Glossary

ACS		American Chemicals Society
ADDRESS COMMISSION		Commission payable to the charterer by the shipowner as a percentage of freight or hire. Historically it was paid to the charterer to cover some of the expenses incurred by him. At present it virtually works out to a reduction in the freight
AD		Air Draft - correctly used, air draft refers to the distance from the vessel's waterline to the top of the highest mast in an unladen condition. Important to determine whether the vessel can pass under fixed bridges. (Airdraft is also used to refer to the distance from the vessel's light waterline to the top of the hatch coming. This dimension must be known to determine whether the vessel will fit under the fixed shore loading or discharging appliance.)
ADB		African / Asian Development Bank
ADEC		Alaska Departement of Environmental Conservation
ADR		Alternative Dispute Resolution - a relatively new innovation whose use has increased in the last decade in response to a general rise in litigation in many jurisdictions and the thereby escalating cost associated therewith, as well as the increased dissatisfaction with the legal process itself. The ADR is a tool designed as a supplement to a given judicial system to provide parties of otherwise good and long term working relationship with a cheaper and in most cases less adversial alternative to lengthy court hearings and arbitrations.
Aerated Mud		Drilling mud mixed with oxygen to increase efficiency
AFRA		Average Freight Rate Assessment - average costs for the freight of oil with tankships. Calculated by the Worldscale Association in London. based on an ongoing registration of all freightrates at particular points in time.
Aframax		American Freight Rate Association - approximately 80,000 - 105,000 dwt - term for a tank ship of standard size.
AFRASEC		Afro-Asian Organization for Economic Cooperation
AFTA		Asean Free Trade Area (See ASEAN).
AG		Arabian Gulf - also called PG - Persian Gulf.
Agent / Ship's Agent		Person looking after the interests of a ship whiøe in port. Duties include organising pilotage, towage and berth for the ship, collecting freight and signing bills of lading
AGS		Annual General Survey
AH		Antwerp Hambug range
AHT		Anchorhandling Tug - vessel employed in the offshore field moving anchors and performing towing operations
AHTS		AHT which is also a combined supplyvessel.
AID		Agency for International Development - US organization for civilian aid programmes.
AIMS		American Institute of Merchant Shipping - the American shipowners' association for the major part of the privately owned tonnage.
AIS		Automatic Identification System
ALADI		Latin-American Integration Association (11 members).
ALAMAP		Associacón Latinamericano de Armadores - Latin-American Shipowners' Association (established in March 1963).
ALU-TUCP		Philippine Seafarers' Union, member of TUCP (Trade Union Council of the Philippines).
AMA		Association of Maritime Arbitrators, New York.
AMOSUP		Associated Marine Officers' and Seamen's Union of the Philippines - Filipino union for officers and crew.
AMPD		Average Most Probable Discharge
AMR		Average Most Probable Discharge
AMS		Automated Manifest System (For US Departement of Agriculture Entry Processing Procedures for US ports)
AMVER		Automatic Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System - American warning system for international shipping.
ANDES’ Pact		Customs and tariffs union between Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia with common external customs’ tariffs.
Anchor Piling		Mooring point on the sea bed.
Anchorhandling Tug		AHT - ship carrying out tasks such as the placing or moving of anchors, as well as towing drilling installations and barges etc. May double as a supply vessel and is in such cases termed Anchorhandling Tug/Supply (AHTS).
Annular Blowout Preventer		Safety valve during drilling operations. Consists of rubber gasket stopping the flow of mud outside the drill string.
Annulus		The distance between the drill string and the casing or the wall of the drilling hole.
ANPRM		Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (U.S.)
ANS		Alaskan North Slope (crude oil)
ANSI		American National Standard Institute
AODC		Association of Offshore Diving Contractors
AOSC		Assistant On-Scene Coordinator (U.S. Coast Guard)
AP		All Purposes or Additional Premium
APEC		Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (18 members).
API		American Petroleum Institute - Founded in 1919, the first oil trade association to include all branches of the petroleum industry.
API GRAVITY		Petroleum industry expression for density of petroleum liquid expressed in API units. - API gravity is obtained by means of simultaneous hydrometer/temperature readings, equated to, and generally expressed at 60ÂºF. The relative density to API gravity relation is: API gravity at 60ÂºF = 141.5 divided by relative density 60ÂºF minus 131.5.
APICOM		Association of Petroleum Industry Cooperative Managers
APS		Arrival Pilot Station - Signifies a location, on arrival at which vessel will deliver on to a time-charter. Of advantage to a ship owner when compared with TIP, which see.
APT		After Peak Tank.
AR / ATRS		American Tanker Rate Schedule-Revised - A Standards of reference published by a group of American tanker brokers and expressed in dollars and cents for thousands of possible voyages. Commonly used for U.S. coast wise voyages. .
ARA		Antwerpen-Rotterdam-Amsterdam, often used as destination specification. .
Arbitration		A method of settling disputes by one or more arbitrators. Quicker and cheaper than taking a case to court.
ARPA		Automatic Radar Plotting Aid
ART		Alternative Response Technology
Articulated Platform/ Oscillating Platform		An offshore structure fastened to the sea bed by means of an articulated hinge, stabilized by buoyancy elements near the surface. Usually used in connection with loading buoys and flare towers.
ASBA		Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (U.S.A., Inc.), New York
ASEAN		Association of South East Asian Nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore.
ASEM		Summit Meeting between Asian and European nations.
ASF		Asian Shipowners' Forum - shipowners' association for East Asia and Oceania.
ASME		American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
ASO		Arbeidsgiverforeningen for Skip og Offshorefartoyer - The Employers' Organization for Ships and Offshore Installations (Oslo).
AST		Atlantic Strike Team (U.S. Coast Guard)
ASTF		Alaska Science and Technology Foundation
ASTM		American Society for Testing and Materials
ATDN		Any Time Day or Night
ATDNS / ATDNSHINC		Any Time Day or Night Shinc
ATRS / AR		See AR above
ATS		All Time Saved
ATSB		All Time Saved Both ends
AUTOMATIC SAMPLER		A device installed in a flow, automatically controlled so as to extract a representative sample of the flow.
AUTOMATIC TANK GAUGE		An instrument capable of indicating the level of product from a location remote to the Manual gauge site
AWES		Association of Western European Shipbuilders
AWO		American Waterways Operators

ACS		American Chemicals Society
ADDRESS COMMISSION		Commission payable to the charterer by the shipowner as a percentage of freight or hire. Historically it was paid to the charterer to cover some of the expenses incurred by him. At present it virtually works out to a reduction in the freight
AD		Air Draft - correctly used, air draft refers to the distance from the vessel's waterline to the top of the highest mast in an unladen condition. Important to determine whether the vessel can pass under fixed bridges. (Airdraft is also used to refer to the distance from the vessel's light waterline to the top of the hatch coming. This dimension must be known to determine whether the vessel will fit under the fixed shore loading or discharging appliance.)
ADB		African / Asian Development Bank
ADEC		Alaska Departement of Environmental Conservation
ADR		Alternative Dispute Resolution - a relatively new innovation whose use has increased in the last decade in response to a general rise in litigation in many jurisdictions and the thereby escalating cost associated therewith, as well as the increased dissatisfaction with the legal process itself. The ADR is a tool designed as a supplement to a given judicial system to provide parties of otherwise good and long term working relationship with a cheaper and in most cases less adversial alternative to lengthy court hearings and arbitrations.
Aerated Mud		Drilling mud mixed with oxygen to increase efficiency
AFRA		Average Freight Rate Assessment - average costs for the freight of oil with tankships. Calculated by the Worldscale Association in London. based on an ongoing registration of all freightrates at particular points in time.
Aframax		American Freight Rate Association - approximately 80,000 - 105,000 dwt - term for a tank ship of standard size.
AFRASEC		Afro-Asian Organization for Economic Cooperation
AFTA		Asean Free Trade Area (See ASEAN).
AG		Arabian Gulf - also called PG - Persian Gulf.
Agent / Ship's Agent		Person looking after the interests of a ship whiøe in port. Duties include organising pilotage, towage and berth for the ship, collecting freight and signing bills of lading
AGS		Annual General Survey
AH		Antwerp Hambug range
AHT		Anchorhandling Tug - vessel employed in the offshore field moving anchors and performing towing operations
AHTS		AHT which is also a combined supplyvessel.
AID		Agency for International Development - US organization for civilian aid programmes.
AIMS		American Institute of Merchant Shipping - the American shipowners' association for the major part of the privately owned tonnage.
AIS		Automatic Identification System
ALADI		Latin-American Integration Association (11 members).
ALAMAP		Associacón Latinamericano de Armadores - Latin-American Shipowners' Association (established in March 1963).
ALU-TUCP		Philippine Seafarers' Union, member of TUCP (Trade Union Council of the Philippines).
AMA		Association of Maritime Arbitrators, New York.
AMOSUP		Associated Marine Officers' and Seamen's Union of the Philippines - Filipino union for officers and crew.
AMPD		Average Most Probable Discharge
AMR		Average Most Probable Discharge
AMS		Automated Manifest System (For US Departement of Agriculture Entry Processing Procedures for US ports)
AMVER		Automatic Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System - American warning system for international shipping.
ANDES’ Pact		Customs and tariffs union between Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia with common external customs’ tariffs.
Anchor Piling		Mooring point on the sea bed.
Anchorhandling Tug		AHT - ship carrying out tasks such as the placing or moving of anchors, as well as towing drilling installations and barges etc. May double as a supply vessel and is in such cases termed Anchorhandling Tug/Supply (AHTS).
Annular Blowout Preventer		Safety valve during drilling operations. Consists of rubber gasket stopping the flow of mud outside the drill string.
Annulus		The distance between the drill string and the casing or the wall of the drilling hole.
ANPRM		Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (U.S.)
ANS		Alaskan North Slope (crude oil)
ANSI		American National Standard Institute
AODC		Association of Offshore Diving Contractors
AOSC		Assistant On-Scene Coordinator (U.S. Coast Guard)
AP		All Purposes or Additional Premium
APEC		Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (18 members).
API		American Petroleum Institute - Founded in 1919, the first oil trade association to include all branches of the petroleum industry.
API GRAVITY		Petroleum industry expression for density of petroleum liquid expressed in API units. - API gravity is obtained by means of simultaneous hydrometer/temperature readings, equated to, and generally expressed at 60ÂºF. The relative density to API gravity relation is: API gravity at 60ÂºF = 141.5 divided by relative density 60ÂºF minus 131.5.
APICOM		Association of Petroleum Industry Cooperative Managers
APS		Arrival Pilot Station - Signifies a location, on arrival at which vessel will deliver on to a time-charter. Of advantage to a ship owner when compared with TIP, which see.
APT		After Peak Tank.
AR / ATRS		American Tanker Rate Schedule-Revised - A Standards of reference published by a group of American tanker brokers and expressed in dollars and cents for thousands of possible voyages. Commonly used for U.S. coast wise voyages. .
ARA		Antwerpen-Rotterdam-Amsterdam, often used as destination specification. .
Arbitration		A method of settling disputes by one or more arbitrators. Quicker and cheaper than taking a case to court.
ARPA		Automatic Radar Plotting Aid
ART		Alternative Response Technology
Articulated Platform/ Oscillating Platform		An offshore structure fastened to the sea bed by means of an articulated hinge, stabilized by buoyancy elements near the surface. Usually used in connection with loading buoys and flare towers.
ASBA		Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (U.S.A., Inc.), New York
ASEAN		Association of South East Asian Nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore.
ASEM		Summit Meeting between Asian and European nations.
ASF		Asian Shipowners' Forum - shipowners' association for East Asia and Oceania.
ASME		American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
ASO		Arbeidsgiverforeningen for Skip og Offshorefartoyer - The Employers' Organization for Ships and Offshore Installations (Oslo).
AST		Atlantic Strike Team (U.S. Coast Guard)
ASTF		Alaska Science and Technology Foundation
ASTM		American Society for Testing and Materials
ATDN		Any Time Day or Night
ATDNS / ATDNSHINC		Any Time Day or Night Shinc
ATRS / AR		See AR above
ATS		All Time Saved
ATSB		All Time Saved Both ends
AUTOMATIC SAMPLER		A device installed in a flow, automatically controlled so as to extract a representative sample of the flow.
AUTOMATIC TANK GAUGE		An instrument capable of indicating the level of product from a location remote to the Manual gauge site
AWES		Association of Western European Shipbuilders
AWO		American Waterways Operators

