Marine Talk

A

ABAFT - A point beyond the midpoint of a ships length, towards the rear or stern.

ADMEASUREMENT - The confirmed or official dimensions of a ship.

AFT - In, near, or toward the stern of the vessel.

AID - Agency for International Development.

AIS - Automatic Identification System.

ALLISION - The act of striking or collision of a moving vessel against a stationary object.

ALONGSIDE - A phrase referring to the side of a ship. Goods delivered "alongside" are to be placed on the dock or barge within reach of the transport ship's tackle so that they can be loaded.

AMIDSHIPS - Generally speaking, the word amidships means in the middle portion of a vessel.

ASTERN - A backward direction in the line of a vessel's fore and aft line; behind. If a vessel moves backwards it is said to move astern; opposite to ahead.

AT SEA - This phrase applies to a ship which is free from its moorings and ready to sail.

AUTOMATIC PILOT - An instrument designed to control automatically a vessel's steering gear so that it follows a pre-determined track through the water.



To the Top



B

BEAM - The width of a ship. Also called breadth.

BOATSWAIN (BOSUN) - The highest unlicensed rating in the deck department who has immediate charge of all deck hands and who in turn comes under the direct orders of the master or chief mate or mate.

BOW - The front of a vessel.

BOW THRUSTERS - A propeller at the lower sea-covered part of the bow of the ship which turns at right angles to the fore-and-aft line and thus provides transverse thrust as a maneuvering aid.

BREADTH - See Beam

BRIDGE - Used loosely to refer to the navigating section of the vessel where the wheel house and chart room are located; erected structure amidships or aft or very rarely fore over the main deck of a ship to accommodate the wheelhouse.

BULKHEAD - A name given to any vertical partition which separates different compartments or spaces from one another.

BUNKERS - Fuel consumed by the engines of a ship; compartments or tanks in a ship for fuel storage.

BUOY - A floating object employed as an aid to mariners to mark the navigable limits of channels, their fairways, sunken dangers, isolated rocks, telegraph cables, and the like; floating devices fixed in place at sea, lake or river as reference points for navigation or for other purposes.



To the Top



C

CABLE SHIP - A specially constructed ship for the laying and repairing of telegraph and telephone cables across channels, seas, lakes, and oceans.

CARGO - Freight loaded into a ship.

CARGO HANDLING - The act of loading and discharging a cargo ship.

CARGO MANIFEST - A manifest that lists all cargo carried on a specific vessel voyage.

CATAMARAN - A double or treble-hulled vessel constructed in wood, aluminum or reinforced glass fibre and is also composed of two or three hulls diagonally joined together by various methods. Normally no ballast is needed to counteract the center buoyancy since it enjoys good stability at sea.

CATUG - Short for Catamaran Tug. A rigid catamaran tug connected to a barge. When joined together, they form and look like a single hull of a ship; oceangoing integrated tug-barge vessels.

CATWALK - A raised bridge running fore and aft from the midship, and also called "walkway." It affords safe passage over the pipelines and other deck obstructions.

CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION - The document issued by the U.S. Coast Guard certifying an American-flag vessel's compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRY - A document specifying the nation registry of the vessel.

CHANDLER - A person who deals in the selling of provisions, dried stores, etc.

CHIEF ENGINEER - The senior engineer officer responsible for the satisfactory working and upkeep of the main and auxiliary machinery and boiler plant on board ship.

CHIEF MATE - The officer in the deck department next in rank to the master; second in command of a ship. He is next to the master, most especially in the navigation and as far as the deck department is concerned. The chief mate assumes the position of the Master in his absence.

COASTWISE - Domestic shipping routes along a single coast.

COLLIER - Vessel used for transporting coal.

COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM - Electronic system commonly used to prevent collisions in inland navigable waterways.

COMBI - Combination passenger/cargo vessel; a vessel specifically designed to carry both containers and conventional cargoes.

COMBINATION PASSENGER AND CARGO SHIPS - Ships with a capacity for 13 or more passengers.

COMPLEMENT - The number of officers and crew employed upon a vessel for its safe navigation and operation.

CONTRABAND - Cargo that is prohibited.

CREW - The personnel engaged on board ship, excluding the master and officers and the passengers on passenger ships.

CREW LIST - List prepared by the master of a ship showing the full names, nationality, passport or discharge book number, rank and age of every officer and crew member engaged on board that ship. This serves as one of the essential ship's documents which is always requested to be presented and handed over to the customs and immigration authorities when they board the vessel on arrival.

