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A	search area
A/c	aircraft
Aback	Said of a sail when, with its clew to winward, is pressed back towards the mast. It may happen due to a sudden change of wind.
aback	Wind on the wrong side of the sails.
ABAFT	Toward the rear (stern) of the boat. Behind.
Abaft	Toward the rear of the boat, behind the boat.
Abeam	At right angles to the center of the boat
Able bodied seamen	A member of the deck crew who is able to perform all the duties of an experienced seamen; certificated by examination; must have three years sea service. Also called Able Seamen and A.B
ABLE SEAMEN (AB)	Stand watch, during which they steer the vessel, stand lookout, assist the mate on watch and make rounds of the ship to insure that all is in order. They also tie up and untie the vessel to and from the dock and maintain the equipment on deck.
Aboard	On or within the boat
Above deck	On the deck (not over it - see ALOFT)
Above Deck:	On the deck.
Abreast	ff the side, even with the boat.
Abs	American Bureau of Shipping: A U.S.-based private classification, or standards setting society for merchant ships and other marine systems
ABS	American Bureau of Shipping (classification society)
Abutment:	A wall that touches at one side as a low wall at the edge of a bridge.
Abyss:	That volume of ocean lying below 300 fathoms from surface.
Aco	aircraft coordinator A person who co-ordinates the involvement of multiple aircraft in SAR operations.
admiralty law	the "law of the sea."
Adrift	Loose, not on moorings or towline
Aframax	tanker < 80,000 dwt (average freight rate assessment)
AFT	Toward the stern of the boat.
Aft(Or after.)	Near, toward or at the stern of a ship
Aft, After	Toward the stern (rear) of the boat.
Aftercabin	In a ship with multiple cabins, the cabin closest to the stern
Aftermast	In a sailing ship carrying multiple masts, the mast set closest to the stern. Also called the mizzenmast in a three- masted sailing vessel
Aftermost	The farthest aft
Against the Sun:	Anti-clockwise circular motion. Left-handed ropes are coiled down in this way.
Agency fee	A fee charged to the ship by the ship's agent, representing payment for services while the ship was in port. Sometimes called attendance fee
Aground	When a boat is in water too shallow for it to float in, i.e: the boat's bottom is resting on the ground.
Ahead	In a forward direction
Ahull	A boat lies ahull when it is drifting with no sails set
Aid to navigation	Any fixed object that a navigator may use to find his position, such as permanent land or sea markers, buoys, radio beacons, and lighthouses.
Aims	American Institute of Merchant Shipping
Air Draft:	This is the height of a vessel above the water level; including any cargo or mast's. (See also Draft & Bridge hole)
AIS	automatic identification system
Alee	The side away from the direction of the wind
All Hands	The entire crew
Alluvium:	Deposits of mud and sand.
ALOFT	Above the deck of the boat.
Alongside:	Close beside a ship, wharf or jetty.
Altar:	Step in a dry dock, on which lower ends of shores rest.
Am	amplitude modulation
Amass	The outboard hulls of a trimaran.
Amidships	In the center of the boat.
AMNI	Associate Member of The Nautical Institute
Amok:	Homicidal frenzy that sometimes affects Malayans and other eastern peoples.
AMVER	US Coast Guard's Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System
Anchor	A heavy metal implement used to secure a vessel by lowering in the water to the bottom
Anchor	1) A heavy metal object designed such that its weight and shape will help to hold a boat in its position when lowered to the sea bottom on a rode or chain.
anchor chain	A chain attached to the anchor. The chain acts partially as a weight to keep the anchor lying next to the ground so that it can dig in better. Chain is also not damaged as much as line when lying on rocks. The weight of the chain also helps to absorb changes in the boat's position due to waves.
Anchor Ice:	Ice, of any form, that is aground in the sea.
anchor light	A white light, usually on the masthead, visible from all directions, used when anchored.
anchor locker	A locker used to store the anchor rode and anchor.
anchor roller	Also called bow roller. A fitting with a small wheel that allows the anchor and chain to roll over when dropping or raising the anchor. Some anchor rollers also have a provision to store the anchor.
anchor windlass	A windlass used to assist when raising the anchor.
Anchorage	A place where a boat anchors, usually an established and marked area.
Anemometer	Instrument for measuring and indicating the speed of the wind
Apeak:	Said of anchor when cable is taut and vertical.
API	American Petroleum Industry
Apparent Wind	The wind that flows over a moving boat
Aqueduct:	A bridge that carries a waterway over a road, railway, valley.
Arch	A curved architectural structure used to support suspended weight. In Great Lakes wooden shipbuilding, a wide iron- or steel-fastened strap down each side of a ship
Arch board	An arch-shaped nameboard fastened to the stern of a ship, displaying the vessel's name and home port
ARCS	Admiralty Raster Chart Service
ARPA	Automatic Radar Plotting Aids
Articles of agreement	The document containing all particulars relating to the terms of agreement between the Master of the vessel and the crew. Sometimes called ship's articles, shipping articles
Aspect Ratio	The ratio between the foot length and the luff length of a sail
A-stay:	Said of anchor cable when its line of lead approximates a continuation of line of fore stay.
Astern	In back of the boat, opposite of ahead
Astern	Behind the boat
At sea	In marine insurance this phrase applies to a ship which is free from its moorings and ready to sail
Atc	air traffic control
Athwart ships:	At right angles to the center line of the boat, across the boat from side to side. Also the term given to rowing boat seats.
Athwart, Athwartships	Lying along the ship's width, at right angles to the vessel's centerline.
A-trip:	Said of anchor immediately it is broken out of the ground.
Ats	air traffic services
Automatic pilot	An instrument designed to control automatically a vessel's steering gear so that she follows a pre-determined track through the water
Autopilot	Electro-mechanical steering device
Auxiliary	A second method of propelling a vessel. On a sailboat this could be an engine.
Avast:	Order to stop, or desist from, an action.
Aweigh	Describes an anchor raised from the seabed

 

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B
B/d	barrels per day (measure of petroleum production).
B/l	bill of lading
B/p or bop	balance of payments.
Backfreight	the owners of a ship are entitled to payment as freight for merchandise returned through the fault of either the consignees or the consignors. Such payment, which is over and above the normal freight, is called backfreight.
Backhaul	a deviation to move cargo on the return leg of a voyage for the purpose of minimizing ballast mileage and thereby reducing transportation costs.
Backing (wind)	The changing of the wind direction, opposite of veering. Clockwise in the southern hemisphere, counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
Backing A Sail	to push a sail out so that the wind fills the opposite side
Backsplice	A method of weaving the end of a rope to keep it from unraveling.
Backstay	a support wire that runs from the top of the mast to the stern
Backstay	Standing rigging from the mast to the deck behind the mast.
Backwinded	The state of a sail with the wind pushing on the wrong side of it, causing it to be pushed away from the wind.