B.S.& W.		Bottom Sediment and Water
B/D		Barrels per Day
B/L		Bills of Lading (Blading) - The basic document between a shipper and a carrier and a shipper and a consignee. It represents the contract of carriage and defines the terms and conditions of carriage. It is the final receipt from the carrier for the goods shown on it and for the condition of the goods. It describes the nature, quantity and weight of the cargo carried. It is also the document of title of the goods shown. Dirty B/L - Bill of Lading with Captain's note of protest as to the condition of the cargo.
B/N		Booking Note
BA		Buenos Aires
BAC		The Bioremediation Action Committee (EPA sub-committee)
Ballast		Sea water taken into a vessel's tanks in order to submerge the vessel to proper trim. Proper trim is necessary in order to safely navigate the vessel in light condition. Ballast can be taken into cargo tanks, double bottoms, fore and aft peak tanks and/or segregated ballast tanks (SBT)
BAP		Best Available Protection
Bareboat		The hiring or leasing of a vessel from one company to another (the charterer), which provides crew, bunkers, stores, etc. and pays all operating costs.
Bareboat Charter-Party (Demise C/P)		Contract for the hire of an empty ship. All operating costs are covered by the charterer
Barrel		Measure for oil. There are 7.1 barrels of oil in one ton. Each barrel is approximately 159 litres. Many abbreviations: b, bbl, bar. Sometimes written with capital letters. Barrels per day (Bd or b/d) specifies the production rate per day.
BB		Bahia Blanca ; Ballast Bonus - A lump sum amount paid to a ship owner, usually as a reward (a bonus) for positioning the vessel at a certain place as a prerequisite for her delivery on to time-charter - e.g.: for a ship ex-Mediterranean Sea, "delivering United States Gulf for a time-charter trip to the Far East at US$ 5,000 daily, plus a ballast bonus of US$ 100,000". Occasionally paid as a reward for accepting redelivery from time-charter in an unfavorable position. A Ballast Bonus may be nett (i.e. free of address commissions and brokerages) or gross (i.e.: subject to deduction of brokerage and address commission). ; Below Bridges: - indicates agreement for a vessel to proceed to that section of a port or a river/canal that is "below bridges" - in other words below the place(s) where height restrictions would prevent a vessel navigating beneath certain overhead obstructions. - e.g.: "Vessel to discharge at one safe berth River Thames, Below Bridges".BBB Before Breaking Bulk - freight to be paid, i.e. the money deposited into the shipping company's account, prior to discharging.
BCH Code		International code (IMO) for the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous chemicals in bulk
BCM		Distance from Bow to Center of Cargo Manifolds
BD		Bar draft ; Bundle
BDI		Both Dates Inclusive
BEI		BanqueEuropenned'Investissement - The European Investment Bank.
Bell Diving		Carrying out diving within a diving vessel, shaped like a bell.
Benchmarking		To compare someone or something with the best that can be achieved within a specified field.
BENDS		Both Ends
Benelux		Belgium, Netherland, Luxembourg
BFI		Baltic Freight Index - an index for bulk freight rates.
BGCP		Berth Grain Charter Party
BH		Bordeaux Hamburg Range
BHP		Brake Horse Power
BIAC		Business and Industry Advisory Committee - OECD's advisory committee.Opposite to TUAC.
BICC		Bureau International des Chambres de Commerce - International information bureau for Chambers of Commerce.
BIFA		British International Freight Association
BIFFEX		Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange (London) - an exchange for the buying and selling of futures, based on the BFI.
BIFFEX		Baltic International Freight Futures Market
BILGE		The lower internal part of the hull where the vertical sides meet the bottom. This term also applies to both the inside and the outside of the hull. The internal space can be the lower part of a ship's hold or the engine room and serves as a drainage area where accumulated water can run into and be pumped from.
Bill of Lading (B/L)		Negotiable document issued by shipowner to shipper of goods. Contains terms and conditions of the contract.
BIMCO		The Baltic and International Maritime Council (Copenhagen)
BIS		Bank for International Settlements (Basel)
BISCO		British Iron and Steel Corporation
Bit		Drill bit.
BITT		Cast steel heads serving as posts to which mooring lines and cables are secured on ships
BLF		Bow Loading Facilities
Block		Denotes an area awarded for test drilling or production. Block sizes may vary.
Blowout		Uncontrolled blow out of oil or gas due to excessive pressure in the reservoir.
Blowout Preventer		Also called "Christmas Tree", a safety valve placed on the well head.
BLT		Built
BMIN		Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation
BMLA		British Maritime Law Association
BNA		British North America
BO		Best Offer
BOA		Basic Ordering Agreement
BOP		Abbreviation for Blowout Preventer.
BOSVA		British Offshore Supply Ships Association
BOTB		British Overseas Trade Board (London)
BOW		The forward most part of a vessel. This area usually houses gear lockers and is the end where anchors and mooring equipment are located.
Box		Everyday term for container.
Break-Bulk Cargo		Goods shipped loose in the vessel's hold and not in container.
BRM		Bridge Resource Management
BROA		British Rigowners' Association
BS (B/S)		Bunker surcharge
BSC		British Shippers Council
BSI		British Standards Institution
BT		Berth Terms
BTCS		Butterworth Tank Cleaning System A mechanical device used for the purpose of cleaning oil tanks by means of high pressure jets of hot water. The apparatus basically consists of double opposed nozzles which rotate slowly bout their horizontal and vertical axis and project two streams of water through all possible angles against all inside surfaces of the space being cleaned. The tank washing machines can deliver sprays of water at various temperatures and pressures which are dictated by the type of cargoes carried and the reasons for cleaning (Quick bottom wash through gas-freeing and tank entry for hot work).
Bulk ship (bulk carrier)		Single deck ship carrying homogenous unpackaged cargoes. Loaded through large hatchways.
Bulkcargo		Homogeneous dry cargo (not packaged), e.g. coal, grain, iron ore, etc.
Bulk-oil carrier		Multipurpose vessel built to carry cargoes of coal as well as oil. Most bulk-oil carriers are reinforced to carry ores and are called OBO-ship (ore/bulk/oil).
Bumber Sub		A tool, appr. 20 metres long, allowing a certain amount of vertical movement.
Bunkers		Ship's fuel. To take on fuel, is called bunkering.
Bury Barge		Vessel especially equipped to bury oil and gas pipelines on the sea bed.
BV		Bureau Veritas - French classification society.