CSR - Continuous Synopsis Record, an on-board record of the history of a ship.



To the Top



D

D&H - Abbreviation for "Dangerous and Hazardous" cargo.

DANGEROUS CARGO - All substances of an inflammable nature which are liable to spontaneous combustion either in themselves or when stowed adjacent to other substances and, when mixed with air, are liable to generate explosive gases or produce suffocation or poisoning or tainting of foodstuffs.

DANGEROUS LIQUIDS - Liquids giving off inflammable vapors.

DAVITS - Two radial cranes on a ship which hold the lifeboats. They are constructed in such a way as to lower and lift the lifeboats the easiest way possible and are also unobstructed in case of an emergency.

DEADWEIGHT - A common measure of ship carrying capacity. The number of tons (2240 lbs.) of cargo, stores and bunkers that a vessel can transport. It is the difference between the number of tons of water a vessel displaces "light" and the number of tons it displaces "when submerged to the 'deep load line'." A vessel's cargo capacity is less than its total deadweight tonnage. The difference in weight between a vessel when it is fully loaded and when it is empty (in general transportation terms, the net) measured by the water it displaces. This is the most common, and useful, measurement for shipping as it measures cargo capacity.

DEADWEIGHT CARGO - A long ton of cargo that can be stowed in less than 40 cubic feet.

DECK GANG - The officers and seamen comprising the deck department aboard ship. Also called deck crew, deck department, or just deck.

DECKHAND - Seaman who works on the deck of a ship and remains in the wheelhouse attending to the orders of the duty officers during navigation and maneuvering. He also comes under the direct orders of the bosun.

DECK HOUSE - Small superstructure on the top deck of a vessel, which contains the helm and other navigational instruments.

DECK LOG - Also called Captain's Log. A full nautical record of a ship's voyage, written up at the end of each watch by the deck officer on watch.

DECK OFFICER - As distinguished from engineer officer, refers to all officers who assist the master in navigating the vessel when at sea, and supervise the handling of cargo when in port.

DEEP STOWAGE - Any bulk, bagged or other type of cargo stowed in single hold ships.

DENSITY - The weight of cargo per cubic foot or other unit.

DISABLED SHIP - When a ship is unable to sail efficiently or in a seaworthy state as a result of engine trouble, lack of officers or crew, damage to the hull or ship's gear.

DISCHARGES - An essential document for officers and seamen as it serves an official certificate confirming sea experience in the employment for which he was engaged.

DISPLACEMENT - The weight, in tons of 2,240 pounds, of the vessel and its contents. Calculated by dividing the volume of water displaced in cubic feet by 35, the average density of sea water.

DRAFT - The depth of a ship in the water. The vertical distance between the waterline and the keel, in the U.S. expressed in feet, elsewhere in meters.

DRY CARGO - Merchandise other than liquid carried in bulk.

DRY DOCK - An enclosed basin into which a ship is taken for underwater cleaning and repairing. It is fitted with water tight entrance gates which when closed permit the dock to be pumped dry.

DUNNAGE - A term applied to loose wood or other material used in a ship's hold for the protection of cargo.

DWT - Deadweight tons.


To the Top



E

ENTRY - A customs form used for the clearance of ships or merchandise.

EVEN KEEL - When the draft of a ship fore and aft are the same.



To the Top



F

FAK - Freight All Kinds, usually referring to full container loads of mixed shipments.

FAS - Free Along Side (of ship).

FEU - Forty Foot Equivalent Units (Containers).

FIO - Free in and out.

FIREMAN - an unlicensed member of the engine, room staff whose duties consist of standing watch in the boiler room and insuring the oil burning equipment is working properly.

FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE - The registration of ships in a country whose tax on the profits of trading ships is low or whose requirements concerning manning or maintenance are not stringent. Sometimes referred to as flags of necessity; denotes registration of vessels in foreign nations that offer favorable tax structures and regulations; also the flag representing the nation under whose jurisdiction a ship is registered. Ships are always registered under the laws of one nation but are not always required to establish their home location in that country.

FORE AND AFT - The direction on a vessel parallel to the center line.

FORECASTLE - The raised part of the forward end of a ship's hull. The inside space may be used for crew accommodation or quarters, though on new ships this space is being used for the storage of paints, tackle, deck and engine stores, tarpaulins, etc.

