ABOUT | Shipping terms
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- AA, Always Afloat.
- AAAA, Always Accessible, Always Afloat.
- ABS, American Bureau of Shipping - American classification society.
- AD, Airdraft: distance from the vessel's waterline to the top of the highest mast in an unladen condition.
- ADCOM, Address Commission.
- AG, Arabian Gulf - also called PG - Persian Gulf.
- AGW, All Going Well.
- AGWUCE, All Going Well, Unforeseen Circumstances Excepted.
- APS, Arrival Pilot Station.
- ARA, Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam Range.
- Arbitration, A method of settling disputes by one or more arbitrators.
- ATDNSHINC, Any Time Day and Night Sundays and Holidays Included.
- ATUTC, Actual Time Used, To Count.
- Ballast, Sea water taken into a vessel's tanks in order to submerge the vessel to proper trim.
- BAF, Bunker Adjustment Factor.
- BB, A lump sum amount paid to a ship owner for positioning the vessel at a certain place.
- BBB, Before Breaking Bulk : Freight to be paid prior to discharge.
- BE/BENDS, Both Ends, the Ends referring to Load and Discharge places.
- BIFFEX, Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange (London).
- BIMCO, The Baltic and International Maritime Council (Copenhagen).
- B/L, Bill of Lading.
- BLT, Built.
- Break-Bulk, Goods shipped loose in the vessel's hold and not in containe.
- BV, Bureau Veritas - French classification society.
- C&F, Cost and Freight - Goods are to be sold on the basis that the seller arranges their seaborne transportation and delivery to the buyer.
- Cabotage, Coastal trade, i.e. the movement of goods by ship between ports on the same coast or between ports within the same country.
- CAF, Currency Adjustment Factor.
- Capesize, Vessel which is too large to navigate the Suez Canal to and from the Arabian Gulf, therefore being forced to sail around the Cape of Good Hope - approximately 80,000 - 175,000 dwt.
- CFT (CuFt), Cubic Feet.
- Charter-Party (C/P), Charterer's Option.
- CHOPT, Vessel which is too large to navigate the Suez Canal to and from the Arabian Gulf, therefore being forced to sail around the Cape of Good Hope - approximately 80,000 - 175,000 dwt.
- CIF, Cost, Insurance, Freight. Designates that the cargo is carried free of charge for the buyer; seller pays all transportation costs.
- CKD, Completely Knocked Down - Said of cargo, normally of cars, shipped in pieces in boxes and to be assembled at destination.
- Classification society, Organization which carries out surveys of newbuildings and at regular intervals when in commission, sets and maintains quality standards for ships and their equipment. Acts on behalf of the flag state's maritime authorities.
- COA, Contract of Affreightment - quantity contract: An agreement between shipowner and shipper concerning the freight of a defined amount of cargo.
- COB, Closing of Business.
- COP, Custom of the Port.
- CQD, Customary Quick Dispatch - the vessel is to be loaded or discharged as quickly as is customary and possible.
- C/P, Charter Party.
- D/A, Disbursement Account.
- Dead Freight, Money payable by shipper or charterer to shipowner or shipping line for failing to load the amount of cargo stipulated in contract.
- DDP/DDUP, Delivery Duty Paid/Delivery Duty UnPaid.
- DELY, Delivery.
- DEM, Demurrage - Money paid to shipowner by charterer, shipper or receiver, for failing to complete loading/discharging within time allowed according to charter-party.
- DESP, Despatch - Remuneration payable by shipowner to charterer, shipper or receiver for loading/discharging in less than the time allowed according to charter-party.
- DHDATSBE, Demurrage/Half Despatch Actual Time Saved Both Ends.
- DHDLTSBE, Demurrage/Half Despatch Lay Time Saved Both Ends.
- DHDWTSBE, Demurrage/Half Despatch Working Time Saved Both Ends.
- DLOSP, Dropping Last Outward Sea Pilot.
- DNVl, Det Norske Veritas (NV) - Norwegian classification society.
- DO, Diesel Oil.
- DOP, Dropping Outward Pilot - frequently used provision in a time charter to determine the time and place of redelivery of a ship to the owner by the charterer. The hire ceases at the moment the pilot disembarks.