C & E		Customs and Excise - British Department for Tariffs and Customs.
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.
C.I.S.		Confederation of Independent States (former Soviet Union - see also FSU)
C / O / H		Cuba / Orinoco / Haiti
CA		Central America
CAACE		Comit des Associations d'Armateurs de la CommunautEuropenne (Brussels) - organization for shipping companies from the EU.
CABAF		Currency And Bunker Adjustment Factor
Cabotage		Coastal trade, i.e. the movement of goods by ship between ports on the same coast or between ports within the same country.
CACM		Central American Common Market
CAD		Cash Against Documents
CAF		Currency Adjustment Factor
CAJEA		Council of All Japanese Exporters' Association
Camber		The arching of the deck upward measured at the centerline in inches per foot beam.
CAP		CAP
Capesize		Vessel which is too large to navigate the Suez Canal to and from the Arabian Gulf, therefore being forced to voyage around the Cape of Good Hope - approximately 80,000 - 175,000 dwt.
Caping		Routing a vessel around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.
Capital intensive tonnage		Vessel demanding relatively large capital investments, e.g. cruiseships, gas- and chemical tankers, etc.
CARIBS		Caribbean Sea
CARICOM		Caribbean Community.
CAS		Collision Avoidance System - Electronic system commonly used to prevent collisions in USA inland navigable waterways.
Casing		Pipe with thick walls placed in the drill hole and cemented in place. Prevents the hole from caving in.
CASO		Council of American- flag Ship Operators (eight liner companies which left the AIMS).
Catwalk		A raised bridge running fore and aft from the Midship House, also called "walkway". It affords safe passage over the pipe lines and other deck obstructions.
Cave-in		The walls of the drill hole disintegrating and filling up the hole.
CBA		Collective Bargaining Agreement (tariff agreement) - CBA for Filipino seamen between AMOSUP and ASO is an example. The term is used for any kind of tariff agreement, both for NIS-ships and foreign flagged ships.
CBFS		Carbon Black Feed Stock
CBM		Conventional Buoy Mooring
CBR		Commodity Box Rate
CBT		Clean Ballast Tanks
CCA		Chemical Carriers Association
CCAF		Comité des Armateurs de France - the French shipowners' association.
CCC		Customs Co-operation Council - forum for international cooperation between customs authorities, attempting to create harmony and uniformity of approach.
CCGD8		Commander Coast Guard District Eight
CCR		Cargo Control Room
CCS		China Classification Society
CCW		Clean Coastal Waters (Long Beach CA cooperative)
CD		Customary Dispatch; Chart Datum - a water level calculated on the lowest tide that can conceivably occur, and used as a basis for chart measurements. Such low tide is known also as the Lowest Astronomic Tide (LAT), and presupposes that at the very worst, there would always be that depth of available water at that particular spot.
CDS		Chemical Data Sheet
CE		Conseil de l'Europe (Strasbourg)
CEC		Certificate of Equivalent Competency
CEFOR		Maritime insurers central association.
Cellar Deck		The level beneath Rotary Table on a rig. On a jack-up this means the well-head and BOP. On a floating rig, it is the deck from which the guidelines are controlled. May also have a Marine Riser.
CEMT		Conference Europeenne des Ministres des Transports - OECD-affiliated organization for dealing with transportation problems on rails, roads and inland waterways.
CEN		European Standardization Organization
CENELEC		European Committee for ElectrotechnicalStandardisation
CENSA		Council of European and Japanese National Shipowners' Associations (London).
CENSA		Council of European and Japanese (Nipponese) National Shipowners' Association
CERCLA		Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (U.S.)
CES		Customs Exam Station(U.S. Customs designation for office granting import licence on USDA approved cargoes)
CFR		Code of Federal Regulations (U.S.)
CFS		Container Freight Station ; Cubic Feet per Second
CFT (CuFt)		Cubic Feet
CGT		Colliery Guarantee Terms - the ship is to be loaded in accordance with the terms of the colliery (coal mine) guarantee, which is a contract between the colliery and the charterers - occasionally between the colliery and the ship owner - describing applicable laytime, excepted periods, holiday and demurrage
Charterer		Cargo owner or another person/company who hires a ship.
Chartering		To hire a ship to carry goods/cargo.
Chartering agent		Shipbroker acting on behalf of charterer in negotiations leading to the chartering of a ship.
Charter-Party (C/P)		Contract for the hire of a ship or space in a ship ; Transport contract between shipowner and shipper of goods.
Chemical tanker		Special tanker built for the transportation of bulk chemicals. Newer tonnage is equipped with stainless steel tanks. Ships may carry many different cargoes simultaneously, because each tank has its own pump and pipeline system for loading and unloading.
CHOPT		Charterer's Option - May refer, for example, to Charterer's option to discharge at a number of ports - e.g.: "up to three ports Taiwan, in Charterer's Option". Or perhaps relative to a cargo size margin - e.g.: "10,000 tonnes, 5 per cent more or less chopt". (See MOLCO).
CIC		Clean Island Council (Hawaiian cooperative)
CIF		Cost, Insurance, Freight. Designates that the cargo is carried free of charge for the buyer; seller pays all transportation costs.
CIFC		Cost, Insurance, Freight and Commission
CIFFO		Cost, Insurance and Freight, Free Out
CIMA		Channel Industries Mutual Aid Association
CIP		Calling-In-Point
CIRCAC		Cook Inlet Regional Citizen's Advisory Council
CIS		Commonwealth of Independant States
CISPRI		Cook Inlet Spill Prevention, Inc. (Alaskan cooperative)
Civil Liability Convention		CLC - see Oil spill compensation.
CKD		Completely Knocked Down - Said of cargo, normally of cars, shipped in pieces and cased, 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.
CLC		Civil Liability Convention of 1969.
CLINGAGE		The residue that adheres to the inner surface and structure of a container, such as a tank after having been emptied
CLS		Closed Loading System
CMI		Comite Maritime International - the international association for maritime law.
COA		Contract of Affreightment - quantity contract: An agreement between shipowner and shipper concerning the freight of a defined amount of cargo. The shipowner chooses ship.
Coating		Cook Inlet Regional Citizen's Advisory Council
CIRCAC		Paint (corrosion protection)
COE		Corps Of Engineers
COFFERDAM		The narrow, empty space between two adjacent watertight or oil-tight compartments. This space is designed to isolate the two compartments from each other and/or provide additional buoyancy. It prevents any liquid contents of one compartment from entering the other in the event of a bulkhead failure. In oil tankers, cargo spaces are usually isolated from the rest of the ship by cofferdams fitted at both ends of the tank body.
COFR		Certificate of Financial Responsibility - regarding the transport of oil to USA. Vessels must have a certificate guaranteeing the payment of up to USD 1,500 per dwt. in case of oil spills.
COFR		Certificate Of Financial Responsibility
COGSA		Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (USA).
Collar		A thick piece of pipe closest to the bit.
Combination carrier		Ships for the transportation of both liquid and dry bulkcargoes. There are two main types: Ore carriers and bulk-tank-ships.
Commission		Shipbroker's remuneration, normally 1.25 per cent of gross freight. Calculated also for sales and purchases of vessels at one per cent of purchase price.
Commission		Shipbroker's fee - often 1,25% of the gross freight rate. In the case of a purchase/sale, often 1% of the purchase sum.
Completion		Making the hole ready for production.
Conductor Pipe		Casing with large diametre - normally the first first lining or guide pipe fitted during the drilling operation.
Container vessel		Ship specially designed to carry standard containers (TEUs). Generally called Cellular container ship. The larger part of the cargo-carrying capacity consists of containers carried on deck or in cells in the hold. Containers are lifted on and off with special cranes and are then called lift on-lift off-ships (see special entry). Container ships are generally fast, operating regular sailing schedules (lines).
Contract of Affreightment, c.o.a.		Contract for the hire of a ship. The shipowner undertakes the transport of certain amounts of goods for one or several voyages.
COP		Custom Of The Port - cargo to be loaded or discharged as per custom of the port. Thus no specific rate of cargo handling would be entered in the contract, the owner relying on the vagaries of local practices and customs. Presumably he will ask for a higher freight rate to protect him against possible delays.
COR		Certificate Of Registry
COTCTFC		Charterer's Option To Complete To Full Cargo
COTP		Captain Of The Port (U.S. Coast Guard)
COTTON CLUB		informal forum for Western European and Japanese shipping attachÃ©es in Washington. COTTON CLUB - informal forum for Western European and Japanese shipping attachÃ©es in Washington.
COW		Crude Oil Washing - a method of cleaning tanks using oil from the vessel's cargo. COW is normally used when a tanker is discharging. Oil is taken from the tanks and pumped through a special line to fixed or semi-fixed tank washing machines where it is sprayed against all inside surfaces of the tank. This procedure removes any cargo which is "clinging" to the surfaces of the tank
CPP		Clean Petroleum Products
CQD		Customary Quick Dispatch - the vessel is to be loaded or discharged as quickly as is customary and possible - se CD
CR		China Corporation Register (Taiwan) - Taiwanese Skip Classification Agency
Crane and Construction Vessel / Unit		Normally a ship, a barge or a semisubmersible, equipped for the construction and maintenance of fixed installations. May sometimes offer accommodation. Other services offered are: Storage facilities, the supply of water, compressed air and electricity, office space, communications center, helicopter landing pad, etc.
CRC		Clean River Cooperative (Portland OR - Columbia River)
CRD		Current Rate Discharge (see Current Rate)
CRISTAL		Contract Regarding a Supplement to Tanker Liability for Oil Pollution - a voluntary system established by oil companies in order to "plug" holes in IMO-conventions concerning the financial settlement of claims in connection with oil spills. The oil companies' supplemet to TOVALOP.
CRISTAL		Contract Regarding an Interim Supplement to Tanker Liability for Oil Pollution
CRL		Current Rate Load (see Current Rate)
Cross Trade		The freight of cargoes between foreign ports. Nearly 95 per cent of the Norwegian-owned tonnage is cross-trading.
CRS		Croatian Register of Shipping (HravatskiRegistarBrodova) - Croatian Ship Classification Society
Crude (oil)		Unrefined oil directly from the well.
Cruise ship		Passenger vessel carrying passengers on trips between various ports, normally with the same starting and ending port.Standards of accommodation and recreation normally high.
CSC		Container Safety Convention - convention for the promotion of safer containers.
CSD		Closed Shelter Deck Ship
CSG		Consultative Shipping Group - forum for the discussion of shipping policy on Government level. Fourteen West-European participants and Japan.
CSM		Closed System Measurement
CST		Centistrokes - Measure of the viscosity of oils such as fuel oils. The greater the number of centistrokes, the higher the viscosity of a grade of oil
CSWR		Chamber of Shipping War Risks, CP clauses.
CTAC		Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee
CTL		Constructive Total Loss - loss or damage to goods or to a ship which is such that the cost of repair or recovery would exceed their value when repaired or recovered.
Cubic Capacity		The most important commercial measurement when the cargo is so lightweight that the ship is filled to capacity without being loaded to the load line (free board). Capacity is measured in cubic meters or cubic feet (cu.ft.).
Current Rate		A Term whereby the ship owner contracts to pay the current rate costs of loading and/or discharge.
CVS		Consecutive Voyages - a series of consecutive voyages, usually laden from Port A to Port B, returning in ballast condition, and so on until completion of final cargo discharge.
CWD		Colliery Working Days - a laytime term describing normal working days of a colliery (coal mine), including those in a strike or other actions.
CY		Container Yard