Bagged cargo	various kinds of commodities usually packed in sacks or in bags, such as sugar, cement, milk powder, onion, grain, flour, etc.
Bail	to remove water from the boat
Balance beam:	The wooden or as is becoming more frequent metal arm that sticks out over the land on most lock gates. This is used to open or close the gate/s. There are even a few beams filled with concrete-filled.
Ballast	A weight at the bottom of a boat to keep it stable. Ballasts can be placed inside the hull of the boat or externally in a keel.
Ballast movement	a voyage or voyage leg made without any paying cargo in a vessel's tanks. To maintain proper stability, trim, or draft, sea water is usually carried during such movements.
Ballast tank	compartments at the bottom of a ship or on the sides which are filled with liquids for stability and to make the ship seaworthy.
Bank full:	The point at which a River's channel is full of water.
Bar	A region of shallow water usually made of sand or mud.
Bar Taut:	Said of a rope when it is under such tension that it is practically rigid.
Bare boat charter	a charter in which the bare ship is chartered without crew; the charterer, for a stipulated sum taking over the vessel for a stated period of time,
Bare poles, to sail under	To sail without any sails set
Barge	flat bottomed boat designed to carry cargo on inland waterways, usually without engines or crew accommodations.
Barge	A large cargo-carrying craft that is towed or pushed by a tug on both seagoing and inland waters
Barge aboard catamaran	a way of loading cargo into large barges and then in turn loading the barges into a ship.
Barge carriers	ships designed to carry either barges or containers exclusively, or some variable number of barges and containers simultaneously. Currently this class includes two types of vessels, the lash and the seabee.
Barge Pole:	See Shaft.
Barque	(also bark.) A sailing ship with three to five masts, all of them square-rigged except the after mast, which is fore-and-aft rigged
Barquentine:	Sailing vessel with three or more masts. Square rigged on foremast, fore and aft rigged on all others.
Barratry	Any wrongful act knowingly done by the master or crew of a vessel to the detriment of the owner of either ship or cargo; and which was done without knowledge or consent of owner or owners.
Basin	Located on the side or the end of a waterway, a wider area used for the mooring, loading or unloading of boats.
Batten	Light wooden or plastic inserted into a pocket in a sail to support the leech
Batten down	secure hatches and loose objects both within the hull and on deck
Batten down	To secure and, if necessary, tie down fittings such as hatches, for approaching bad weather
Battens	thin, stiff strips of plastic or wood, placed in pockets in the leech of a sail, to assist in keeping its form
BC	Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes
BDI	Baltic Dry Index
Beacon:	A navigation mark, they are not always lit.
Beam	the width of a ship. Also called breadth.
Beam	1) The widest part of a boat.2) Abeam, at a right angle to the length of the boat.3) Sturdy wooden timbers running across the width of a boat. Used to support the deck of a wooden boat.
Beam reach	a point of sail where the boat is sailing at a right angle to the wind
Beam sea	a situation in which waves strike a boat from the side, causing it to roll unpleasantly
Beams Ends:	Vessel said to be "on her beam ends" when she is lying over so much that her deck beams are nearly vertical.
Bear away	(or bear off) to alter course away from the wind
Bear away, bear off	To fall off. A boat falls off the wind when it points its bow further from the eye of the wind. The opposite of heading up.
Bear down	To approach something from upwind
Bear Off:	To thrust away; to hold off. Order given to bowman of boat when he is required to push boat's head away from jetty, gangway or other fixture at which boat is alongside. Order given, also, when it is required to thrust away, or hold off, an approaching object.
Bearing	The direction of one object from another
Bearing off/away	altering course away from the wind on any course from head to wind until the boat begins to jibe
Beat	To sail on a tack toward the wind.
Beat td	to sail towards the direction from which the wind blows by making a series of tacks while sailing close-hauled.
Beating	Tacking. To sail against the wind by sailing on alternating tacks.
Beating	To sail upwind, close hauled
Beaufort force	a scale of numbers, usually from 1 to 12 (although sometimes extended to 15), which indicate wind strength. Each number represents a range of several knots of wind. Beaufort force 1 is calm, while beaufort force 12 is hurricane, i.e., 63 knots or 75 mph
Beaufort wind scale	Used to gauge wind speed using observations of the winds effects on trees and other objects. LINK TO BEAUFORT SCALE TABLE
Becket	A short piece of rope intended to hold something.
Becket	A loop or a small eye at the end of the rope
Before the mast	The area aft of the mainmast was the quarterdeck; ordinary seamen could enter the quarterdeck in performance of duty. Hence, to serve "Before the mast" means service as an ordinary sailor.
Before the wind	sailing with the wind from astern, in the same direction toward which the wind is blowing
Belay	To secure a line, or make fast
Below	beneath the deck
Beneficial ownership	designates the owner who receives the benefits or profits from the operation.
Bergy Bits:	Pieces of ice, about the size of a small house, that have broken off a glacier, or from hummocky ice.
Berth	(1) a place for a person to sleep. (2) a place where the ship can be secured. (3) a safe and cautious distance, such as “We gave the shark a wide berth.”
Berth cargo	when a liner cargo vessel accepts extra cargo to fill up the empty space remaining.
Beset:	Said of a vessel when she is entirely surrounded by ice.
BFI	Baltic Freight Index
Bight	a loop
Bight	the part of the rope or line, between the end and the standing part, on which a knot is formed
Bight	The bend or loop in a rope
Bilge	the lowest part of a boat, designed to collect water that enters the boat
Bilge	1. Part of the underwater body of a ship between the flat of the bottom and the straight vertical sides. 2. Internally, the lowest part of the hull, next to the keelson.
bilge pump	A mechanical, electrical, or manually operated pump used to remove water from the bilge.
Bill of lading	a document by which the master of a ship acknowledges having received in good order and condition (or the reverse) certain specified goods consigned to him by some particular shipper, and binds himself to deliver them in similar condition,
Bimco	Baltic and International Maritime Council
Bimcosale	The Bimco standard form of bill of sale
Bimini	A cover used to shelter the cockpit from the sun.
Binnacle	Cabinent on deck near the wheel that holds the compass.
Bitt	Any of the deck posts, often in pairs, around which lines or chains are wound and held fast.
Bitt	cylindrical upright fixture to which mooring or towing lines are secured aboard ship.
Bitter end	the last part of a rope or chain.the inboard end of the anchor rode.
Bitts	Small posts fixed through the foredeck of a of a vessel
Black cargo	cargo banned by general cargo workers for some reason. This ban could be because the cargo is dangerous or hazardous to health.
Black gang	Nautical slang for the engineroom crew. Included the chief engineer, who ran the engine and supervised; oilers and wipers, who lubricated and maintained the engine; and firemen and coal-passers, who fed the steam boilers
Bleed the Monkey:	Surreptitiously to remove spirit from a keg or cask by making a small hole and sucking through a straw.