- DRAFT, The depth of a ship in the water. This distance is measured from the bottom of the ship to the surface of the water.
- DW/DWT, Dead Weight/Dead Weight Tons.
- EIU, Even If Used.
- ETA, Estimated Time of Arrival.
- ETB, Estimated Time of Berthing.
- ETC, Estimated Time of Completion.
- ETD, Estimated Time of Departure.
- ETS, Estimated Time of Sailing.
- FAS, Free AlongSide.
- FDEDNRSAOCLONL, Freight Deemed Earned Discountless and not Refundable, Vessel And/Or Cargo Lost Or Not Lost.
- FEU, Forty Foot Equivalent Unit, standard containers of 40x8x8 feet.
- FHEX, Fridays and Holidays Excluded.
- FHINC, Fridays and Holidays Included.
- FIO, Free in and Out - charterer pays for loading/discharging.
- FIOST, Free In and Out Spout Trimmed.
- FO, Fuel Oil.
- FOB, Free on Board - seller is responsible for delivering cargo loaded into the vessel’s holds.
- Force Majeure is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract..
- FOT, Free on Truck.
- Free pratique, Ship inspected and cleared by the health authorities of a country.
- General cargo, Goods unpackaged or packaged, but not shipped in bulk.
- GLESS, Gearless.
- GMT, Greenwich Mean Time. the local time of the 0° meridian passing through Greenwich, England: a basis for calculating times throughout most of the world.
- Grain Cap, Grain Capacity - a ship's grain-carrying capacity.
- GRT, Gross Register Tonnage represents the total internal volume of a vessel, with some exemptions for non-productive spaces.
- Ha, Hatch.
- Handymax or Supramax is a naval architecture term for a bulk carrier, typically between 35,000 and 60,000 metric tons deadweight
- Handysize, Although there is no official definition in terms of exact tonnages, Handysize most usually refers to a dry bulk vessel (or, less commonly, to a product tanker) with deadweight of about 15,000–35,000 tons.
- HDLTSBENDS, Half Dispatch LayTime Saved Both Ends.
- IFO, Intermediate Fuel Oil.
- IMO, International Maritime Organization (London) - UN's maritime authority.
- ISPS, International Ship and Port Security Code (USA).
- IU, If Used.
- KT/Knot, Measure of speed for ships, i.e. one nautical mile (1,852 meters) per hour.
- L/C, Laydays/Cancelling: See LAYCAN.
- LAYCAN, Laydays/Cancelling - a spread of dates between which a vessel is to present for loading.
- Lay-up, Ships are laid-up when rates are too low for profitable trading. Laid-up vessels are moored or anchored with a minimum crew on board.
- LBP, Length Between Perpendiculars: the length of a vessel along the waterline from the forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the aft surface of the sternpost or main stern perpendicular. It is measured from a defined loaded condition.
- LCL, Less than Container Load.
- LIFO, Liner In Free Out.
- Liner service, Cargoships operating regular schedules between advertised ports.
- LOA, Length Over All: The extreme length of the vessel measured from the foremost part to the aftermost part of the hull.
- LOI, Letter of Indemnity - a guarantee issued by the shipper or receiver named in the Bill of Lading, holding the carrier harmless if he is ordered to do something not 100% in conformity with the governing contract between the parties.
- LOLO, Lift On/Lift Off - a term describing the method of loading and discharging cargo by ship or shore gear.
- L/S/D, Lashed, secured and dunnaged.
- LT (L/T), Liner Terms - the responsibility and cost of loading, carrying and discharging cargo is that of the carrier, from the moment the goods are placed alongside the carrying vessel in readiness for loading, until discharged alongside at their destination. Time spent for cargo-handling is also at the carrier's risk. See also Full Liner Terms.
- LTS, LayTime Saved.
- Manifest, List of all cargo on board (Cargo Manifest).
- MARPOL, The International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from Ships (London) - 1973 (as modified by the Protocol of 1978.
- MDO, Marine Diesel Oil.
- MOL, More Or Less - refers to a cargo size option usually clarifying whose option to select the final cargo size.