DBB		Deals, Battens and Boards.Unit of measure of timber.
DBT		Double Bottom Tanks
Dead Freight		Money payable by shipper or charterer to shipowner or shipping line for failing to load the amount of cargo stipulated in contract.
Deadweight		The largest weight of cargo, bunkers and stores a ship is able to carry. Expressed in metric tons (1,000 kg) or long tons (1,016 kg). The deadweight tonnage is the most important commercial measurement. Normally the maximum payload for a ship is three to ten per cent lower than the deadweight, due to the weight of bunkers and stores, etc.
Decompression		Slow, controlled reduction of pressure inside a pressure chamber to prevent divers from suffering the "bends" after a too fast ascent.
Degassing		The removal of oil and gas from the drilling mud which may then be used again.
Dehydration Plant/ Water Separation Plant		Various types of equipment for the "drying" of gas or oil.
DEL		Delivery
DELREDEL		Delivery and Redelivery
DEM		Demurrage - A fixed sum, per day or per hour, agreed to be paid for the detention of the vessel under charter at the expiration of the allowed laytime.
Demurrage		Money paid to shipowner by charterer, shipper or receiver, for failing to complete loading/discharging within time allowed according to charter-party.
Derrick Man		Platform worker handling the drill stem in the tower.
DES		Disaster Emergency Services
Deviated Well		A hole which intentionally is not drilled straight down.
DF		Dead Freight ; Direction finder
DFD		Demurrage/Free Dispatch - An expression confirming that a ship owner may be entitled to demurrage for port delay to his vessel, but that no dispatch is applicable in case laytime is saved - e.g.: "$ 2,000 Demurrage/Free Dispatch". Common in short-sea and other trades where turn-a-round in port is speedy; for example, ro-ro vessels.
DG		Directorate General - the term used for the various departments of the EU-Commission.
DHD / D½D		Demurrage/Half Dispatch - This term, often found in voyage charter negotiations, signifies that dispatch money is to be paid at half the daily demurrage rate.
DHPT		Department of Highways and Public Transportation
Diamond Bit		The tip of the drill stem reinforced with diamond to prolong its lifetime.
DIP		Depth of liquid = to American expression: gauge
Dip Meter		An instrument to measure deviations in the vertical component in the terrestrial magnetic field. Used to determine the position of the sediment and its structure, and to measure the deviation of the drilling hole.
Directional Drilling		see Deviated Well.
DIS		Dansk InternationaltSkibsregister - Danish International Shipregister.
DISP		Dispatch - An agreed amount per day or per hour agreed to be paid to terminals or charterer of a vessel for prompt turnaround of a vessel. Usually half the amount of the agreed demurrage rate.(Demurrage - Half Dispatch).
Dispatch		Remuneration payable by shipowner to charterer, shipper or receiver for loading/discharging in less than the time allowed according to charter-party.
Disposal Well		Drilling hole which is prepared for the re-injection of produced saline into the reservoirs.
Diving Bell		Bell shaped construction for deep sea diving.
Diving Support Vessel		Ship with diving equipment on board, carrying out various types of diving operations. May also be equipped with remotely operated or controlled sub-sea robots (Remote Operated Vehicle - ROV).
DK		Deutsche Schiffs-Revision und Klassifikationsub-sea robots (Remote Operated Vehicle - ROV).
DNME		Dynamic Non-Member Economies (referring to dynamic countries which are not members of the OECD)
DNMF		Detnorskemaskinistforbund - the Norwegian association for Ships' engineers.
DNV		Det Norske Veritas (NV) - Norwegian classification society.
DNVPS		Det Norske Veritas Petroleum Services
DO		Diesel Oil
DOA		U.S. Department Of Agriculture
DOC		Document of Compliance
DOD		U.S. Department Of Defense
DOE		U.S. Department Of Energy
DOH		U.S. Department Of Health
DOI		U.S. Department Of the Interior
Donald Duck-effect		Voice distortion due to the inhalation of the oxygen-helium mixture used in deep sea diving.
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.
DOT		U. S. Department Of Transportation
DOTC		Department Of Transportation Classification
DoTI		Department of Trade and Industry, UK
DP		Dynamic Positioning
DPO		Dynamic Positioning Officer
DPP		Dirty Petroleum Products
DPS		Dynamic Positioning System
DR		DanmarksRederiforening - the Danish Shipowners' Association.
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. Draft marks are painted or welded on the surface of the vessels vertical plating. They are placed forward, aft and amidships on both sides of the vessel. At the amidships draft the official Load Line marker (Plimsoll mark) is also found. This Plimsoll mark designates the vessels maximum drafts allowed under various conditions.
Drag Bit		One-bladed drillbit for drilling in soft sediments.
Drift		Horizontal error during drilling operations.
Drill Pipe		Pipes with thin walls used during drilling. Each section is normally approximately 10 metres long.
Drill Stem		The string driving the bit into the sediments.
Drill Stem Test		Standard procedure to test oil or gas discoveries during drilling.
Drill String		see Drill Stem.
Driller		The person in charge during drilling operations.
Drilling Barge		Barge equipped for drilling operations in smooth seas. Normally not equipped with own propulsion machinery. Max. drilling depth approximately 150 meters.
Drilling Fluid, Drilling Mud		A special mixture used during drilling operations to lubricate the bit and balance the pressure in the drilling hole.
Drilling Rig		Drilling tower with turntable and mud pumping system. May be installed on an offshore rig or placed on a fixed or floating offshore installation like a drillship.
Drilling Supervisor		The engineer in charge.
Drilling Tender		Service vessel with personnel and equipment to the drilling rig ; Ship serving drilling installations which are depending on a ship or a barge for storage, accommodation, etc.
Drillship		Ship equipped with drilling rig and its own propulsion machinery. Kept in position by Dynamic Positioning Equipment. Operating in waters with a max. depth of 2,000 metres.
Dry cargo		Grain, coal, ore, general cargo, etc.
DSO		De samarbeidendeorganisasjoner - cooperation between DNMF and NS for mobile offshore installations (Norway).
DSRK		Deutsche Schiffs Revision und Klassifikation - German classification society.
DSV		Diving Support Vessel
DT		Deep Tank - Tank situated between the holds of a ship, primarily used for water ballast but capable of carrying water or fuel.
DW/DWT		Dead Weight/Dead Weight Tons
DWAT		Dead Weight All Told: The total deadweight of a vessel at any time, or estimated against a particular draft. Includes cargo, bunkers, constant weight, etc.
DWCC		Dead Weight Cargo Capacity ; Dead Weight Carrying Capacity: Weight of cargo which a ship is able to carry when immersed to the appropriate load line, expressed in tonnes or tons.
Dynamic positioning		Keeping the ship's position with the help of automatically controlled propellers.

E&P FORUM		The Oil Industry International Exploration and Production Forum (London). Statoil, Norsk Hydro and Saga Petroleum are full Norwegian members, while OLF is associated member.
EBRD		European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
ECE		Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva (UN)
ECJ		European Court of Justice (EU)
ECLA		Economic Commission for Latin America, UN-body under ECOSOC.
ECMT		European Conference of Ministers of Transport
ECOSOC		Economical and Social Council of the United Nations, New York - UN's main body for economic questions. The regional commissions - ECLA, ESCAP, ECA, etc. - answer to ECOSOC.
ECSA		East Coast South America ; European Community Shipowners' Association (Brussels)
ECSC		European Coal and Steel Community
ECU		European Currency Units. A financial unit used for EU accounting.
EEA		European Economic Area
EFTA		European Free Trade Association of Non-common Market Countries.
EIB		European Investment Bank
ELA		EuzkoLangilleenAlkartsuna - Spanish-Basque trade union.
EMA		European Monetary Agreement
EMAS		Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
EMIF		European Maritime Industries Forum
EMU		Economic Monetary Union
ESA		EFTA Surveillance Authority.
ESC		European Shippers' Council (Hague)
ESCAPE		Economic and Social Commission for Asia and South Pacific - under ECOSOC.
EUROS		Planned ship register in the EU.
EXIMBANK		Export-Import Bank of the United States to promote American exports.
Exploration Well		Hole drilled during the search for new oil reserves.