Block	One or more wheels with grooves in them (pulleys) designed to carry a line and change the direction of its travel. A housing around the wheel allows the block to be connected to a spar, or another line. Lines used with a block are known as tackle.
Block and tackle	A combination of one or more blocks and the associated tackle necessary to give a mechanical advantage. Useful for lifting heavy loads.
Bls	bureau of labor statistics, department of labor.
Board foot	A unit of quantity for lumber equal to the volume of a board that is 12 by 12 by 1 inches
Boat	according to the navy a small craft capable of being carried aboard a ship.
Boat hook	a short shaft with a fitting at one end shaped to facilitate use in putting a line over a piling, recovering an object dropped overboard, or in pushing or fending off.
Boatswain	Also bosun, bos'n, bo's'n, and bo'sun, all of which are pronounced bosun. A crew member responsible for keeping the hull, rigging and sails in repair.
BOATSWAIN (BOSUN)	Receives working orders for deck gang from chief mate and passes them onto AB's and ordinaries. Tantamount to foreman, he is on deck directly supervising maintenance operations.
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.
Bobstay	A stay from the bow of the boat to the end of the bowspirt
Boilers	steam generating units used aboard ship to provide steam for propulsion (and) for heating and other auxiliary purposes.
Bollard	A large pillar to which a boat's mooring lines may be tied.
Bolt rope	a rope sewn into the luff of a sail for use in attaching to the standing rigging
Bone:	Foam at stem of a vessel underway. When this is unusually noticeable she is said to "have a bone in her teeth".
Booby Hatch:	Sliding cover that has to be pushed away to allow passage to or from a store room, cabin of small craft, or crew's quarters.
Boom	A spar which is used to extend the foot of the sail
Boom vang	A tackle secured to prevent the boom from lifting
Boom vang	a wire or rope running from the boom to or near the bottom of the mast which holds the boom down. Can also be used to control any unexpected jibe.
Boomkin	A small outrigger over the stern of a boat.
Boot top	a painted line that indicates the designed waterline
Bore:	A tidal wave with a steep front moving up an estuary or bay.
Bosun	Also boatswain, bos'n, bo's'n, and bo'sun, all of which are pronounced "bow-sun." A crew member responsible for keeping the hull, rigging and sails in repair.
Bosun's chair	Usually a canvas bucket seat on which a person can sit and be hoisted up the mast
bosun's chair	A chair, traditionally made from a plank and rope, used to hoist workers aloft to maintain the rigging.
bosun's locker	A locker where tools for maintaining the hull, rigging and sails are kept.
BOSVA	British Offshore Support Vessel Owners Association
Bound:	Proceeding in a specified direction, or to a specified place.
Bouse:	To heave, or haul, downwards on a rope. Originally, and strictly, heave meant an upward pull, haul meant a horizontal pull, bouse meant a downward pull: but these distinctions have not survived.
Bow	The forward part of a ship
Bow line	a docking line leading from the bow
Bow line:	A line leading from the bow used for docking.
Bow Spring line	A bow pivot line used to prevent a boat from moving forward or astern while made fast to a mooring.
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.
bowlin	A knot used to make a loop in a line. Easily untied, it is simple and strong. The bowline is used to tie sheets to sails
Bowline	a knot used to form a temporary loop in the end of a line
Bowline knot:	A knot used to form a eye or a loop, that doesn't jam and can be undone easily.
Bowse:	To pull downward on a rope or fall.
Bowspirt	a spar extending forward from the bow
Bow-Thruster:	A small propeller mounted in the bow to push the front sideways.
BPI	Baltic Panamax Index
Brash:	Ice broken into pieces, about 6 ft. in diameter and projecting very little above sea level.:
Breach	Said of waves that break over a vessel.
Breadth	the width of the vessel
Break bulk	the process of assimilating many small shipments into one large shipment at a central point so that economies of scale may be achieved; to commence discharge of cargo.
Breakbulk vessel	a general, multipurpose, cargo ship that carriers cargoes of nonuniform sizes, often on pallets, resulting in labor-intensive loading and unloading; calls at various ports to pick up different kinds of cargoes.
Breakers	A wave that approaches shallow water, causing the wave height to exceed the depth of the water it is in, in effect tripping it. The wave changes from a smooth surge in the water to a cresting wave with water tumbling down the front of it.
breaking seas	With sufficiently strong wind, large waves can form crests even in deep water, causing the wave tops to tumble forward over the waves.
Breakwater	A structure built to improve a harbor by sheltering it from waves.
Breast	Mooring line leading approximately perpendicular to ship's fore and aft line.
Breast line	a docking line going at approximately a right angle from the boat to the dock
Breast Rope:	Mooring rope, leading from bow or quarter, at about right angles to ship's fore and aft line.
Breeches buoy	A device used by lifesaving crews to extract persons from wrecked vessels
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.
Bridge hole:	This is the width of a waterway under a bridge (See also Air draft & Draft).
Bridle	a line or wire secured at both ends in order to distribute a strain between two points
Brig:	Vessel with two masts and square rigged on both of them.
Brigantine:	Originally, a ship of brigands, or pirates. Up to end of 19th century was a two-masted vessel square rigged on fore-mast and main topmast, but with fore and aft mainsail. Latterly, a two-masted vessel with foremast square rigged, and mainmast fore and aft rigged.
Brightwork	varnished woodwork and/or polished metal
Bring about	To change direction
BROA	British Rig Owners Association
Broach	to spin out of control, either causing or nearly causing a capsize.
Broaching	The unplanned turning of a vessel to expose its side to the oncoming waves. In heavy seas this could cause the boat to be knocked down.
Broad reach	sailing with the wind coming from any direction from abeam to on the quarter.
Brow	navy term for a gangplank. Used to cross from one ship to another, and from a ship to a pier.
Buckby can:	Brightly painted water can seen on many traditional narrow boats.
Bucko:	A bullying and tyrannical officer.
Bulk	cargo shipped in loose condition and of a homogeneous nature. Cargoes that are shipped unpackaged either dry, such as grain and ore, or liquid, such as petroleum products.
Bulk carrier	ship specifically designed to transport vast amounts of cargoes such as sugar, grain, wine, ore, chemicals, liquefied natural gas; coal and oil. See also lng carrier, tanker, obo ship.
Bulkhead	The walls.
Bulwark	The part of a ship's side that extends above the main deck to protect it against heavy weather
Bulwarks	The sides of a boat above the upper deck.
Bunk:	A bed.
Bunker	A storage compartment aboard a ship for coal or other fuel
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;
Buoyage:	The act of placing buoys. 2. Establishment of buoys and buoyage systems. Applied collectively to buoys placed or established.
Buoyancy:	This is a vessel's ability to stay afloat.
Burdened vessel	that vessel which, according to the applicable navigation rules, must give way to the privileged vessel. The term has been superseded by the term "give-way".
