Maritime Acronyms

Maritime Acronyms

The list below is not exhaustive but the Acronyms will be updated from time to time since new ones will be added. The best way to find the acronym you are searching for is by pressing ctr+f  in your web browser to pop up the search bar and type the acronym you are searching.

2H Second Half
A/S Alongside
AA Always Afloat
AAAA Always Accessible Always Afloat
AARA Amsterdam-Antwerp-Rotterdam Area
ABT About
ADCOM Address Commission
AFFF Aqueous Film Forming Foam
AFFREIGHTMENT The hiring of a ship in whole or part
AFSPS Arrival First Sea Pilot Station (Norway)
AFT At or towards the stern or rear of a ship
AGW All Going Well
AHL Australian Hold Ladders
AIO Admiralty Information Overlay
ALARP As Low As Reasonable Practicable
AMSA Australian Maritime Safety Authority
AMVER Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System
ANTHAM Antwerp-Hamburg Range
APHIS Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service
API  American Petroeum Institute
APPS Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships
APS Arrival Pilot Station
APTF Asia Pacific Terminal Forum
ARAG Amsterdam-Rotterdam–Antwerp-Ghent Range
ARPA Automatic Radar Plotting Aid
ASI Annual Safety Inspection
ATDNSHINC Any Time Day or Night Sundays and Holidays Included
ATUTC Actual Times Used to Count
BAF Bunker Adjustment Factor. A Fuel Surcharge expressed as a percentage added or subtracted from the freight amount reflecting the movement in the market place price for bunkers.
BALLAST Heavy weight, often sea water, necessary for the stability and safety of a ship which is not carrying cargo.
BAREBOAT CHTR Bareboat Charter Owners lease a specific ship and control its technical management and commercial operations only.
BBB Before Breaking Bulk
BDI Both Dates Inclusive
BDN Bunker Delivery Note
BEAM The maximum breadth of a ship
BEI Biological Exposure Indices
BENDS Both Ends (Load & Discharge Ports)
BEP Best Environmental Practice
BI Both Inclusive
BIMCO Baltic & International Maritime Council
BL (1) Bale
BL (2) (Bill of Lading) A document signed by the carrier which acts as a receipt and evidence of title to the cargo.
BLG Bulk Liquids and Gases
BM Beam
BMP Best Management Practices
BNWAS Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System
BOB Bunker on Board
BOEMRE Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
BOFFER Best Offer
BPG Bridge Procedures Guide
BPQ Barge Particulars Questionnaire
BROB Bunkers Remaining on Board
BSG Barge Safety Guide
BSS Basis
BSS 1/1 Basis 1 Port to 1 Port
BT Berth Terms
BUNDLING This is the assembly of pieces of cargo, secured into one manageable unit. This is a very flexible description; a rule of thumb is to present cargo at a size easily handled by a large (20 ton) fork lift truck.
BUNKERS Name given for vessels Fuel and Diesel Oil supplies (Originates from coal bunkers)
BWAD Brackish Water Arrival Draft
CAA Clean Air Act
CALM Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring
CAM Court Appointed Monitor
CARB California Air Resources Board
CAS Condition Assessment Scheme
CBA Collective Bargaining Agreement
CBFT (or CFT) Cubic Feet
CBM Cubic Meter
CBP Customs Border Protection
CCM Corporate Compliance Manager
CCNR Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine
CCTV Close Circuit Television
CFG China Focus Group
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CFR (or C&F) Cost and Freight
CHOPT Charterers Option
CHTRS Charterers
CIC Concentrated Inspection Campaign
CIF Cost, Insurance & Freight. Seller pays all these costs to a nominated port or place of discharge.
CMG Course Made Good
CMID Common Marine Inspection Document
COA Contract of Affreightment Owners agree to accept a cost per revenue ton for cargo carried on a specific number of voyages.
COACP Contract of Affreightment Charter Party
COB Close of Business
COD Cash On Delivery
COG Course Over Ground
COGSA Carriage of Goods by Sea Act
COMSAR Sub-Committee on Radiocommunciations and Search and Rescue
CONCAWE The Oil Companies’ European Organisation for Environment, Health and Safety
CONS Consumption
COP Custom Of Port
COTP Captain of the Port
CP (or C/P) Charter Party
CPA Closest Point of Approach
CPD Charterers Pay Dues
CPR Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
CPT Carriage Paid To
CQD Customary Quick Dispatch
CRN Crane
CROB Cargo Remaining on Board
CSC Convention for Safe Containers
CSM Cargo Securing Manual
CSR Continuous Synopsis Record
CSSC Code of Safe Practice for Stowage & Securing Cargo
CST Centistoke
CTF Carbon Task Force
CTR Container Fitted
CTU Cargo Transport Unit
CWA Clean Water Act
D&A Drug & Alcohol
DAPS Days all Purposes (Total days for loading & discharging)
DDC Deck Decompression Chamber
DDP Delivered Duty Paid.