FACS		Federation of American Controlled Shipping - organization for US companies with ships under FOC, mainly the Liberian.
FAO		UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (Rome)
FASA		Federation of Asian Shipowners' Associations
Feeder Vessel		A short-sea vessel used to fetch and carry goods and containers to and from deep sea vessels.
FENSO		Federation of Norwegian Ships Officers organizations (NMB in Norwegian)
FEU		Forty-foot Equivalent Unit (same as two TEU).
FIATA		Federation Internationale des Associations de TransifairesetAssimiles (Zurich) - International association of forwarding agents.
FIO		Free in and Out - charterer pays for loading/discharging.
Fish - object		A fragment of a drill bit, broken drill pipe, or other object lodged at the bottom of the drilling hole, preventing continued drilling.
Fishing		The work of removing a Fish.
Fixture		Successful conclusion of negotiations between shipowner and charterer, normally with the aid of a shipbroker.
Flag discrimination		National legislation reserving cargo for own ships.
Flag of convenience (FOC)		Term used by labor organizations about countries allowing unlimited registration of foreign-owned ships in order to achieve low wage levels and low or no taxation payable to the flag state. Some FOC- flag states had previously very lax control routines, or no control at all, concerning the vessels' technical standard and their seaworthiness.
Flaring		The burning of non-commercial oil and gas on the production platform or vessel.
Flexible Joint - or Ball-joint		The bottom part of the Marine Riser construction, utilized during drilling from floating rig or vessel. Allows a certain angle deviation when the vessel or rig is positioned.
Flo-flo-ship		Special ship which may be submerged to allow cargo to be floated on or off, i.e. jack-up platforms which may be carried "piggy-back"-fashion on a flo-flo-ship.
Flush Phase		The initial production phase.
FMC		Federal Maritime Commission - American independant control authority regulating liner services to the USA.
FOB		Free on Board - seller is responsible for delivering cargo to the port, paying also for the loading.
FOC		Flag of Convenience
FONASABA		Federation of National Associations of Shipbrokers and Agents
Force Majeure		A clause limiting responsibility for charterer, shipper or receiver of cargo.
FPSO		Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Unit
FR		FinlandsRederifrening - the Finnish Shipowners' Association.
FRB		Fast Rescue Boat
Free pratique		Ship inspected and cleared by the health authorities of a country.
FSO		Floating storage and offloading unit
FSU		Floating storage unit
Fund Convention		See Oil spill compensation.

Gas Lift		The technique of mixing gas into the oil flow in order to enhance the flow.
Gas Oil Ratio		The ratio between the produced gas in cubic feet, and the oil measured in barrels.
Gas Re-Injection		Secondary Recovery Technique with the re-injection of "dried" and condensate-free gas to maintain pressure in the reservoir.
Gas tanker		Special ship for the transportation of condensed (liquid) gases. The most important cargoes are: -LNG - Liquefied Natural Gas (mostly methane). -LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas (propane, butane). -Ammonia. -Ethylene. On board, gases are kept liquid with highly effective insulation (thermos bottle-principle), by high pressure or by low temperature. LNG-ships must be able to carry cargoes with temperatures as low as -163°C.
Gas Well		The discovery of hydrocarbons with a high Gas Oil Ratio.
GATS		General Agreement on Trade in Services - part of GATT - concerns trading in services, incl. shipping.
GATT		General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Geneva).
GBS		Gravity Base Structure
GCBS		General Council of British Shipping - the amalgamation of the former BSF - British Shipping Federation - and the UK Chamber of Shipping, established 1976.
General cargo		Goods unpackaged or packaged, but not shipped in bulk.
Geological Survey		Detailed investigation for structure and type of sediment.
GEOROT		Geographical Rotation - sequence in which ship calls at ports on her itinerary.
GIS		German International Shipregister
GL		Germanischer Lloyd - German classification society.
GMDSS		Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
Gooseneck		Curved section of pipeline where the drill mud reaches the flexible hosepipe for further transportation to the swivel.
Grain Cap		Grain Capacity - a ship's grain-carrying capacity.
Gravity Structure		Platform firmly placed on the seabed without any special fastenings due to its high specific gravity. Several gravity structures have been installed in deep parts of the North Sea.
Gross Tonnage GT		(0.2+0.02Â•log10V)Â•V, where V is the volume in cubic metres of all enclosed spaces on board.

Handymax		Dry bulk vessel of approximately 35,000 - 50,000 dwt.
Handysize		Dry bulk vessel or product tanker, 15,000 - 50,000 dwt.
HBL		Hydrostatically Balanced Loading - balancing oil and water pressure preventing oil leaks in case of grounding. HBL reduces the cargo carrying capacity buappr. 7 per cent.
Heavy Grain		Grain filling the ship to full deadweight capacity.
Hire-purchase Charter-Party		C/P where the charterer gets ownership of the vessel at the conclusion of the C/P.
HR		Hellenic Register of Shipping - Greek classification society.
HSC		High Speed Craft
HSLC		High Speed Light Craft
HSS		Highspeed Sea Service - fast ferry concept with double- or multihulled vessels with carrying capacity of up to 1500 passengers and around 400 cars.

IACS		International Association of Classification Societies
IADC		International Association of Drilling Contractors (Houston/Amsterdam)
IAPH		International Association of Ports and Harbours.
IBIA		International Bunker Industry Association (Kingston on Thames).
IBRD		International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Washington) - the World Bank.
ICC		International Chamber of Commerce
ICFTU		International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
ICHCA		International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association (London)
ICOTAS		International Committee on the Organization of Traffic at Sea (London)
ICPL		International Committee on Passenger Lines (for the CENSA-countries).
ICS		International Chamber of Shipping (London)
IFC		International Finance Corporation
IFSMA		International Federation of ShipMasters Association (London)
ILA		International Law Association
ILO		UN's International Labour Organization (Geneva)
IMB		International Maritime Bureau - bureau established by the ICC to combat fraud in the shipping industry.
IMDG		International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code - rules for the labelling of dangerous goods at sea.
IMEC		International Maritime Employers' Committee
IMIF		International Maritime Industry Forum - a forum for banks and shipbuilders with the purpose of solving problems in connection with surplus tanker tonnage.
IMO		International Maritime Organization (London) - UN's maritime authority.
IMPA		International Pilots' Association
IMU		International Maritime Union (Latin-American seamen's union with US affiliations.)
Injection Well		Hole drilled to inject water or gas into the reservoir in order to maintain pressure. Also called Service Well.
INMARSAT		International Maritime Satellite Organization (London)
Inside Preventer		A type of BOP which is installed on the drill stem.
INSROP		International Northern Sea Route Programme - comprehensive, multi-national, multi-disciplinary five-year research programme investigating commercial navigation through the North-East Passage.
Instrument Pig		An apparatus with various measuring instruments placed inside the pipeline. Transported along with the oilflow
INTERCARGO		International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (London) - Opposite number to INTERTANKO.
Intermodal transport		ICarriage of goods employing various modes of transport, i.e. sea/land, rail/sea, etc., between sender and receiver. Also called Multimodal Transport.
INTERTANKO		International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Oslo)
IOE		International Organization of Employers
IOPC		International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund
IOPP		International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate
ISF		International Shipping Federation (London) - cooperation of maritime employers' associations.
ISM		International Safety Management Code
ISMA		International Ship Managers' Association
ISO		International Standards Organization (London)
ISOA		International Support Vessels Owners' Association (London)
ITF		International Transport Workers' Federation (London)
Itinerary		List of a ship's ports of call.
ITOPF		International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd. (London) - manages TOVALOP and cooperates closely with CRISTAL.
ITS		International Tanker Service - planned cooperation in the market between independent tanker owners.
IWA		International Wheat Agreement

Jacket		The lower part of the production system from the seabed to the lower deck module.
Jackup		Movable installation consisting of a large deck with legs which may be jacked up. During operation, the legs are resting on the seabed, and the vessel "jacked up", leaving the deck in secure position high above the surface of the sea. When moved, the legs are retracted and the installation floates. Usually not equipped with own propulsion machinery. (Max. water depths 110 to 120 metres.) Normally used as a drilling rig.
JARC		Jones Act Reform Coalition
JDPO		Junior Dynamic Positioning Officer
JETTISON		The act of throwing goods or pumping cargo overboard to lighten a ship to improve stability in an emergency.
Joint service		Two or more shipping companies jointly operating a service.
JR		Jugoslav Register - Yugoslav classification society.

Kelly		The upper square or hexagonal part of the drill stem.
KFK		KoordinerendeforskningskomitÃ© (Norway) - Coordinating Research Committee.
KGS		Kilogram(s)
Kick		A sudden increase in the drill mud pressure from below. A kick may in extreme cases develop into a Blow-out.
Kill		The increase of the counterpressure in the well, e.g. achieved by using mud with higher specific gravity.
Knot		Measure of speed for ships, i.e. one nautical mile (1,852 metres) per hour.
Kommandittselskap (K/S)		Limited partnership. A form of shipfinancing very popular in Norway before the tax reform in 1991.Now almost obsolete.
KPI		KesatuanPelant Indonesia - Indonesian seamen's union.
KR		Korean Register of Shipping - Korean Ship Classification Society
KT		Knot - measure of speed of a ship, equal to one nautical mile (6,080 feet or 1,852 meters) per hour
KTM		Keel to Top of Mast - distance from the keel of the Vessel to the top of the mast, also referred to as Airdraft, which indicates the clearance needed for the Vessel to pass under air structures above the waterways.
KWT		The main machinery's break-kW + the vessel's gross tonnage (GT) according to the vessel's papers. Used by the NSA when calculating wage levels.