Burgoo:	Seaman's name for oatmeal porridge. First mentioned in Edward Coxere's Adventures by Sea" (1656)
Bushel	A unit of volume (dry measure) used in the united states, equal to 32 quarts or approximately 35.2 liters
Butty:	Is a none powered boat usually a narrow boat, being towed by one with an engine.
BV	Bureau Veritas (classification society)
By the Board:	Overboard and by the ship's side.
By the lee	sailing with the wind coming from behind, and slightly to the side, that the sails are on

 

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C
C & F	Cost and Freight
C & I	Cost and Insurance
C.I.F.	Cost, Insurance and Freight: Export term in which the price quoted by the exporter includes the costs of ocean transportation to the port of destination and insurance coverage.
C/S	call sign
cabin	An enclosed compartment in a ship; used as shelter or living quarters.
Cabin	A room inside a boat.
CABIN	A compartment for passengers or crew.
CABIN	A compartment for passengers or crew.
cabin	A room inside a boat.
Cabin:	A compartment for passengers or crew members.
Cable	A nautical measurement. A cable equals one tenth of a nautical mile
CABLE SHIP	A specially constructed ship for the laying and repairing of telegraph and telephone cables across channels, seas, lakes, and oceans.
Cable:	Nautical unit of distance, having a standard value of 1/10th of a nautical mile (608 ft.). For practical purposes a value of 200 yards is commonly used.
Cabot:	The name given to a sailboat with one sail.
CABOTAGE	The carriage of goods or passengers for remuneration taken on at one point and discharged at another point within the territory of the same country.
CABOTAGE POLICIES	Reservation of a country's coastal (domestic) shipping for its own flag vessels.
CAD	computer assisted design
Calm Sea	condition characterized by the simultaneous disappearance of the wind and the last cold beverage.
Calving:	Breaking away of a mass of ice from a glacier or iceberg.
Camber	The curvature of an object such as a sail, keel or deck. Usually used when referring to an objects aerodynamic or hydrodynamic properties.
Camel:	Hollow vessel of iron, steel or wood, that is filled with water and sunk under a vessel. When water is pumped out, the buoyancy of camel lifts ship. Usually employed in pairs. Very valuable aid to salvage operations. At one time were usual means of lifting a vessel over a bar or sandbank. Were used in Rotterdam in 1690.
Can	a kind of navigation buoy
Can buoy	A cylindrical buoy painted green and having an odd number used in the United States as a navigational aid. At night they may have a green light. Green buoys should be kept on the left side when returning from a larger body of water to a smaller one.
Can Hooks:	Two flat hooks running freely on a wire or chain sling. Hooks are put under chime of casks, weight is taken on chain sling or wire. Weight of lift prevents unhooking.
Canal:	Is defined as a artificial waterway. Also known as a Cut.
Canalisation:	A waterway that has had locks or weirs fitted to regulate the flow The River Severn and Avon are good examples of this. Also known as River Navigation.
cant frames	Angled frames in the extreme forward or aft ends of a ship which form the sharp ends of the vessel's hull.
Canvas	Tightly woven cloth used for sails, covers and biminis. Typically made from cotton, hemp or linen. Modern sails are made out of synthetic materials generally known as sailcloth.
CAORF	Computer-Assisted Operations Research Facility: A MarAd R&D facility located at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York.
CAP	Condition Assesment Programme Survey
CAPSIZE	To turn over.
Capstan	A rotating drum used to haul heavy lines and chains. Similar to a winch, but mounted vertically.
Captain	Master of a ship or pilot-in-command of an aircraft, commanding officer of a warship, or an operator of any other vessel
Captain:	Rank in R.N. between Commander and Commodore. In Merchant Navy is a courtesy title for a Master Mariner in command of a ship.
Cardinal points	The points of North, South, East and West as marked on a compass rose.
Careen:	To list a vessel so that a large part of her bottom is above water. Formerly done to remove weed and marine growth, to examine the bottom, to repair it and to put on preservative or anti-fouling. Still done with small craft.
CARGO HANDLING	The act of loading and discharging a cargo ship.
CARGO PLAN	A plan giving the quantities and description of the various grades carried in the ship's cargo tanks, after the loading is completed.
CARGO PREFERENCE	Reserving a portion of a nation's imports and exports to national-flag vessels.
CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY SEA ACT	A law enacted in 1936 covering the transportation of merchandise by sea to or from ports of the United States and in foreign trades.
CARRIERS	Owners or operators of vessels providing transportation to shippers. The term is also used to refer to the vessels.
Carry on:	To continue sailing under the same canvas despite the worsening of the wind.
Carrying Plank	Stretcher for moving wounded men down hatches.
CAST OFF	To let go.
cast off	To detach mooring lines, as when leaving a dock.
Catamaran	A twin hulled vessel, with hulls side by side.
Catamaran	A twin-hulled boat. Catamaran sailboats are known for their ability to plane and are faster than single-hulled boats (monohulls) in some conditions.
Catboat	a one sail sailboat
Catching up Rope:	Light rope secured to a buoy to hold vessel while stronger moorings are attached.
Catenary:	Originally, length of chain put in middle of a tow rope to damp sudden stresses. Now applied to any weight put in a hawser for same purpose. 2). Curve formed by chain hanging from two fixed points.
Cathead	timbers jutting from the side of the ship above the hausehole. Used to help support the anchor.
Cat's Skin:	Light, warm wind on surface of 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 sa 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.
Caulking	Material used to seal the seams in a wooden vessel, making it watertight.
CBI	computer-based information
CBT	computer-based training
CCC	Commodity Credit Corporation.
CCC	Carrier container council
CCF	Capital Construction Fund: A tax benefit for operators of U.S.-built, U.S.-flag ships in the U.S. foreign,
CCP	Contolable Pitch Propeller
CCS	China Classification Society
CD	compact disc
CD Rom	compact disc read-only memory
CDS	Construction Differential Subsidy: A direct subsidy paid to U.S. shipyards building U.S.-flag ships to offset high construction costs in American shipyards.
Celestial navigation	A method of using the stars, sun and moon to determine one's position. Position is determined by measuring the apparent altitude of one of these objects above the horizon using a sextant and recording the times of these sightings with an accurate clock. That information is then used with tables in the Nautical Almanac to determine one's position.
CEN	European Committee for Standardisation
CENELEC	European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation
Center line	The imaginary line running from bow to stern along the middle of the boat.
Center plates	Metal fittings on the side of the boat
Centerboard	a fin shaped, often removable, board that extends from the bottom of the boat as a keel
Centre-line:	An imaginary line which runs down the middle of the ship from the bow to the stern.
centrifugal	A pump that uses centrifugal force for pumping liquids. (Also, moving or tending to move away from a center.)
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRY	A document specifying the nation registry of the vessel.
CES	coast earth station
CES	coast earth station Maritime name for an Inmarsat shore-based (CES) station linking ship earth stations with terrestrial communications networks.