DDU Delivered Duty unpaid.
DE Design and Equipment
DEM Demurrage
DESP Dispatch
DET Detention
DHDATSBE Dispatch Half Demurrage on Actual Time Saved Both Ends
DHDWTSBE Dispatch Half Demurrage on Working Time Saved Both Ends
DISCH Discharge
DK Deck
DLOSP Dropping Last Outwards Sea Pilot (Norway)
DMLC Decleration of Maritime Labour Convention
DNRSAOCLONL Discountless and Non-Returnable Ship and/or Cargo Lost or Not Lost
DO Diesel Oil
DOB Date of Birth
DOLSP Dropping Off Last Sea Pilot (Norway)
DOP Dropping Outward Pilot
DOT Department of Transport
DR Dead Reckoning
DRAFT Depth to which a ship is immersed in water. The depth varies according to the design of the ship and will be greater or lesser depending not only on the weight of the ship and everything on board, but also on the density of the water in which the ship is lying.
DRK Derrick
DSC Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers
DUNNAGE Materials of various types, often timber or matting, placed among the cargo for separation, and hence protection from damage, for ventilation and, in the case of certain cargoes, to provide space in which the forks of a lift truck may be inserted.
DWAT (or DWT) Deadweight. Weight of cargo, stores and water, i.e. the difference between lightship and loaded displacement.
EBL Electronic Range Line
EC East Coast
ECDIS Electronic Chart Display & Information System
ECSA European Community Shipowners Association
EEDI Energy Efficient Design Index
EETF Eastern European Terminal Forum
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
EHQ Emergency Head Quarters
EIU Even if Used
ELVENT Electric Ventilation
EMR Effective Mooring Revision
EMS Environmental Management System
EMSA European Maritime Safety Authority
ENC Electronic Navigational Chart
ENOA Electronic Notice of Arrival
EOS Engine Operating Station
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Estimated Position
EPIRB Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
ESPH Evaluation of Safety and Pollution Hazards
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETC Estimated Time of Completion
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
ETOPS Emergency Towing-off Pennant System
ETS Environmental Tags System
ETS Estimated Time of Sailing
EVTMS Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System
EXCOM Executive Committee
EXW Ex Works
FAL Facilitation Committee
FAS Free Alongside Ship. Seller delivers goods to appropriate dock or terminal at port of embarkation and buyer covers costs and risks of loading.
FD Free of Dispatch
FDD Freight Demurrage Deadfreight
FDIS Free Discharge
FEU Forty foot container equivalency unit Standard 40′ Container
FHEX Fridays/Holidays Excluded
FHINC Fridays/Holidays Included
FILO Free In/Liner Out. Seafreight with which the shipper pays load costs and the carrier pays for discharge costs.
FIO Free In/Out. Freight booked FIO includes the sea freight, but no loading/discharging costs, i.e. the charterer pays for cost of loading and discharging cargo.
FIOS Free In/Out Stowed. As per FIO, but includes stowage costs.
FIOSLSD Free In/Out Stowed, Lashed, Secured and Dunnaged. As per FIO, but includes cost of lashing securing and dunnaging cargo to Masters satisfaction.
FIOST Free In/Out and Trimmed. Charterer pays for cost of loading/discharging cargo, including stowage and trimming.
FIOT Free In/Out and Trimmed. As per FIOS but includes trimming the leveling of bulk cargoes
FIT Free In Trimmed
FIW Free In Wagon
FIXING Chartering a Vessel
FLT Full Liner Terms Shipowner pays to load and discharge the cargo
FMC Federal Maritime Commission US government agency
FMS Fathoms 6 feet
FO (IFO) Fuel Oil/Intermediate FO
FOB Free on Board. Seller sees the goods “over the ship’s rail” on to the ship which is arranged and paid for by the buyer
FOFFER Firm Offer
FOG For Our Guidance
FOQ Free On Quay
FOR Free On Rail
FORCE MAJEURE Clause limiting responsibilities of the charterers, shippers and receivers due to events beyond their control.