FORWARD - At or in the direction of the bow. Also the fore part of the ship.



To the Top



G

GANGWAY - A narrow portable platform used as a passage, by persons entering or leaving a vessel moored alongside a pier or quay.

GMDSS - Global Maritime Distress and Safety System.

GPS - Global Positioning System.

GROSS REGISTERED TONS - A common measurement of the internal volume of a ship with certain spaces excluded. One ton equals 100 cubic feet; the total of all the enclosed spaces within a ship expressed in tons each of which is equivalent to 100 cubic feet.

GROSS TONNAGE (GT) - Applies to vessels, not to cargo, (0.2+0.02 log10V) where V is the volume in cubic meters of all enclosed spaces on the vessel.

GROUNDING - Deliberate contact by a ship with the bottom while she is moored or anchored as a result of the water level dropping.

GYRO PILOT - An instrument, which automatically controls and steers a ship very accurately, compared with human navigation. An advanced bearing is set and the gyro pilot will direct to that point.



To the Top



H

HARBOR DUES - Various local charges against all seagoing vessels entering a harbor, to cover maintenance of channel depths, buoys, lights, etc. All harbors do not necessarily have this charge.

HARBOR MASTER - A person usually having the experience of a certificated master mariner and having a good knowledge of the characteristics of the port and its whole area. He administers the entire shipping movements that take place in and within reach of the port he is responsible for.

HARD AGROUND - A vessel which has gone aground and is incapable of refloating under her own power.

HATCH - An opening, generally rectangular, in a ship's deck affording access into the compartment below.

HAWSER - Large strong rope used for towing purposes and for securing or mooring ships. Hawsers are now mostly made of steel.

HAZ MAT - An industry abbreviation for "Hazardous Material."

HELM - A tiller or a wheel generally installed on the bridge or wheelhouse of a ship to turn the rudder during maneuvering and navigation. It is in fact the steering wheel of the ship.

HOISTING ROPE - Special flexible wire rope for lifting purposes, generally being of six strands with 19 wires in each strand and in most cases having a hemp rope at the center.

HOLD - A general name for the spaces below the main deck designated for stowage of general cargo.

HMT - Harbor Maintenance Tax.

HULL - Shell or body of a ship.



To the Top



I

INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS - Liquids liable to spontaneous combustion which give off inflammable vapors at or below 80 degrees F. For example, ether, ethyl, benzine, gasoline, paints, enamels, carbon disulfide, etc.

INLAND WATERS - Term referring to lakes, streams, rivers, canals, waterways, inlets, bays and the like.

INMARSAT - International Maritime Satellite System.

INTERCOASTAL - Domestic shipping routes serving more than one coast. Water service between two coasts; in the U.S., this usually refers to water service between the Atlantic and Pacific or Gulf Coasts.

INTERMODALISM - The concept of transportation as a door-to-door service rather than port-to-port. Thus efficiency is enhanced by having a single carrier coordinating the movement and documentation among different modes of transportation.

INTERNATIONAL LOAD LINE CERTIFICATE - A certificate which gives details of a ship's freeboards and states that the ship has been surveyed and the appropriate load lines marked on her sides. A classification society or the Coast Guard issues this certificate.

INTERNATIONAL TONNAGE CERTIFICATE - A certificate issued to a shipowner by a government department in the case of a ship whose gross and net tonnages have been determined in accordance with the International Convention of Tonnage Measurement of Ships. The certificate states the gross and net tonnages together with details of the spaces attributed to each.

INTERNATIONAL WATERWAYS - Consist of international straits, inland and interocean canals and rivers where they separate the territories of two or more nations. Provided no treaty is enforced both merchant ships and warships have the right of free and unrestricted navigation through these waterways.

INTRACOASTAL - Domestic shipping routes along a single coast.



To the Top



J

JACOB'S LADDER - A rope ladder suspended from the side of a vessel and used for boarding.

JETTISON - Act of throwing cargo or equipment (jetsam) overboard when a ship is in danger.

JONES ACT - Merchant Marine Act of 1920, Section 27, requires that all U.S. domestic waterborne trade be carried by U.S.-flag, U.S.-built, and U.S.-manned vessels.



To the Top



K

KEEL - The lowest longitudinal timber of a vessel, on which framework of the whole is built up; combination of iron plates serving same purpose in iron vessel.