CESMA	Confederation of European Union Shipmasters Associations
CG	coast guard
Chafe	damage to a line caused by rubbing against another object
CHAFING GEAR	Tubing or cloth wrapping used to protect a line from chafing on a rough surface.
chain locker	A compartment in the lower part of a ship for stowing an anchor chain.
Chain plates:	Are the metal plates bolted to the boat which standing rigging is attached to.
Chains	Metal straps or chains bolted to the ship's side to which the standing rigging to support masts is attached.
Chain-Wale	Flat plates jutting out from ships's side to give the chains more leverage. Usually just referred to as the 'chains'.
chandler	A retail dealer in supplies and equipment.
Channel	A navigable route on a waterway, usually marked by buoys. Channels are similar to roads where the water is known to be deep enough for ships or boats to sail without running aground.
CHART	A map for use by navigators.
Chart table	A table designated as the area in the boat where the navigator will study charts and plot courses.
CHARTER PARTY	A contractual agreement between a ship owner and a cargo owner, usually arranged by a broker, whereby a ship is chartered (hired) either for one voyage or a period of time.
CHARTER RATES	The tariff applied for chartering tonnage in a particular trade.
CHARTERER	The person to whom is given the use of the whole of the carrying capacity of a ship for the transportation of cargo or passengers to a stated port for a specified time.
Check:	To ease a rope a little, and then belay it.
Checking:	Slacking a rope smartly, carefully and in small amounts.
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.
CHIEF STEWARD	Orders food. Prepares menus. Assists chief cook in food preparation.
CHINE	The intersection of the bottom and sides of a flat or v-bottomed boat.
Chine	The location where the deck joins the hull of the boat.
CHOCK	A fitting through which anchor or mooring lines are led. Usually U-shaped to reduce chafe.
Chop	Small, steep disorderly waves.
chord	The principal horizontal member in a rigid framework. In Great Lakes shipbuilding, a heavy horizontal metal strap fastened around a hull at the level of the upper deck, supporting a framework of arches and cross bracing.
Chow	Food.
Chuch:	Name sometimes given to a fairlead.
Chute	An opening in the deck near the bow from which the spinnaker is hoisted. Spinnakers are also often referred to as chutes.
Cill	This is akin to a doorstep, at the foot of a upper lock gate/s. Some times referred to as the Sill.
CIRM	Centre Internazionale Radio-Medico
CIRM	International radio maritime committee
CIT	Chartered Institute of Transport
Class	Category in classification register
CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY	Worldwide experienced and reputable societies. which undertake to arrange inspections and advise on the hull and machinery of a ship.
Claw ring	A 'C'-shaped fitting which can be slipped over the boom, for example, when the sail has been roller reefed to allow the boom vang to be reattached
CLC	International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage
CLEAN SHIP	Refers to tankers which have their cargo tanks free of traces of dark persistent oils which remain after carrying crudes and heavy fuel oils.
Cleat	A fitting to which a line may be attached easily.
Clew	the lower aft corner of a sail
Clew:	The term for the lower aft corner of a sail (See also Clough).
clipper	A sharp-bowed sailing vessel of the mid-19th century, having tall masts and sharp lines; built for great speed.
Clock Calm:	Absolutely calm weather with a perfectly smooth sea.
Close Aboard:	Close alongside, Very near.
Close hauled	a point of sail where the boat is sailing as close to the wind as possible
Close Reach	Sailing with sheets eased and the wind forward of the beam (sails out 1/4).
close-hauled	The point of sail with the bow of the boat as close as possible to the wind.
Clough:	An alternative term used in the north of the UK for paddles pronounced as 'clow' or sometimes 'clew'.
CLOVE HITCH	A knot for temporarily fastening a line to a spar or piling.
COA	contract of affreightment
coaming	A rim placed on a roof or around a hatch, deck or bulkhead opening to stop water from entering.
COASTWISE	Domestic shipping routes along a single coast.
Cockbill, cockabill	Not level, crooked.
COCKPIT	An opening in the deck from which the boat is handled.
CODE OF LINER CONDUCT (UNCTAD)	A convention drafted under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development which provides that all shipping traffic between two foreign countries is to be regulated as far as the quantities of shipments are concerned
Coffee grinder	A large and powerful sheet winch
COG	Coarse Over Ground
COIL	To lay a line down in circular turns.
Colimation:	Correct alignment of the optical parts of an instrument.
COLLIER	Vessel used for transporting coal.
COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM	Electronic system commonly used to prevent collisions in inland navigable waterways.
Colreg	International Convention on Collision Regulations,IMO
COLREG	Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
COMBI	Combination passenger/cargo vessel; a vessel specifically designed to carry both containers and conventional cargoes.
combination pump	A dual-purpose steam engine that conducted multiple tasks such as pumping water and hoisting.
Come about	To bring the boat from one tack to another when sailing into the wind
Coming	About Bringing the boat from one tack to the other when sailing into the wind.
COMMON CARRIER	Holds himself out for hire to the general public. Must post rates and cannot discriminate against customers whose cargo he is equipped to carry.
Companionway	Covered stairway between decks.
Compartment boats:	Engineless boats which can be pulled or pushed in trains.
Compass	A magnetic instrument used to measure direction
Compass course	The course as read on a compass. The compass course has added the magnetic deviation and the magnetic variation to the true course.
Compass rose	A circle on a chart indicating the direction of geographic north and sometimes also magnetic north. Charts usually have more that one compass rose. In that case the compass rose nearest to the object being plotted should be used as the geographic directions and magnetic variations may change slightly in different places on the chart.
COMPLEMENT	The number of officers and crew employed upon a vessel for its safe navigation and operation.
Conclusion stage	A period during a SAR incident when SAR facilities return to their regular location and prepare for another mission
CONFERENCE	An affiliation of shipowners operating over the same route(s) who agree to charge uniform rates and other terms of carriage.
Confluence:	The junction of Rivers or streams.
Conn Station	usually on the bridge, from which a ship is controlled; the act of so controlling.
CONSIGNEE	The person to whom cargo is consigned as stated on the bills of lading.
CONSIGNOR	The person named in the bill of lading as the one from whom the goods have been received for shipment.
consort	An unpowered Great Lakes cargo vessel, usually a schooner-barge, towed by a steam barge or a steamer. The consort system began in the 1860s on the Great Lakes and persisted to around 1920.
CONTAINER	A van, flatrack, open top trailer or other similar trailer body on or into which cargo is loaded and transported without chassis aboard ocean vessels.; a large rectangular or square container/box of a strong structure that can withstand continuous rough h
CONTAINER SHIP	A ship constructed in such a way that she can easily stack containers near and on top of each other as well as on deck. A vessel designed to carry standard intermodal containers enabling efficient loading, unloading, and transport to and from the vessel.