L/C		Letter of Credit ;Laydays/Canceling: See LAYCAN
L3C		Last Three Cargoes
LA		Los Angeles
LAFTA		Latin America Free Trade Association
Lanemetre		Used particularly in connection with the transportation of trailers. One lanemetre is one metre of deck, with a width of 2.5 to 3.0 metres.The capacity of ships built for the transportation of new automobiles is normally expressed by the number of cars carried, or by the area of deckspace, in square metres.
LASH		Lighter Aboard Ship, i.e. ships which can carry lighters "piggy-back" fashion.
LAT		Latitude ; Lowest Astronomic Tide: see Chart Datum
Lay Barge or Pipe Laying Barge		Vessel laying pipelines on the seabed.
LAYCAN		Laydays/Canceling - a spread of dates - e.g.: "Laydays 1st September/Canceling 15th September," between which dates a vessel is to present for loading. Too early and she will probably have to wait. Too late and she risks being canceled by the charterers.
Lay-up		Ships are laid-up when rates are too low for profitable trading. Laid-up vessels are moored or anchored with a minimum watch crew on board.
LB		Long Beach ; Lower Buchanan
LBP		Length Between Perpendiculars - the length of the vessel measured between the forward part of the stern to the after part of the rudder post.
LCL		Less than Container Load
LD		Load
LDD		Leaded
LDT		Light Displacement Tonnage
Leasing		When a ship is leased, the owner may in fact utilize it as in a bareboat or hire-purchase-C/P, but without entering into a charter-party-contract. The price is agreed between the shipping company (lessee) and the vessel's legal owner - the leasing company (lessor). The agreed fee will normally give the lessor a return on the investment with a profit during the leasing period. When the agreed period expires, the lessee may extend the leasing, but at a reduced fee (e.g. 1/12 of previous fee), or purchase the vessel at its estimated value.
LGM		Lawful General Merchandise
LIFO		Liner In Free Out
Liner		Vessel serving a regular defined route or trade, following a published sailing schedule.
Liner conference		Two or more shipping companies operating a service in common between designated areas. Conference partners agree special freight rates and terms for the trade, in order to stabilize market and service.
Liner Pipe		Casing which does not reach quite up to the well-head.
Liner service		Cargoships operating regular schedules between advertised ports.
LIST		The leaning of the vessel to the port or starboard.
LLA		Long Length Additional
LLMC		International Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims
LMMA		London Maritime Arbitrators Association, London
LNG		Liquefied Natural Gas
LOA		Length Over All: The extreme length of the vessel measured from the foremost part to the aftermost part of the hull.
LOC (L/C)		Letter of Credit ; Letter Of Compliance
LOF-90		Lloyd's Open Form - standardized salvage contract.
LOF-95		Lloyd's Open Form - standardized salvage contract. Current version is called LOF-95. Effective January 1 1995. Revised and updated version of the LOF-90, and reflects changes resulting from the UK Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Pollution) Act 1994. Other changes have also been incorporated in this new LOF-95.
LOFR		Letter Of Financial Responsibility
LOG		An apparatus for measuring the speed of a vessel through the water. ; An entry made in a log book to record any event or occurrence during the logging period.
LOI		Letter of Indemnity - a guarantee issued by the receiver named in the Bill of Lading, Holding the carrier harmless if he is ordered to release the cargo without presentation of original Bill of Lading.
LOLO		Lift On/Lift Off - a term describing the method of loading and discharging cargo by ship or shore gear.
Lo-lo-ship		Lift on-lift off-ship. Containers or other goods are lifted on board and ashore by cranes.
LONG		Longitude
LORI		Letter Of Response Intention
LOT		Load On Top - the concept of allowing hydrocarbon material recovered during tank washing to be commingled with the next cargo.
LOU		Letter of Undertaking - a guarantee issued by a P & I Club or insurer, in cases where a vessel is involved in an accidents or damage to cargo. The LOU guarantees settlement of any proven claims, thus allowing the vessel to sail without unnecessary delays.
LPG		Liquefied Petroleum Gas
LPOC		Last Port Of Call
LR		Lloyd's Register of Shipping - British classification society.
LS		Lump Sum
LS & D		Landing, Storage and Delivery
LSC		Liberian Shipping Council
LSWR		Low Sulphur Waxy Residue
LT (L/T)		Long Ton - ton of 2,240 pounds, equivalent to 1,016 metric tons (M/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 cargo-handling is also at the carrier's risk.
LTS		LayTime Saved - dispatch to be paid for laytime saved.
LW		Low Water
LWONT		Low Water Ordinary Neap Tides
LWOST		Low Water Ordinary Spring Tides - a measure of water depth at the low water mark on ordinary (i.e.: not exceptional) Spring tides. See Chart Datum and MLWS.

M		Meter or Measure
M/T (MT)		Motor Tanker
M/V (MV)		Motor Vessel
Management Company		A company (often third party) assuming responsibility for the operation and administration of a vessel, i.e. crewing, technical operations and maintenance.
Manifest		List of all cargo on board (Cargo Manifest). Term used also for passenger list on cruise vessels, passenger ferries, etc
MARAD		Maritime Administration (USA) - authority under the US department for Trade. Handles subsidies etc. to American shipyards and shipping companies.
Marine Riser		Large diametre casing, consisting of many pipe sections coupled together, normally with floating elements on the outside. Installed between the Marine BOP and the drilling rig.
MARINTEK		NorskMarintekniskForskningsinstitutt A/S (Trondheim) - Norwegian maritime research institution.
Maritime inquiry		An inquiry conducted by maritime and legal authorities following an accident or near-accident at sea, resulting in a maritime declaration.The purpose of such hearings is to uncover the cause of accident or mishap. The inquiry is primarily conducted between members of the crew, but may also involve bystanders who may shed light on the events. The maritime inquiry serves three purposes according to Norwegian maritime law: -Enables maritime authorities to consider amending or improving existing rules and regulations in order to prevent similar accidents. -Determines whether or not someone should be prosecuted for criminal neglect or breach of rules. -Uncovers liabilities in connection with insurance claims.
MARPOL		The International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from Ships (London) - 1973 (as modified by the Protocol of 1978)
MAX		Maximum
MB		Molded Breath - the breath of the hull at the widest part, measured between the outer surfaces of the frames.
MBT		Motor Blocks Turning
MCT		Marine Custody Transfer
MCTM		Marine Custody Transfer Measurement - the measurement activity involving a marine custody transfer (MCT)
MD		Mean Draft - the average of the drafts measured at the bow and the stern ; Molded Depth - the depth measured between the top of the keel, or lower surface of the frame at the center line, and the top of the upper deck beam at the gunwale.
MDO		Marine Diesel Oil
MED		Mediterranean Sea
MEIF		Mandatory Excess Insurance Facility - Norwegian-Swedish-Greek proposal to solve the COFR-question.
MEP		Marine Environmental Protection (U.S.)
MEPC		Maritime Environment Protection Committee (IMO, London)
Merger		The joining of two or more (shipowning) companies.Merger - the joining of two or more (shipowning) companies.
MERCOSUR		Regional political trade organisation comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
MERPAC		Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee
MF		Meter Factor
MFO		Marine Fuel Oil
MHWN		Mean High Water Neaps
MIN		Minimum
MIN / MAX		Minimum/Maximum - refers to fixed cargo size - e.g.: "10,000 tonnes min./max.".
MIO		Marine Inspections Office
MITS		Maritim information technology.
MMC		Merchant Marinersâ€™ Credentials
MMPD		Maximum Most Probable Discharge (U.S., related to oil spill)
MMS		Minerals Management Service (U.S.)
MODU		Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit
MOL		More Or Less - refers to a cargo size option - say, "10,000 tonnes, 5 percent more or less" - 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 - a margin which the shipowner has for the amount of cargo a vessel should carry. I.e. "30,000 tons 5 per cent moloo" means that the vessel can load between 28,500 and 31,500 tons.
Monkey Board		Platform in the drilling tower where the Derrick Man is handling the drill stem.
Monopod		Type of rig where the foundation consists of a cylindric stem from the seabed to the surface.
Motion Compensator		Equalizes level variations during drilling from floating rigs or cranes.
MOU		Memorandum Of Understanding
Mousehole		Hole in the Derrick platform where the next section of drill stem is placed a waiting being coupled to the drill stem.
MPA		Marine Preservation Association (supports MSRC)
MPMS		Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards (API)
MPSV		Multipurpose Service Vessel
MR		Mates Receipt
MRR		Maritime Regulatory Reform
MS		Motor Ship
MSC		Maritime Safety Committee (IMO, London)
MSDS		Material Safety Data Sheet
MSIS		Marine Safety Information System
MSO		Marine Safety Office (USCG)
MSRC		Marine Spill Response Corp., The. (OSRO)
MT (M/T)		Metric Tonne - a tonne of 2,204 pounds or 1,000 kilograms, equivalent to 0.9842 long tons.
MTC		Maritime Transport Committee (OECD)
Mud Line		The sea bed, the borderline between the water and solid sediments.
Mud Pit		Tank containing the drill mud.
Mud Weight		The weight of the drill mud in pounds per gallon. Light mud: 8 pounds/gln; heavy mud: 14 pounds/gln.
MUI		Maritime Union of Indian Officers
Multipurpose ship		General cargo ship which can also carry containers.

