American Bureau of Shipping, classification society.

All going well.

Distance from waterline to highest point above water.

Voyage charter party (coal).

Timecharter charter party.

Actual time used to count.

Bill of Lading.

Volume capacity of cargo hold(s) used to estimate intake of non-bulk cargo (in cbft or cbm).

Timecharter charter party.

Voyage charter party (grain).

Bulkcarrier.

Breadth of a vessel.

A document which establishes the terms of a contract between a shipper and owner to move cargo between specified ports. The B/L is usually prepared by the shipper on a form issued by the owner. It is a document of title, contract of carriage and a receipt for goods.

Short form contract usually used for part cargoes.

Cargo hold in which the sides and the bottom join at right angles.

Bundled, palletised or packaged goods that are not shipped in containers.

Vessel built to transport dry bulk cargoes.

A partition separating one part of a ship (e.g. hold or tank) from another part.

Adjustment to freight rates to compensate for fluctuations in the market price for fuel.

Bureau Veritas, classification society.

Voyage charter party (ore, minerals).

Water transportation term applicable to shipments between ports of the same nation. Often referred to as coastal navigation or trade.

Date by which vessel is to arrive at a loading port.

Vessel too large to fit through the Suez (or Panama) Canal.

Cubic feet.

Cubic metres.

Agreement between a shipowner and a charterer, outlining terms and conditions governing the transportation. The agreement may be for one or several voyages, or for a certain period of time.

The party paying for the transportation. This may be the cargo owner, supplier or the receiver of the cargo.

Classification Society, organisation setting standards for design, build, condition of ships.

An agreement between an owner and a charterer to transport a given quantity of cargo or quantity as required by the charterer during a given period of time. The owner is free to decide which vessel he will use.

The seller prepays the cost of carriage to the named port of destination, and clears the goods for export. Risk of cargo loss or damage transfers to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail at the port of shipment.

The seller has the same obligations as under the CFR but also has to procure marine insurance against the buyer's risk of loss or damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller contracts insurance and pays the insurance premium.

A charge which is applied to compensate the owner of currency fluctuations.

Expenses for crew and other expenses directly connected to the daily running of the vessel, like lube oils, insurance, maintenance etc.

The total weight that a vessel can carry when loaded to its marks, including cargo, fuel, stores, spares, crew, etc. (usually in Metric Tons).

Charge against cargo for loading/discharging taking longer time than agreed.

Credit against cargo for loading/discharging taking shorter time than agreed.

The weight of the vessel and its weight contents.

Det norske Veritas, classification society.

The ship has an inner and an outer hull. This construction increases strength and safety.

Depth of submerged part of vessel.

Place of ship repair. Vessels are regularly put into drydock for inspection, repair and painting of vessels bottom.

Wood (usually) placed amongst cargo to facilitate stowage and protect against damage.

Deadweight.

Forty foot equivalent unit (container).

Fridays, holidays, excepted.

Fridays, holidays, included.

Free In and Out.

Free In and Out Stowed.

Free In and Out Trimmed.

Full Liner Terms.

The title of a common clause in contracts, exempting parties for non-fulfillment of obligations as the result of conditions beyond their control such as earthquakes, floods or war.

Free On Truck.

An International Term of Sale that means that the seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the cargo has passed the ship's rail at the named port of shipment. This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss or damage to the cargo from that point. The FOB term requires the seller to clear the goods for export. The buyer contracts and pays for carriage.

Cost of unloading a vessel is borne by the charterer.

Fresh Water.

Voyage charter party.

Germanischer Lloyd, classification society.

Lifting bucket fitted to vessel/shore crane for loading/discharging bulk cargo.

Volume capacity of cargo hold(s) used to estimate intake of bulk cargo (in cbft or cbm).

Voyage charter party (grain).

Formulated measurement of enclosed spaces in a ship.

Gross Registered Tons - same as GT.

Gross Tons.

Hook/Hook.

Opening in upper deck accessing cargo hold.

Cover (usually steel) for hatch.

Heavy Fuel Oil.

Cargo compartment of a ship.

Intermediate Fuel Oil.

International Maritime Organisation, United Nations supported agency for international maritime matters.

International Safety Management code (IMO).

International Standards Organisation, body responsible for industrial standardisation.

Institute Warranty Limits, insurance related geographical trade limits.

Lashed/Secured/Dunnaged.

Laydays/Cancelling.

Agreed dates within which vessel can arrive to load a cargo.

Time allowed for loading or discharging.

Light Displacement Tonnage, weight of an empty vessel (usually in Long Tons).

Length Overall (of vessel).

Lloyd's Register, classification society.

Long ton (2240 lbs).

A document that lists in detail all the Bills of Lading issued by a vessel or its agent or master. The manifest may be used e.g. for customs purposes.

Marine Diesel Oil.

Marine Gas Oil.

Memorandum of Agreement, detailed contract usually used for ship sales.

Metric ton (1000 kg).

Not Always Afloat but Safe Aground, term applied to berths where vessel touches bottom at low tide.

Formulated measurement of enclosed spaces in a ship.

A new vessel under construction or contracted to be built.

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, classification society.

Net Registered Tons - same as NT.

Net Tons.

Timecharter charter party (New York Produce Exchange form).

Ore Bulk Oil Carrier, combination dry/wet cargo ship.

The time a vessel according to the charter party is not fully employed and not generating

Vessel in which the hatches extend the full reach of the holds (no overhang).

Vessel of maximum dimensions to transit the Panama Canal.

A co-operation between owners putting their vessels into a joint operation. Net revenues are divided between the pool partners according to a predetermined key.

Place of Rest.

A ton on which the shipment is paid. If cargo is rated as weight or measure (W/M), whichever produces the highest revenue will be considered the revenue ton.

Saturday afternoons, Sundays, holidays excepted.

Saturdays, Sundays, holidays excepted.

Stowage Factor (usually in cbft/mt or cbm/mt).

Sundays, holidays excepted.

Sundays, holidays included.

Administration of vessels, including technical operation and maintenance, crewing and insurance.

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (IMO).

Freight rate for a voyage or cargo based on the current market level.

Summer Salt Water, maximum allowable immersion in summer saltwater conditions.

Short ton (2000 lbs).

Individual or firm that handles cargo discharged from or loaded onto a vessel.

Attached strip (usually wood) allowing ventilation of lumber cargo.

Safe Working Load.

Voyage charter party (grain).

An assigned area in which cargo is prepared for loading into a vessel, train, truck, etc, or is stored immediately after discharge from a vessel, train or truck.

Twenty foot equivalent unit (container).

Terminal Handling Charges.

Chartering of an entire vessel at a fixed price per day. The party that hires the vessel pays for bunkers, port and canal costs and other voyage costs.

Shipment of cargo to a destination in another port or country on more than one vessel, train or truck. The liability may pass from one carrier to another, or it may be covered under a Through Bill of Lading issued by the first carrier.

The consolidation of a quantity of individual items into one large shipping unit for easier handling. Then one or more larger items of cargo can be loaded with a single piece of equipment, such as a pulp frame.

Unless Used.

Contract to transport goods at a fixed freight rate (per ton, etc.).

A document prepared by the owner at the place of shipment. It can contain the point of shipment, destination, consignor, consignee, description of shipment and amount charged for the transportation. A waybill is forwarded with the shipment or sent to the agent at the transfer point or waybill destination. Unlike a Bill of Lading, a Waybill is not a document of title.

Wet Metric Ton.

Without Guarantee.

Weather Permitting.

Weather Working Day, a day where loading/discharging operations are not prevented by weather.