CONTRACT OF AFFREIGHTMENT (COA)	A service contract under which a ship owner agrees to transport a specified quantity of fuel products or specialty products, at a specified rate per ton, between designated loading and discharge ports. This type contract differs from a spot or consecutive
COOK AND BAKER (CHIEF COOK)	Cooks and bakes.
coordinated universal time	A time standard that is not affected by time zones or seasons. Time measured in coordinated universal time, labeled with the term zulu. It is used so that people around the world can communicate about time without regard to individual time zones.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)	The international time standard. It is the current term for what was commonly referred to as Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT). Zero (0) hours UTC is midnight in Greenwich England, which lies on the zero longitudinal meridian. Universal time is based on a 24 hour clock, therefore, afternoon hours such as 4 p.m. UTC are expressed as 16:00 UTC (sixteen hours, zero minutes). Since a day is 24 hours long, the world may be split into 15 degree wide longitudinal bands (360 degrees/24 hours). Each band represents one hour. As an example, Huntsville Alabama is located at approximately 90 degrees west longitude, hence, local time lags UTC time by 6 hours (90/15, assuming Central Standard Time, 5 hours in Central Daylight Time). So, if the universal time is 14:30 UTC, United States Central Standard Time would be 8:30 am CST. <http://www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/utc.html>
Coping	The top row or course of masonry or brickwork usually sloping in a wall.
Cospas-Sarsat System	A satellite system designed to detect distress beacons transmitting on the frequencies 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz
CoSWP	Code of Safe Working Practices For Merchant Seamen
Course	Lowest and largest sail on each mast. Called "Fore Course" or "Main Course," depending upon the mast the sail is on.
Course	The direction in which a boat is traveling or intends to travel.
Cover	(1) To protect; (2) A shelter; (3) Headgear, and the act of donning the same.
covering board	The outermost plank of the upper deck, running beneath the base of the bulwark and covering the frametops and the ends of the deck beams.
COW	crude oil washing
CPI	Consumer Price Index.
CQR anchor	Also called a plow anchor. Short for coastal quick release anchor. An anchor that is designed to bury itself into the ground by use of its plow shape.
Crack on:	To carry sail to full limit of strength of masts, yards, and tackles.
Craft	Any air or sea-surface vehicle or submersible of any kind or size
Crank	Said of a vessel with small stability, whether due to build or to stowage of cargo.
Creep	To search for a sunken object by towing a grapnel along bottom.
CREW	The personnel engaged on board ship, excluding the master and officers and the passengers on passenger ships.
Crew	One or more people who aid in the operation of a boat.
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 re
Crimp:	Person who decoys a seaman from his ship and gains money by robbing and, or, forcing him on board another vessel in want of men.
cross bracing	Iron or steel straps fastened diagonally across a ship's frames to make a rigid framework.
CROSS-TRADES	Foreign to foreign trade carried by ships from a nation other than the two trading nations.
Crosstrees	Attach point for topmast and t'gallantmast.
crow's nest	A small, sheltered platform close to the top of a ship's mast, used by the lookout.
CRS	coast radio station
CRUDE OIL WASHING	A technique of cleaning tanks in oil tankers.
Cruise:	Voyage made in varying directions. To sail in various directions for pleasure, in search, or for exercise.
cruising guides	Books that describe features of particular sailing areas, such as hazards, anchorages, etc.
CS	creeping line search
CSC	creeping line search/ co-ordinated
CSP	commence search point Point, normally specified by the SMC/ where (CSP) a SAR facility is to begin its search pattern.
CSS	Code of Shipmanagement Standards
CTU	cargo transport unit
CUDDY	A small shelter cabin in a boat.
CUDDY	A small shelter cabin in a boat.
Culage:	Laying up of a vessel, in a dock, for repairs.
Current	The movement of water, due to tides, river movement and circular currents caused by the motion of the earth.
CURRENT	The horizontal movement of water.
CURRENT	The horizontal movement of water.
Current	Tidal flow that carries a boat away from its desire destination, or towards a hazard.
Customary Dispatch:	Usual and accustomed speed.
Cut:	The same as Canal, however it usually refers to a short canal that has being cut from the ground.
Cutter	A single massed fore-and-aft sailing boat having an inner staysail and an outer jib
cutter	A sailboat with one mast and a mainsail and two headsails.
CW	continuous wave
Cyclone	The generic term for a tropical weather system, including tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.

 

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Daggerboard	A type of centerboard, which is raised and lowered straight up and down
Damage Report	Form on which physical damage is recorded (e.g. containers).
Damaged Cargo Report	Written statement concerning established damages to cargo and/or equipment.
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 tai
Dangerous Goods	Goods are to be considered dangerous if the transport of such goods might cause harm, risk, peril, or other evil to people, environment, equipment or any property whatsoever.
Dangerous Goods Packing Certificate	A document as part of the dangerous goods declaration in which the responsible party declares that the cargo has been stowed in accordance with the rules in a clean container in compliance with the IMDG regulations and properly secured.
DANGEROUS LIQUIDS	Liquids giving off inflammable vapors.
Data	A re-interpretable representation of information in a formalised manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing.
Data Carrier	Medium designed to carry records of data entries.
Data Plate	A metal identification plate affixed to a container, which displays among others the gross and tare weights and external dimensions.
Datum	A geographic point/ line/ or area used as a reference in search planning
Davit	A device that projects beyond the side of the boat to raise objects from the water. Typically a single davit is used on the bow of a vessel to raise an anchor, and a pair are used on the side or stern of the vessel to raise a dinghy.
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.
Day sailor	An open Boat used for day sailing
Dead ahead	A position directly in front of the vessel.
DEAD AHEAD	Directly ahead.
DEAD ASTERN	Directly aft.
Dead on End	Said of wind when exactly ahead; and of another vessel when her fore and aft line coincides with observer's line of sight.
Dead reckoning	A method of determining position by making an educated guess based on last known position, speed and currents.
Deadfreight	Slots paid for but not used.
DEADFREIGHT FACTOR	Percentage of a ship's carrying capacity that is not utilized.
Deadlights	Wooden covers for openings.
Deadload	The difference between the actual and calculated ship's draft.
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 "w
Deadweight	The total weight of cargo, cargo equipment, bunkers, provisions, water, stores and spare parts which a vessel can lift when loaded to her maximum draught as applicable under the circumstances. The dead-weight is expressed in tons.
deadwood	Heavy longitudinal timbers fastened over the keelson. The timbers of the bow and stern are fastened to the deadwood.
Deck	Any extended horizontal structure in a vessel or an aircraft, serving as a floor and structural support, covering, partially or fully, a portion of the vessel or aircraft.
Deck	Covering of the interior of a boat
DECK GANG	The officers and seamen comprising the deck department aboard ship. Also called deck crew, deck department, or just deck.
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. The principal entries are: courses steered; distance run; compass variations, sea and weather conditions; ship's positi
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.
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 manoeuvering. He also comes under the direct orders of the bosun.