N/B		New Building
NAABSA		Not Always Afloat But Safe Aground - most owners will agree only that their vessel (especially deep-sea vessels) proceed only to ports where there is sufficient water to remain always afloat, so as to avoid the risk of hull damage. There are areas and ports, however, where water depth is restricted but, the bottom being soft mud, it is customary for ships to safely lie on the bottom at certain states of the tide - e.g.: River Plate. In such a case, owners will probably agree to proceed NAABSA.
NAFTA		North-American Free Trade Agreement
NARCO		National Response Corporation (OSRO)
NASCO		Norwegian Asian Seafarers' Conference
NATO		North-Atlantic Treaty Organization - Western defence alliance.
NAVSAC		Navigation Safety Advisory Council
NCB		National Cargo Bureau
NCP		National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (U.S.)
NDFCAPMQS		No Deadfreight For Charterer's Account Provided Minimum Quantity Supplied.
Neap Tides		The opposite of Spring Tides (which see). Neap Tides occur when the tidal range is at its lowest - in other words during periods of relatively low high tides, and of relatively high low tides. A vessel that is prevented from berthing or from sailing with a full cargo or, indeed, is trapped in a berth by the onset of neap tides, is said to have been "neaped".
NEOBIG		Not East Of But Including Greece
NET CAP		Net Capacity
NET OBQ		OBQ less free water in cargo, slop tanks and lines, and water in suspension in slop tanks.
Net Tonnage NT		(0.2+0.02Â•log10(Vc))Â•VcÂ•(4d/3D)2, for passenger ships the following formula is added: 1.25Â•(GT+10000)/10000Â•(N1+(N2/10)), where Vc is the volume of the cargo holds, D is the distance between the ship's bottom and the uppermost deck, d is the draught, N1 is the number of cabin passengers, and N2 is the number of deck passengers.
NETAC		The National Environmental Technology Applications Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
Nett Terms		Opposite to Gross Terms. Cargo-handling is the responsibility and for the account of the charterer or the cargo seller.
NEWCI		Not East of West Coast of Italy
NFD		Norwegian Friendship Development - Norwegian recruiting office in Manila.
NH		North of (Cape) Hatteras
NIDDESC		Navy/Industry Digital Data Exchange Standards Committee
NIOSH		National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NIS		NorskInternasjonaltSkipsregister (Bergen) - Norwegian International Ship Register.
NIST		National Institute of Standards & Technology
NK / NKK		Nippon KaijiKyokai( Japanese Ship Classification Society)
NMB		NorskMaritimtBefalskartell - (see FENSO)
NMU		National Maritime Union (USA)
NOAA		National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - (A U.S. agency incorporating the National Weather Service)
NOE		Not Otherwise Enumerated
NOKUS-company (NOrsk-KontrollertUtenlandskSelska		Company established in a country where corporate taxes are less than two thirds of Norwegian corporate tax, and Norwegian interests own or control minimum 50 per cent of the shares. Norwegian participants in such companies are taxed in Norway for their share of profits (Â§7 in Norwegian Tax Law).
NOLA		New Orleans, Louisiana
NOP		Notice Of Protest - a letter issued by any participant in a voyage citing any condition with which issue is taken. This serves as a written record that the particular action or finding was questioned at the time of occurrence. For example a declaration made by the Master before a notary public or consular official when through stress of weather, there has been or the master fears that there might have been, damage to the vessel or cargo, or occurrences that exceeded or breached the warranties in the Charter Party. Copies are frequently demanded by insurance underwriters in the event of a claim.
NOPEF		NorskOlje- ogPetrokjemiskFagforbund, Stavanger - Norwegian trade union for oil industry workers.
NOR		Skipsregisteret, Bergen. Often termed NorskOrdin'rt Register - the Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register.
NOR		Notice Of Readiness - notice served by the Master to inform the terminal/charterer that the vessel is ready in all respects to load or discharge cargo.
NORDKOMPASS		Nordisk Komité for Passasjerskip - Nordic forum for passengership and ferry companies and shipowners' associations.
NOS		Not Otherwise Specified
NOV		Net Observed Volume - the total volume of all petroleum liquids, excluding S & W, and free water at observed temperature and pressure.
NPA		National Petroleum Association - usually with reference to ASTM D-155 color scale, for instance "undarker than 2.5 NPA", which can be described as "extra lemon pale"
NPDES		National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (U.S.)
NPFC		National Pollution Funds Center
NPRA		National Petroleum Refiners' Association
NPRM		Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (U.S.)
NR		NorgesRederiforbund (Oslo) - Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA).
NRC		National Response Center (USCG)
NRDA		National Resource Damage Assessment (pronounced: NERDA)
NRDAM/GLE		Natural Resource Damage Assessment Model for Great Lakes Environments
NRDC		Natural Resources Defense Council
NRDC		The National Resources Defense Council (U.S.)
NRT		National Response Team (U.S.) ; Net Registered or Register Tonnage
NS		NorskStyrmandsforening - the former Norwegian association for ships' mates.
NSA		see NR
NSF		NorskSjomannsforbund - Norwegian Seafarers' Union, (also NorskSkibsforerforbund - Norwegian Association of Master Mariners)
NSF		National Strike Force (U.S.)
NSFCC		National Strike Force Coordination Center (U.S.)
NSOAF		North Sea Offshore Authority Forum.
NSRP		National Shipbuilding Research Program
NSU		National Seafarers' Union (Sri Lanka)
NSV		Net Standard Volume - the total volume of all petroleum liquids, excluding S & W and free water, corrected by the appropriate temperature correction factor (Ct1) for the observed temperature and API gravity, relative density or density to a standard temperature such as 60ÂºF or 15ÂºC and also corrected by the applicable pressure correction factor (Cp1) and meter factor.
NT		Net Tonnage - the volumetric cargo capacity of a ship expressed on the basis of 100 cubic feet tot he ton. On passenger vessels it also includes space used by passengers.
NTC		Norwegian Training Center (Manila)
NTIS		National Technical Information Service (U.S.)
NTSB		National Transportation Safety Board
NUMAST		British trade union for officers and crew.
NUS		National Union of Seamen - British seamen's union.
NUSI		National Union of Seamen of India
NVIC		Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular
NVOC		Non Vessel Owning Company
NVOCC		Non Vessel Owning Common Carrier
NWS		National Weather Center
NYNNGWB		New York Not North of George Washington Bridge
NYPE C/P		New York Produce Exchange Time Charter Party Form

O/C		Ore Carrier ; Open Charter
OAL		Overall Length
OAPEC		Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
OAU		Organisation of African Unity
OBO		Ore Bulk Oil - a vessel constructed in such a way that it may carry various bulk cargoes of ore, oil, grains and other bulk products.
OBO-carrier		Vessel built for the carriage of diversified bulkcargoes (i.e. Oil/Bulk/Ore).
OBQ		On Board Quantity - refers to cargo, bunkers or fresh water on board the ship prior to commencement of a charter, a voyage or loading operation. Also cargo tank quantities of any material aboard a ship after deballasting, immediately prior to loading. Can include oil, oil/water emulsion, water, non-liquid hydrocarbons and slops. (NET OBQ:OBQ less free water in cargo, slop tanks and lines, and water in suspension in slop tanks)
OCIMF		Oil Companies' International Marine Forum (London)
OECD		Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development - 25 member countries.
Offshore activities		For shipowning companies, O.A. include activities connected with the exploration for, development of and operation of oil and gas fields at sea. Most important are: Collecting seismic data, test drilling, field development, towing and anchor handling, the supply service, transportation of equipment and modules, heavylifts, diving operations and underwater work, the use of ROVs, pipelaying, operation of floatels and construction jobs. Salvage and rescue operations are also important aspects of this. The loading of oil tankers offshore by means of buoys or fixtures on the seabed, is still another feature of Norwegian offshore activities.
Offshore service vessels		Common term for specialized vessels used during the exploration, development and production phases of oil and gas at sea.
OFS		OljearbeidernesFellessammenslutning (Stavanger) - Norwegian federation of trade unions in the oil industry.
OFU		Offshoren'ringensForhandlingsutvalg - negotiating committee for the offshore industry.
OGLA		Offshore Galveston Lightering Area
OIC		Officer In Charge
Oil spill compensation		Compensation for oil spills is internationally regulated by two conventions - The Civil Liability Convention - CLC - (i.e. International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage - 1969) regulating the shipowners' liability, and The Fund Convention (i.e. International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Oil Pollution Damage, 1971), with a fund financed by the cargo owners (oil companies) paying compensation if the shipowner cannot be held responsible, or if compensation paid is not adequate, with a maximum limitation clause.
Oil String		The last section of the drill pipe to be cemented in place. Also called Inner Conductor or Production Casing.
Oil-tanker		Ship carrying crude oil or refined products. If a ship is equipped to carry several types of cargo simultaneously, the ship type is called Parcel tanker. A shuttle tanker is a tanker carrying oil from offshore oil fields to terminals. An oil tanker especially built for the transportation of refined oilproducts, often with tanks painted or coated on the inside, is called a product carrier.
OLF		OljeindustriensLandsforening (Stavanger) - Federation of oil industry employers.
OMB		Office of Management and Budget (U.S.)
OMS		Office of Marine Safety (U.S.)
On Stream		The phase where the oil/gas production is started through the main pipe.
OPA		Oil Pollution Act (USA)
OPEC		Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Vienna)
Ore/oil carrier		Ship with separate cargo holds for ore cargoes. When the ship is carrying oil, the ore holds may also be filled with oil, in order to utilize the deadweight capacity to the fullest.
OSSL		OljeserviceselskapenesLandsforening - The Association of Norwegian Oil Industry Service Companies.
OSV		Offshore Support Vessel

P & I		Protection and Indemnity Insurance
Panmax (Panamax)		The largest bulk carrier which can pass through the Panama Canal fully loaded (approximately 80 ,000 dwt.).
Parcel tanker		see Oil-tanker.
Pax		Abbreviation for passenger(s). Used in cruiseshipping and on passenger ferries.
Pay zone		The part of the reservoir which may be exploited economically.
PBOS		NATO Planning Board for Ocean Shipping (Brussels)
Penetration Rate		The drill bit's speed through the sediments.
Permeability		The sediment's ability to let hydrocarbons pass through.
Pipe-Laying Barge or Lay Barge		Vessel constructed for the laying of pipes on the sea bed.
PMOU		Paris Memorandum of Understanding - European port-state control
POEA		Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (Manila)
Pooling		Cargo or profit sharing by cooperating companies in lines or liner conferences.
PR		Polish classification society.
Primary Recovery		The initial extraction phase when the oil/gas is emitted naturally from the reservoir.
Production Ship		Specialized ship pumping oil through flexible pipelines from the seabed.
Production Unit		Platform equipped for the production of oil and gas.
Protectionism		Flag state protection of own shipping by the elimination of certain competitive elements (see also Flag discrimination).
PSU		Polish Seafarers' Union (formerly S-FUF or MR).
PSV		Platform Supply Vessel.