KNOT - Unit of speed in navigation which is the rate of nautical mile (6,080 feet or 1,852 meters) per hour.



To the Top



L

LADEN - Loaded aboard a vessel.

LAY-UP - Temporary cessation of trading of a ship by a shipowner during a period when there is a surplus of ships in relation to the level of available cargoes. This surplus, known as overtonnaging, has the effect of depressing freight rates to the extent that some shipowners no long find it economical to trade their ship, preferring to lay them up until there is a reversal in the trend.

LCL - Less than Container Load, a consignment of cargo, which is inefficient to fill a shipping container. It is grouped with other consignments for the same destination in a container at a container freight station.

LIFEBOAT - A specially constructed double ended boat which can withstand heavy, rough seas.

LIFEBOAT DRILL - The master of every vessel is bound by international law to make the officers, crew and passengers adequately acquainted with the procedures of lowering and the use of lifeboats in case of emergency.

LIGHT DISPLACEMENT TONNAGE - The weight of a ship's hull, machinery, equipment and spares. This is often the basis on which ships are paid for when purchased for scrapping. The difference between the loaded displacement and light displacement is the ship's deadweight.

LIST - The amount in degrees that a vessel tilts from the vertical.

LNG - Liquefied Natural Gas

LOAD LINE - The line on a vessel indicating the maximum depth to which that vessel can sink when loaded with cargo. Also known as marks.

LOADED LEG - Subdivision of a ship's voyage during which the ship is carrying cargo.

LONG TON - 2,240 pounds.

LONGSHOREMAN -- Individual employed in a port to load and unload ships.

LOOKOUT - A member of the crew stationed on the forecastle, or on the bridge, whose duty it is to watch for any dangerous objects or for any other vessels heaving into sight.

LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas

L/T - Long tons (2,240 lbs.).



To the Top



M

MANROPE - Rope used as a handrail on a ship.

MARTINGALE - Lower stay of rope used to sustain strain of the forestays.

MIZZENMAST - Mast aft or next aft of the mainmast in a ship.



To the Top



N

NATIONAL CARGO BUREAU - A private organization having representatives throughout the main harbors in the U.S. It is empowered to inspect cargoes of a hazardous nature and issue certificates which are automatically approved by the Coast Guard.

NATIONAL FLAG - The flag carried by a ship to show her nationality.

NAUTICAL MILE - Distance of one minute of longitude at the equator, approximately 6,076.115 feet. The metric equivalent is 1852 meters.

NAVSAC - Navigation Safety Advisory Council, an industry advisory body to the U.S. Coast Guard.

NDRF - National Defense Reserve Fleet.

NEOBULK - Shipments consisting entirely of units of a single commodity, such as cars, lumber, or scrap metal.



To the Top



O

OAKUM - Old ropes untwisted for caulking the seams of ships.

ORLOP - Lowest deck in a ship having four or more decks.

OUTRIGGER - Spar extended from side of ship to help secure mast.



To the Top



P

PAINTER - Rope attached to bow of a boat to attach it to a ship or a post.

PALLOGRAPH - Instrument measuring ship's vibration.

PARREL - Band by which a yard is fastened to a mast.

PATROON - Captain of a ship; coxswain of a longboat.

POOP - Enclosed structure at stern of ship above main deck.

PORT - When facing forward, the left side of a shift.

PRIMAGE - Fee paid to loaders for loading ship.

PURSER - Ship's officer in charge of finances and passengers.



To the Top



Q

QUARTERDECK - Part of ship's deck set aside by captain for ceremonial functions.

QUARTERING - Sailing nearly before the wind.



To the Top



R

RAKE - The inclination of a mast or another part of a ship.

RATLINE - Small rope forming a rung of a rope ladder on a ship.

REEF - To reduce area of a sail by rolling or folding part of it.

REEVE - To pass a rope through a ring.

ROSTRUM - Spike on prow of warship for ramming.

ROWLOCK - Contrivance serving as a fulcrum for an oar.



To the Top



S

SALVAGE - The property which has been recovered from a wrecked vessel, or the recovery of the vessel herself.

SEA TRIALS - A series of trials conducted by ship/vessel builders during which the owner's representatives on board act in a consulting and checking capacity to determine if the vessel has met the specifications.

SEAWORTHINESS - The sufficiency of a vessel in materials construction, equipment, crew and outfit for the trade in which it is employed. Any sort of disrepair to the vessel by which the cargo may suffer -- overloading, untrained officers, etc., may constitute a vessel un-seaworthy.

SEAWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE - A certificate issued by a classification society surveyor to allow a vessel to proceed after she has met with a mishap that may have affected its seaworthiness. It is frequently issued to enable a vessel to proceed, after temporary repairs have been effected, to another port where permanent repairs are then carried out.

SCUD - To sail swiftly before a gale.

SCUPPER - Hole allowing water to drain from ship’s deck.

SCUTTLEBUTT - Cask of drinking water aboard a ship.

SCUTTLES - Portholes on a ship.

SHEER - Fore-and-aft curvature of a ship from bow to stern.

SHIFTING - This refers to movements or changing positions of cargo from one place to another. This can easily endanger the seaworthiness or cargoworthiness of the ship.

SHIP CHANDLER - An individual or company selling equipment and supplies for ships.

SHIP'S MANIFEST - A statement listing the particulars of all shipments loaded for a specified voyage.

SHIP'S TACKLE - All rigging, cranes, etc., utilized on a ship to load or unload cargo.

SHIPPERS - Individuals or businesses who purchase transportation services for their goods or commodities.

SHIPPER'S COUNCIL - An organization of shippers formed to collectively negotiate rates and services with the conferences of ship operators.

SHIPPING ACT OF 1916 - The act of the U.S. Congress (1916) that created the U.S. Shipping Board to develop water transportation, operate the merchant ships owned by the government, and regulate the water carriers engaged in commerce under the flag of the United States. As of June 18, 1984, applies only to domestic offshore ocean transport.

SHIP'S AGENT - A person or firm who transacts all business in a port on behalf of shipowners or charterers. Also called shipping agent.

SHIP'S ARTICLES - A written agreement between the master of a ship and the crew concerning their employment. It includes rates of pay and capacity of each crewman, the date of commencement of the voyage and its duration.

SHIP'S STABILITY - The seaworthiness of a ship regarding the centrifugal force which enables her to remain upright.

SHORT TON - 2,000 pounds.

SHOUDS - Ropes supporting the mast of a ship.

SIDELIGHT - Colored lights on side of a ship.

SIP - Streamlined Inspection Program.

SISTER SHIPS - Ships built on the same design.

SKEG - Part of ship connecting the keel with the bottom of the rudderpost.

SLIP - A vessel's berth between two piers.

SLIPWAY - Ramp sloping into water for supporting a ship.

SOFT CURRENCY - Currency which is not fully convertible to all currencies but only to some other soft currencies.

spar any ship's mast, boom, yard, or gaff

spirketting inside planking between ports and waterways of a ship

sponson platform jutting from ship’s deck for gun or wheel

SPOT (VOYAGE) - A charter for a particular vessel to move a single cargo between specified loading port(s) and discharge port(s) in the immediate future. Contract rate ("spot" rate) covers total operating expenses, i.e., bunkers, port charges, canal tolls, crew's wages and food, insurance and repairs. Cargo owner absorbs, in addition, any expenses specifically levied against the cargo.

STARBOARD - The right-hand side of a ship when facing the front or forward end. The starboard side of a ship during darkness is indicated by a green light.

STARBOLINS - Sailors on the starboard watch.

STATION BILL - A list which shows the vessel's complement and details their various duties in connection with fire and boat drills.

STEEVE - To set a ship's bowsprit at an upward inclination.

STEMSON - Supporting timber of a ship.

STERN - The upright post or bar of the bow of a vessel.

STERNWAY - The reverse movement of a vessel.

STEVEDORE - Individual or firm that employs longshoremen and who contracts to load or unload the ship.

STORE - A general term for provisions, materials and supplies used aboard ship for the maintenance of the crew, and for the navigation, propulsion and upkeep of the vessel and its equipment.

STOWAGE - The placing of goods in a ship in such a way as to ensure the safety and stability of the ship not only on a sea or ocean passage but also in between ports when parts of the cargo have been loaded or discharged.

STRANDING - The running of a ship on shore on a beach.

STRIPPING - Removing cargo from a container (devanning).

STUFFING - Putting cargo into a container.



To the Top



T

TAIL SHAFT - The extreme section at the aft end of a ship's propeller shaft.

TANK BARGE - A river barge designed for the carriage of liquid bulk cargoes.

TANK CLEANING - Removal of all traces of a cargo from the tanks of a tanker normally by means of high pressure water jets.