Deckhead	The underside of the deck, viewed from below (the ceiling.)
deckhouse	A low building or superstructure, such as a cabin, constructed on the top deck of a ship.
Declaration of Origin	Appropriate statement as to the origin of the goods, made in connection with their exportation by the manufacturer, producer, supplier, exporter or other competent person on the commercial invoice or any document relating to goods.
Decoupling Inventory	A stock retained to make the independent control of two successive operations possible.
Decoupling Point	The point in the supply chain which provides a buffer between differing input and output rates.
Dedicated Service	1. A service specially designed for the use by one or more particular customers.
DEEP SEA TRADES	The traffic routes of both cargo and passenger vessels which are regularly engaged on the high seas or on long voyages.
DEEP STOWAGE	Any bulk, bagged or other type of cargo stowed in single hold ships.
Deep Vee:	The name given to a hull shape that was developed to maintain high speeds at sea. (See also Shallow Vee & Round Bilge)
Default Charge	A (standard) charge applicable for a trade, stretch or location.
Degroupage	Splitting up shipments into small consignments.
Delay in Transit (DIT)	Delay of shipment at the customer's request.
Delivering Carrier	The carrier who delivers the consignment to the consignee or his agent (air cargo).
Delivery	The process of delivering the consignment to the consignee at the agreed place.
Delivery Instruction	Document issued by a buyer giving instructions regarding the details of the delivery of goods ordered.
Delivery Note	A document recording the delivery of products to a consignee (customer).
Delivery Order	1. A carrier's delivery order (negotiable document) is used for splitting a B/L (after surrender) in different parcels and have the same function as a B/L.
Delivery Party	The party to which goods are to be delivered.
Delivery Reliability	The proportion of total delivery occasions in which the time, place, quality and quantity of products delivered accords with the order.
Delivery Schedule	The required and/or agreed time of delivery of goods or services purchased for a future period.
Delivery Service	The carriage of inbound consignments from the airport of destination to the address of the consignee or his designated agent or to the custody of the appropriate custom department agency when required (air cargo).
Delivery Time	The time between order and delivery.
Demand	The quantity of goods required by the market to be delivered in a particular period or at a specific date.
DEMISE CHARTER	See Bareboat Charter.
DEMURRAGE	A fee levied by the shipping company upon the port or supplier for not loading or unloading the vessel by a specified date agreed upon by contract. Usually, assessed upon a daily basis after the deadline.
Density of Commodity	The mass of a commodity to its volume.
Dependent Demand	A demand directly related to or derived from the demand for other items or end products. Dependent demands are therefore calculated, and need not and should not be forecast.
Depot	The place designated by the carrier where empty containers are kept in stock and received from or delivered to the container operators or merchants.
Depot Location	The geographical place where one or more P&O Nedlloyd depots are situated.
depth of hold	The measurement from beneath the deck to the bottom of the hold; the vertical space in the cargo hold.
depth sounder	An instrument that uses sound waves to measure the distance to the bottom.
Depth sounder	An instrument that uses sound waves to measure the distance to the seafloor.
DERA	Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (UK)
Deratisation:	Extermination of all rats aboard a vessel.
Derrick	Lifting equipment on board a conventional vessel for loading and discharging cargo, consisting of a post attached to the deck and an inclined spar.
derrick	A hoisting machine consisting usually of a vertical mast, a slanted boom and associated tackle; may be operated mechanically or by hand.
Despatch	The process of sending goods.
Despatch Advice	Information send by shippers to the recipient of goods informing that specified goods are sent or ready to be sent advising the detailed contents of the consignment.
Despatch Days	The days gained if the free time included in the rate and allowed for the use of certain equipment is not fully used.
Despatch Note (for post parcels)	Document which, according to the agreement concerning postal parcels, is to accompany post parcels.
Destination	1. Place for which goods or a vehicle is bound.2. The ultimate stopping place according to the contract of carriage (air cargo).
Det Norske Veritas	Norwegian classification society.
Detention	Keeping equipment beyond the time allowed.
Detention Charge	Charges levied on usage of equipment exceeding free time period as stipulated in the pertinent inland rules and conditions.
Deterioration	The downgrading of a product due to long storage, damage to packing or other external influences.
DETR	Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (UK)
Deviation from a Route	A divergence from the agreed or customary route.
Dew-point	Temperature at which moist air becomes saturated
DF	direction finding
DGPS	Differential Global Positioning System
Dimensions	Measurements in length, width and height, regarding cargo.
Dingbat:	Slang term for a small swab made of rope and used for drying decks.
DINGHY	A small open boat. A dinghy is often used as a tender for a larger craft.
Dinghy	Any one who owns a sail boat ... or ... A small rowing boat, ususally carried on hauled behind a bigger boat for quick escapes.
DINGHY	A small open boat. A dinghy is often used as a tender for a larger craft.
dinghy, dink	1) A small boat used to travel from a boat to shore, carrying people or supplies. Also known as a tender.2) The act of using a dinghy.
Direct Interchange	Transfer of leased equipment from one lessee to another (container).
Direct Product Profitability	System employed mainly within the retail sector for calculating the profit from any given product in any given position within the supply chain, requiring transparency and management of all logistic costs.
Direct Route	The shortest operated route between two points.
Direction of waves swells, or seas	Direction from which the waves, swells or seas are moving.
Direction of wind	Direction from which the wind is blowing
DIS	Draft international standard (ISO)
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.
Disbursement	Sums paid out by a ship's agent at a port and recovered from the carrier.
Discharge	1. The unloading of a vehicle, a vessel or an aircraft.
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.
Discrepancy	Difference between the particulars given and the particulars found.
Discrete Code	A bar code in which the spaces between characters (inter character gaps) are not part of the code as each character begins and ends with a bar. The spaces can therefore vary in width, specified tolerances.
Displacement	The weight of a boat measured as a the weight of the amount of water it displaces. A boat displaces an amount of water equal to the weight of the boat, so the boat's displacement and weight are identical.
displacement	the weight or volume of water displaced by a ship
DISPLACEMENT	The weight of water displaced by a floating vessel, thus, a boat's weight.
DISPLACEMENT HULL	A type of hull that plows through the water, displacing a weight of water equal to its own weight, even when more power is added.
Displacement speed	Also hull speed. The theoretical speed that a boat can travel without planing, based on the shape of its hull. This speed is 1.34 times the length of a boat at its waterline. Since most monohull sailboats cannot exceed their hull speed, longer boats are faster.
Disposable Pallet	Pallet intended to be discarded after a single cycle of use.
Disposal Chain	A sequence of events in a goods-flow which gets rid of a specific good. This may include removal, recycling, waste dumping etc.
Disposal of Goods	The act of getting rid of goods.
Dispositioning	All activities relating to the inland movement of empty and or full containers.
Distance made good	The distance traveled after correction for current, leeway and other errors that may not have been included in the original distance measurement.