RAS		Radio Advisory Service (UK)
Rate		The offered/agreed price for the transportation of goods.
Ratio between Gross Tonnage/Net Tonnage/Deadweight		Approximate conversion figures: 1 NT = 1.7 GT 1 GT = 1.5 dwt. These figures are applicable for tankers and dry cargo vessels up to approximately 25,000 dwt., but not for reefers, ro-ro-ships, passenger ships, etc. For large tank- and bulkships (approximately 100,000 dwt. and above) 1GT is approximately 2 dwt.
Reefer Vessel		Vessel with refrigerated cargo hold(s).
Register ton		Old term for the measuring of ships, not to be used anymore. (One register ton is 100 cubic feet or 2.93 cubic metres).
RI		RegistroItaliano - Italian classification society.
RLF		RederienesLandsforening - Association of Norwegian short-sea shipowners.
Ro-ro-ship (Roll on - Roll off)		The cargo is driven on board and ashore, either by means of own engine (cars/trailers), or by means of special trucks. There are three main areas: -Ro-ro-ship operating in lines carries containers, pallets, flats or general cargo, and any type of cargo that can be driven on board. -Ro-ro-ship for the transportation of new automobiles (specialised: Pure Car Carrier - PCC), may also carry other rolling cargo. -Ro-ro-ferries carrying a combination of rolling cargo (cars/lorries/trailers) and passengers.
Roughneck		Worker in the oil and gas industry.
ROV		Remote Operated Vehicle
RS		he former Soviet classification society.

SADCC		South African cooperation forum
SAFTA		South American Free Trade Association
SAR		Search and Rescue
SBT		Segregated Ballast Tanks - tanks in a tanker solely used for ballast.
SBL		Seabed Logging Vessel
SDPO		Senior Dynamic Positioning Officer
SDR		Special drawing rights
SEATO		South-East Asian Treaty Organization - defence alliance.
Seismic ship		Vessel mapping gelogical structures in the seabed by firing air guns transmitting sound waves into the bottom of the sea.The ecco of the shot is captured by listening devices/hydrophones being towed behind the vessel. A seismic ship provides data which is an intrinsic part of the material determining if and when a test drilling should be initiated.
Semisubmersible		Movable installation consisting of a deck on stilts, fastened to two or more pontoons. When in operation, the pontoons are filled with water and lowered beneath the surface. The installation is normally kept in position by a number of anchors, but may also be fitted with dynamic positioning equipment (DPE). Usually fitted with own propulsion machinery (max. water depths 600 - 800 metres).
SFT		StatensForurensningstilsyn - Norwegian Pollution Authority.
Shelterdeck		A deck above the vessel's main deck not included in the gross tonnage.Originally a lightweight structure to shelter the cargo on the main deck from adverse weather conditions. A closed shelterdecker is constructed to allow access through the hatches to the 'tweendeck, taking cargo on one or both levels.
Shipbroker		Person who - on behalf of shipowner/shipper - negotiates a deal for the transportation of cargo at an agreed price. Shipbrokers are also active when shipping companies negotiate the purchasing and selling of ships, both secondhand tonnage and newbuilding contracts.
Short Sea Shipping		Short distance international trade. Commonly used for trading between countries in the European Union.
Shuttle tanker		Buoy-loader - see Oil tanker.
SIGGTO		Society of International Gas Tankers and Terminal Operators
SIØS		Senter for InternasjonalØkonomiogSkipsfartvedNorgesHandelshoyskolei Bergen - Norwegian center for maritime economics (Bergen).
SIRE		Ship Inspection Report Programme
SIU		Seafarers' International Union (USA)
Slop chest		Goods stocked by the Chief Steward or Purser, sold for private use or consumption by the crew.
SOLAS		Convention on Safety of Life at Sea (IMO, London)
Spotrate		Rate for single voyage based on the market situation on the day.
SRF		SverigesRedareforening, Gothenburg - Swedish Shipowners' Association.
Stand-by Vessel		Ship permanently stationed in the vicinity of an installation with the task of evacuating the rig-crew in an emergency. Also carrying out guard duty keeping other ships away from the installation.
STCW		International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (IMO, London)
Stevedore		Dockworker handling loading/discharging. Term also used on companies delivering such services.
STUFT		Ships Taken Up From Trade - merchant vessels chartered by the military.
Submersible		Movable installation constructed for drilling operations in shallow waters, where it is lowered until it rests on the seabed (max. water depth 30 - 40 metres).
Subsidiarity principle		EU- rule that decisions should be taken on the lowest possible level, e.g. that any case should be decided nationally.
Suezmax		The largest tank vessel which can pass through the Suez Canal fully loaded (120,000 -165,000 dwt.).
SUNAMAM		Brazilian shipping organization representing the authorities.
Supercargo		Person employed by shipowner or shipping company/charterer of a ship or a shipper of goods to supevise cargo handling operations. Sometimes called Superintendent. The Supercargo was formerly enlisted as a crew member; now stationed in ports.
Supply ship		Vessel transporting stores and equipment to drilling rigs or installations being built or in the production phase. Often called Straight Supply, or Platform Supply Vessel (PSV).
SUR		Seafarers' Union of Russia, Moscow
SWATH		Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull - fast and economical hull design, primarily used for highspeed ferries, etc.

Tallyman		Controls the cargo going into and out of the vessel. Checks that volume and number tallies with the manifests.
T/C-trip		The ship is hired for one voyage, but under T/C terms.
TA		Trans Atlantic
TA Round		Trans Atlantic Round Voyage
TACKLE		Any combination of ropes and blocks the multiply power. The equipment on a vessel used to perform working tasks on the vessel.
TAFTA		Discussions between USA and the EU concerning a Transatlantic Free Trade Area
Tanker		Ship carrying liquid bulk cargoes.
TAPA		Trans-Alaska Pipeline Act
TAPS		Trans Alaska Pipeline System
TARV - Trans Atlantic Round Voyage		Trans Atlantic Round Voyage
TAT		EPA Technical Assist Team
Tension Leg Platform		Floating platform or loading buoy fastened to the seabed with vertical chains or stays etc. , kept in position by its own buoyancy.
TEU		Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. The container carrying capacity of a vessel, expressed in the number of TEUs it can load (standard containers of 20x8x8 feet).
Time-Charter (T/C)		The hiring of a vessel for a specified period of time.
TIR		Transport InternationaleRoutier - International customs' convention.
Tonkilometre		The transportation of one ton cargo over a distance of one kilometre.
Toolpusher		Foreman on a drilling rig.
TOVALOP		Tanker Owners' Voluntary Agreement Concerning Liabililty for Oil Pollution (London)
Tramp shipping		Ships trading where they can get cargo.
Trunk Line		The main oil pipeline.
TUAC		Trade Union Advisory Committee - advisory committee representing employees in the OECD.

UGT		Union General de Trabajadores - Spanish TUC.
UK/CONT B/H		United Kingdom/Continent Bordeaux/Hamburg range
ULCC		Ultra Large Crude Carrier - oil tanker of 300,000+ dwt.
Umbilical		Actually the "umbilical cord" - lifeline with air, hot water and other necessities connecting diver/diving bell with the mother ship or rig.
UNCITRAL		UN Commission on International Trade and Law
UNCLOS		United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea
UNCTAD		United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Geneva)
UNIDO		United Nations Industrial Development Organization
USAC		United States Atlantic Coast
USCG		U.S. Coast Guard
USG		United States Gulf (of Mexico)
USMC		US Maritime Commission
USNH		United States North of Hatteras
USWC		United States West Coast

VDR		VerbandDeutscher Reeder - German Shipowners' Association.
VLCC		Very Large Crude Carrier - oil tanker between 200,000 and 300,000 dwt.
Voyage-Charter		Contract of carriage where the charterer pays for the use of the vessel's cargo spaces for one or more voyages. Payment is calculated per ton goods carried. The owner pays all operating costs.
VTS		Vessel Traffic System

Water Drive		An important task to maintain pressure in the reservoir.
Water Separation Plant		see Dehydration Plant.
Wax		Paraffin wax which may cause production problems if condensed in production pipelines or in the valves.
WCSA		West Coast South America
Well-Head		Heavy and strong construction installed on the surface string or conductor pipe as foundation for further pressure regulating equipment.
WFTU		World Federation of Trade Unions
Wildcatting		Speculative well drilling.
Workover		Programme for actions to increase/stimulate production from a well.
Worldscale		In the tanker segment of shipping, nearly all trip-chartering is done on the basis of the freight-rate system Worldscale (W), which is a method of calculation of payment for the transport of oil by ships, for a single or several consecutive voyages. Worldscale is a table giving the amount of dollars per ton oil for each of a number of standard routes. The rates listed in the table - the socalled flat rates - are termed Worldscale 100 (W100). Large tankers need a lower W than smaller vessels to make a profit. The flat rate is the rate per ton which gives a standard vessel (at present a 75,000 dwt. tanker) earnings of USD 12,000 per day on a T/C-basis for the stipulated voyage. If the flat rate is USD 10.- per metric ton, the rate level at W50 will be 50 per cent of the base rate at W100, i.e. USD 5.00 per ton. The flat rate W100 should make a profit for the "standard vessel", regardless of the voyage for which the ship is chartered. Worldscale is revised annually, and the calculations include both fixed and variable expenses. The purpose of the Worldscale is to enable both owner and charterer to compare easily the returns on alternative voyages.
WPC		World Petroleum Congress
WTO		World Trade Organization
WTSV		Well Testing and Service Vessel