/Maximum (cargo quantity)
MM: Marketing manual
MOA: Memorandum of agreement
MOLCHOPT: More or less charterers option
MOLOO: More or less owners option. (A margin for shipowner for how much the ship should carry: A moloo of 5% on a 30 000 ton ship gives a cargo between 28,500 and 31,500 tons
MSM: Minimum safe manning (flag states minimum approved manning for a vessel)
MT: Metric ton (1,000 kilos)
NAABSA: Not always afloat but safely aground
NCB: National Cargo Bureau
NIS: Norwegian International Ship Register
NOx: Nitrogen oxides; Environmentally harmful gases formed by the engine’s combustion process
NM: Nautical mile. One minute of latitude; approximately 6 076 feet – about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5 280 feet
NMD: Norwegian Maritime Directorate
NOR: Notice of readiness
NRT: Net register tonnage
NYPE: New York Produce Exchange
OBO: Ore/bulk/oil vessel
OCIMF: The Oil Companies International Marine Forum: OCIMF is a voluntary association of oil companies having an interest in the shipment and terminalling of crude oil and oil products.
OO: Owners option
OPA 90: The Oil Pollution Act of 1990, a US law imposing far-reaching requirements on shipowners, vessels and crews when carrying petroleum products to the US and within the US Economic Zone (200 miles off the coastline). Introduced after the Exxon Valdez accident
OSH: Open shelter deck
OWS: Owners
OWS: Oily water separator
P&I: Protection and indemnity (Responsibility insurance for the shipowner).
PASTUS: Past Us
PC: Period of charter
PCC: Pure car carrier (vessel type)
PCGO: Part cargo
PCT: Percent
PCTC: Pure car and truck carrier (vessel type)
PDA: Pro forma disbursement account
PDPR: Per day or pro rata (for part of a day)
PG: Persian Gulf
PHPD: Per hatch per day
PMS: Port marine services
Pooling: Cargo or profit sharing by cooperating companies in lines or liner conferences
ppm: parts per million (1 ppm = 0,000001 or 1 mg/kg)
PS&L: Port service & logistics which includes the product lines PMS, Liner, Logistics and HUB
PUS: Plus us
PWWD: Per weather working day
QA: Quality assurance
RCVR: Receiver
RECAP: Recapitulation of the terms and conditions agreed
ROB: Remaining on board
RT: Revenue Ton (i.e. 1.0 metric ton or 1.0 cubic meter, whichever greater). The overall RT is calculated on a line by line basis of the Packing List using the largest amount.
RT43: Measure for capacity by a car which is 4.125 m long, 1.550 m wide and 1.420 m high
SAR: Search and Rescue
SATPM: Saturday P.M.
SB: Safe berth
SBT: Segregated ballast tanks
SD (or SID): Single decker
SELFD: Self discharging
SF: Stowage factor. Cubic space (measurement ton) occupied by one ton (2,240 lbs/1,000 kgs) of cargo
SHEX: Sundays and holidays excluded
SHINC: Sundays and holidays included
SMC: Safety management certificate – ref. ISM Code
SN: Satellite navigation. A form of position finding using radio transmissions from satellites with sophisticated on-board automatic equipment
SOC: Shipper owned container
SOF: Statement of facts
SOPEP: Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
SP: Safe port
SQC: Special Qualification Certificate (issued by flag state)
SQM: Safety quality manager
SRBL: Signing and releasing Bill of lading
SSHEX: Saturdays, Sundays, holidays excluded
SSHINC (or SATSHINC): Saturdays, Sundays, holidays included
SSMM: Ship Safety Management Manual
STCW: Standards of Training, Certificates and Watchkeeping. Standard that crewing have to comply with. For more information please look at http://www.imo.org (Human Element – Training and Certification).
SUB (Subject to): depending upon as a condition
SOx: Sulphur oxides; Sulphur in the bunkers oil combines with oxygen in the combustion process to form sulphur oxides. These react with moisture in the air to produce sulphurous and sulphuric acid
SWAD: Salt water arrival draft
SWDD: Salt water departure draft
Swedac: Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment
T/C: Time charter (shipper controls the ship and pays a monthly rent, T/C-hire)
TBN: To be named/nominated
TBT: Tributyltin, used in tin-based antifouling
TC: Time charter. Owners agree to hire a particular ship for a set length of time and provide technical management, crewing etc.
TCP: Time charter party
TEU: Standard 20’ Container
TMSA: Tanker Management and Self Assessment. The OCIMF’s Tanker Management and Self-Assessment program is a tool to help ship operators measure and improve their management systems. The program encourages ship operators to assess their safety-management sys
TTL: Total
TW: Tween decker
UER: Undesired event report
ULCC: Ultra Large Crude Carrier – oil tanker of 300,000 + dwt
Unicool: Barwil Unitor’s maritime refrigerants
USC: Unless sooner commenced
UTC: GMT
UU: Unless used
UUIWCTAUTC: Unless used in which case time actually used to count
VCM: vessel contingency manual
VLCC: Very Large Crude Carrier
VPD: Vessel pays dues
VRPP: Vessel response plan pollution
W or WS: Worldscale (Rating system for tanking. Basis rates for different voyages)
WCCON: Whether customs cleared or not
WIBON: Whether in berth or not
WIFPON: Whether in free pratique or not
WIPON: Whether in port or not
WLS: Wilhelmsen Lines Shipowning
WLTOHC: Water line-to-hatch coaming
WMC: Wilhelmsen Marine Consultants
WMS: Wilhelmsen Maritime Services
WOG: Without guarantee
WP: Weather permitting. That time during which weather prevents working shall not count as laytime
WPD: Weather permitting day
WRIC: Wire rods in coils
WWD: Weather working day
WWD: Weather working day (days when loading/ discharging is not interrupted by the weather)
WWR: When, where ready
WWWW: WIBON, WCCON, WIFPON, WIPON
YAR: York Antwerp Rules
YAW: To swing or steer off course, as when running with a quartering sea
YB: Yellow Book – onboard the ships on management
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