Distress alert	Notification by any means that a distress situation exists and assistance is needed
distress signals	Any signal that is used to indicate that a vessel is in distress. Flares, smoke, audible alarms and electronic beacons are types of distress signals.
Distribution	The set of activities which ensure the availability of goods in the desired quality, quantity, place and time for the customer.
Distribution Centre	A warehouse for the receipt, the storage and the dispersal of goods among customers.
Distribution Channel	The route by which a company distributes goods.
Distribution Requirements Planning	The function of determining the need to replenish stock at branch warehouses.
Distribution Resource Planning	The set of concepts, procedures and techniques, being an extension of DRP-I, for the effective planning and control of the physical distribution.
Ditching	The forced landing of an aircraft on water
Ditty Bag:	Small canvas bag in which a seaman keeps his small stores and impedimenta.
Ditty Box	: Small wooden box, with lock and key, in which seamen of R.N. keep sentimental valuables, stationery, and sundry small stores.
Diurnal:	Daily. Occurring once a day.
Divider	A vertically mounted partition in a compartment on board of an aircraft.
DLat	difference in latitude
DLong	difference in longitude
DMB	datum marker buoy
DMDO	Distilate Marine Deisel Oil
DNC	Digital Nautical Chart
DNV	Det Norske Veritas (classification society)
DOC	document of compliance (as per ISM Code)
DOCK	A protected water area in which vessels are moored.The term is often used to denote a pier or a wharf.
DOCK	A protected water area in which vessels are moored.The term is often used to denote a pier or a wharf.
Dock	the area a boat rests in when attached to a pier, also the act of taking the boat to the pier to secure it
Dock	1) Any platform where vessels can make fast. The act of securing a boat in such a place. Docks are often subdivided into smaller areas for docking known as slips.2) The act of entering a dock.
Dock	The space alongside a pier or in dry dock; any pier or wharf.
Dock Bumpers	Cushioning devices (rubber, plastic, wood, etc.) mounted at the extreme rear of a chassis or trailer to take the impact when it backs into a loading dock or platform (road cargo).
Dock Receipt	Document issued by P&O Nedlloyd acknowledging that goods are received for shipment.
Dock:	The area a boat rests in when attached to a pier, also the act of taking the boat to the pier to secure it.
Dock:	The area a boat rests in when attached to a pier, also the act of taking the boat to the pier to secure it.
Document	Anything printed, written, relied upon to record or prove something.
Document Holder	Usually fastened to the door on the front of a container. May contain e.g. a certificate of approval of the container.
DOD	Department of Defense.
Dodger	Screen of cloth or other material fitted up to keep the crew from the wind and water spray
Dogvane	A small banner to show the relative direction of the wind.
DOLPHIN	A group of piles driven close together and bound with wire cables into a single structure. Big swimming mammal likes to play round the bow wave
DOLPHIN	A group of piles driven close together and bound with wire cables into a single structure.
Dolphin	A mooring bouy or spar
Dolphin Striker	V-shaped boom pointing downwards at intersection of bowsprit and jib boom.
Dolphin:	A structure used for temporary mooring, also the term given to a navigation mark.
Domestic Carriage	Carriage whereby the place of departure and the place of destination are situated within one country (air cargo).
DOMESTIC OFFSHORE TRADES	Domestic shipping routes serving Alaska and non-continental U.S. States and territories.
Domestic Rate	Rate applicable within a country, and in most cases subject to special conditions other than those of IATA (air cargo).
donkey boiler	A steam boiler on a ship deck used to supply steam to deck machinery when the main boilers are shut down.
Donkeyman	: Rating who tends a donkey boiler, or engine, and assists in engine-room.
Donkey's Breakfast:	Merchant seaman's name for his bed or mattress.
DOT	Department of Transportation.
Double Banking	Two vessels moored alongside each other on a certain berth.
Double bottom	Construction of the bottom of a ship whereby a generally watertight space is formed between the shell and an inner bottom placed at a sufficient height above the baseline to allow access and to reduce risks due to grounding or colliding.
DOUBLE BOTTOM	General term for all watertight spaces contained between the outside bottom plating, the tank top and the margin plate. The double bottoms are sub-divided into a number of separate tanks which may contain boiler feed water, drinking water, fuel oil, balla
Double ender	Any Boat Designed with a pointed bow and stern
Double Stack Train	A number of railway wagons, usually a block train, on which containers can be stacked two- high.
Double-deck Pallet	Flat pallet with a top and bottom deck.
Down Haul	Line attached to the bottom of the boom used to flatten the sail by pulling the boom down, and thus tightening the luff of the sail.
Down Time	The period of time when a machine is not available for production due to a functional failure or maintenance.
Downhaul	Tackle used for pulling down the tack
Downwind	In the direction the wind is going. A boat sailing downwind is running with the wind.
DP	dynamic positioning
DR	dead reckoning
DRAFT	The depth of a ship in the water. Spelt draught in the UK
Dragging	Description of an anchor that is not securely fastened to the bottom and moves.
Drainage Basin:	This is the area of land over which all the streams flow and drain water to the principal River.
Drainage Basin:	This is the area of land over which all the streams flow and drain water to the principal River.
Draught:	This is the depth of water required to float a vessel.
Draw	A sail is said to be drawing when full with wind
Drawback	Repayment of any part of customs or excise duties previously collected on imported goods, when those goods are exported again.
Drayage	1. The hauling of a load by a cart with detachable sides (dray).2. Road transportation between the nearest railway terminal and the stuffing place.
Dredger:	The machine that scoops mud, sand & general rubbish from the waterways. Usually mounted on a boat.
Dredger:	The machine that scoops mud, sand & general rubbish from the waterways. Usually mounted on a boat.
Drift	the leeway or movement of the boat when not under power or when being pushed sideways while under power
Drift Ice:	Ice in an area containing several small pieces of floating ice, but with total water area exceeding total area of ice.
Drift:	The leeway, or movement of the boat, when not under power, or when being pushed sideways while under power.
Drilling Rig	A structure, which drills wells in the bottom in order to search for oil.
Drogue	Object towed over boat's stern to slow the boat and help keep it pointed down wind
Drop off Charge	Charge made by container owner and/or terminal operators for delivery of a leased, or pool container into depot stock. The drop-off charge may be a combination of actual handling and storage charges with surcharges.
Dry Bulk Container	Container consisting of a cargo-carrying structure, firmly secured within a framework, for the carriage of dry solids in bulk without packaging.
DRY CARGO	Merchandise other than liquid carried in bulk.
Dry Cargo Container	P&O Nedlloyd container which is designed for the carriage of goods other than liquids.
DRY CARGO SHIP	Vessel which carriers all merchandise, excluding liquid in bulk.
dry dock	A dock where a boat can be worked on out of the water. The boat is usually sailed into a dry dock, and then the water is pumped out.
DRY DOCK