- MOLCHOP, More Or Less Charterer's Option.
- MOLCO, More Or Less Charterer's Option.
- MOLOO, More or less owner's Option.
- M/R, Mates' Receipt.
- MT (M/T), Metric Tonne.
- M/V (MV), Motor Vessel.
- NAABSA, Not Always Afloat But Safe Aground. There are areas and ports where water depth is restricted but, the bottom being soft mud, it is customary for ships to safely lie on the bottom.
- NRT, Net Register Tonnage is the volume of cargo the vessel can carry; ie. the Gross Register Tonnage less the volume of spaces that will not hold cargo.
- NIS, Norwegian International Ship Register.
- NOR, Notice Of Readiness - notice served by the Master to inform the charterer that the vessel is ready in all respects to load or discharge cargo.
- NVOCC, Non Vessel Owning Common Carrier.
- NYPE C/P, New York Produce Exchange Time Charter Party Form.
- OA, Over Aged: Usually vessels of over 25 years.
- OBO, Ore Bulk Oil - a vessel able to carry various bulk cargoes of ore, oil, grains and other bulk products.
- OO, Owners' Option.
- P&I, Protection and Indemnity is insurance in respect of third party liabilities and expenses arising from owning ships or operating ships as principals.
- PDPR, Per Day or Pro Rata (for part of a day).
- PHPD/PHD, Per Hatch Per Day or Per Hatch/Day.
- PPT, Prompt.
- PWH, Per Workable Hatch.
- PWWD, Per Weather Working Day.
- ROB, Remaining On Board (Usually referring to fuel on redelivery of the vessel).
- Ro-Ro, Roll on - Roll off: The cargo is driven on and off the ship.
- SBM, Soya Bean Meal.
- SATSHEX, Saturday Afternoon, Sundays and Holidays Excepted.
- SATPMSHEX, Ships are laid-up when rates are too low for profitable trading. Laid-up vessels are moored or anchored with a minimum crew on board.
- SHEX, Sundays and Holidays Excepted.
- SHINC, Sundays and Holidays Included.
- SISCARGA, Brazilian Customs control system of cargo and international cargo flow.
- SP, Safe Port(s).
- S/R B/L, Signing and Releasing Bills of Lading.
- SSHEX, Maximum deadweight vessel able to transit the Suez Canal fully loaded (120,000 -165,000 dwt.).
- Suezmax, Lift On/Lift Off - a term describing the method of loading and discharging cargo by ship or shore gear.
- Supercargo, Professional employed to supervise cargo handling operations. Sometimes called Superintendent or Cargo Superintendent.
- Supramax, See Handymax.
- Tallyman, Controls and tallies the cargo going into and out of the vessel. Checks that volume and number tallies with the manifests..
- TBN, To Be Nominated.
- T/C – TCT, Time Charter – Time Charter Trip.
- T/C-trip, Time Charter Trip: The ship is hired for one voyage..
- TEU, Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. Standard containers of 20x8x8 feet.
- THC, Terminal Handling Charge.
- Time-Charter (T/C), The hiring of a vessel for a specified period of time.
- ULCC, Ultra Large Crude Carrier - oil tanker of 300,000+ dwt.
- USC, Unless Sooner Commenced
- UTC, Coordinated Universal Time: Universal time, taking into account the addition or omission of leap seconds by atomic clocks each year to compensate for changes in the rotation of the earth as opposed to GMT .
- UU, Unless Used.
- UUIWCTAUTC, Unless Used In Which Case Time Actually used To Count (as laytime).
- UUIUATTC, Unless Used, If Used Actual Time to Count.
- VLCC, - Very Large Crude Carrier - oil tanker between 200,000 and 300,000 dwt.
- WCCON, Whether Custom Cleared Or Not.
- WIBON, Whether In Berth Or Not.
- WIFPON, Whether In Free Pratique Or Not.
- WIPON, Whether In Port Or Not.
- WOG, WithOut Guarantee.
- Working Copy, Copy of Charter Party – Not signed and may contain errors.
- WP, Weather Permitting.
- WWD, Weather Working Daysde Carrier - oil tanker between 200,000 and 300,000 dwt..