TANKER - A tanker is a bulk carrier designed to transport liquid cargo, most often petroleum products. Oil tankers vary in size from small coastal vessels of 1,500 tons deadweight, through medium-sized ship of 60,000 tons, to the giant VLCCs (very large crude carriers).

TENDER - The offer of goods for transportation.

TERRITORIAL WATERS - That portion of the sea up to a limited instance which is immediately adjacent to the shores of any country and over which the sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction of that country extend.

T.E.U. - Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit (containers): A measurement of cargo-carrying capacity on a containership, referring to a common container size of 20 ft in length.

TI - Transportation Institute.

TIME CHARTER - A form of charter party wherein owner lets or leases his vessel and crew to the charterer for a stipulated period of time. The charterer pays for the bunkers and port charges in addition to the charter hire.

TITLE XI - A ship financing guarantee program.

TON MILE - A measurement used in the economics of transportation to designate one ton being moved one mile. This is useful to the shipper because it includes the distance to move a commodity in the calculation.

TONNAGE - Deadweight, gross, net, displacement; a quantity of cargo normally expressed as a number of tons.

TOP-OFF - To fill a ship which is already partly loaded with cargo.

TOW - When one or more vessels are being towed; when a tug is towing one or more floating objects; to pull an object in the water by means of a rope.

TOWAGE - Charges for the services of tugs assisting a ship or other vessels in ports or other locations; the act of towing a ship or other objects from one place to another.

TRAMP SERVICE - Vessels operating without a fixed itinerary or schedule or charter contract.

TRANSSHIP - To transfer goods from one transportation line to another, or from one ship to another.

TRIM - The relationship between a ship's draughts forward and aft.

TSA - Transportation Security Administration.

TSAC - Towing Safety Advisory Committee, an industry advisory body to the U.S. Coast Guard.

TUG - A small vessel designed to tow or push large ships or barges. Tugs have powerful diesel engines and are essential to docks and ports to maneuver large ships into their berths. Pusher tugs are also used to push enormous trains of barges on the rivers and inland waterways of the U.S. Oceangoing salvage tugs provide assistance to ships in distress and engage in such work as towing drilling rigs and oil production platforms.



To the Top



U

ULCC - Ultra Large Crude Carriers. Tankers larger than 300,000 dwt.

UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNMANNED MACHINERY SPACES - A space where alarm bells are installed on the bridge of a ship to trace or rectify any machinery faults. The computerized devices will report any fault immediately when it appears and the engineers on board can attend to the necessary ramifications.

UNSEAWORTHINESS - The state or condition of a vessel when it is not in a proper state of maintenance, or if the loading equipment or crew, or in any other respect is not ready to encounter the ordinary perils of sea.

USCG - United States Coast Guard.

U.S. EFFECTIVE CONTROLLED FLEET - That fleet of merchant ships owned by United States citizens or corporations and registered under flags of "convenience" or "necessity" such as Liberia or Panama. The term is used to emphasize that, while the fleet is not U.,$.-flag, it is effectively under U.S. control by virtue of the ship's owners and can be called to serve U.S. interests in time of emergency.

USTRANSCOM - United States Transportation Command, U.S. Department of Defense.



To the Top



V

VESSEL MANIFEST - The international carrier is obligated to make declarations of the ship's crew and contents at both the port of departure and arrival. The vessel manifest lists various details about each shipment by B/L number. Obviously, the B/L serves as the core source from which the manifest is created.

VISA - Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement.

VLCC - Very Large Crude Carriers: Tankers between 200,000 and 300,000 dwt.

VOYAGE CHARTER - A contract whereby the shipowner places the vessel at the disposal of the charterer for one or more voyages, the shipowner being responsible for the operation of the vessel.



To the Top



W

WAR RISK - Insurance coverage for loss of goods resulting from any act of war.

WATCH - The day at sea is divided into six four hour periods. Three groups of watchstanders are on duty for four hours and then off for eight, then back to duty. Seamen often work overtime during their off time.

WHARFAGE - Charge assessed by a pier or dock owner against freight handled over the pier or dock or against a steamship company using the pier or dock.

WORLDSCALE - An index representing the cost of time chartering a tanker for a specific voyage at a given time. The index is given at Worldscale 100, which represents the price in dollars per ton for carrying the oil at that rate. The negotiated rate will be some percentage of the index value.



To the Top



X



To the Top



Y



To the Top



Z



To the Top