FOT Free On Truck
FOW (1) First Open Water
FOW (2) Free On Wharf
FPD Fall Preventing Device
FRC Fast Rescue Craft
FREE OUT Free of discharge costs to Owners
FSE Free Surface Effect
FSG Floating Systems Group
FSI Flag State Implementation
FSS Fire Safety Systems
FSU Floating Storage Unit
FWAD Fresh Water Arrival Draft
FWDD Fresh Water Departure Draft
FYG For Your Guidance
FYI For Your Information
GA General Average
GBS Goal Based Standard
GHG Green House Gas
GISIS Global Integrated Shipping Information System
GLS Gearless
GMPHOM Guide to Manufacturing & Purchasing Hoses for Offshore Moorings
GN (or GR) Grain (capacity)
GNCN Gencon a standard BIMCO charter party form
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite Systems
GO Gas Oil
GPC General Purposes Committee
GRD Geared
GRP Glass Reinforced Plastic
GRT Gross Registered Tonnage
GSB Good Safe Berth
GSP Good Safe Port
GTEE Guarantee
HA Hatch
HAEMHF Hose Ancillary Equipment & Managing Hoses in the Field
HCFC Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons
HDWTS Half Dispatch Working Time Saved
HGWG Mercury Working Group
HMS Heavy Metal Scrap
HNS Hazardous and Noxious Substances
HO Hold
HP Horse Power
HRU Hydrostatic Release Unit
HSSC Harmonised System of Survey and Certification
HW High Water
HWP Hot Work Permit
IAAP International Air Pollution Prevention
IACS International Association of Clasification Societies
IADC International Association of Drilling Contractors
IAMSAR International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual
IAPH International Association of Ports and Harbors
IATA International Air Transport Association
IBC Intermediate Bulk Container
IBTS Integrated Bilge Treatment System
ICS International Chamber of Shipping
ICSW International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare
IEA International Energy Agency
IFO Intermediate Fuel Oil
IFSMA International Federation of Shipmaster’s Association
IHO International Hydro graphic Organization
IIP International Ice Patrol
ILG Industry Lifeboat Group
IMB International Maritime Bureau
IMDG International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
IMHA International Maritime Health Association
IMO International Maritime Organisation
IMOSAR IMO Search & Rescue manual
IMPA International Marine Purchasing Association
IMSBC International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargo Code
IND Indication
INF Irradiated Nuclear Fuel
INTERMODAL Carriage of a commodity by different modes of transport, i.e. sea, road, rail and air within a single journey.
IOPC International Oil Pollution Compensation
IPIECA International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association
IRTC International Recommended Transit Corridor
ISAN Indigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria
ISCC International Ship Security Certificate
ISGOTT International Oil Tanker & Terminal Safety Code
ISOA International Stability Operations Association
ISPPC International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate
ISTEC Intertanko Technical Committee
ISWG Intersessional Working Group on Maritime Security
ITC International Tonnage Certificate
ITF International Transport Federation
ITOPF International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation
IU If Used
IUATUTC If Used, Actual Time Used To Count
IUHATUTC If Used, Half Actual Time Used To Count
IWL Institute Warranty Limits
KPI Key Performance Indicator
LANE METER A method of measuring the space capacity of Ro/Ro ships whereby each unit of space (Linear Meter) is represented by an area of deck 1.0 meter in length x 2.0 meters in width.
LASH (1) To hold goods in position by use of Ropes, Wires, Chains or Straps etc.
LASH (2) Lighter Aboard Ship a vessel that loads small barges direct from the water
LAT Latitude
LDL Limiting Danger Line
LEG Legal Committee
b Load Line
LMAA London Maritime Arbitrators Association
LNG Liquefied Natural Gas
LOA Length Overall of the vessel
LOP Lines of Position
LOW Last Open Water
LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas
LRIT Long Range Identification & Tracking of Ships
LS (or LUMPS) Lumpsum
LSA Life Saving Appliances
LSD Lashed Secured Dunnaged
LT Liner Terms
LTI Lost Time Injury
LTIF Loss Time Injury Frequency
LW Low Water
LWC Lost Workday Case
LYCN Laycan (Layday Canceling Date)
M/V Motor Vessel
MAIB Marine Accident Investigation Branch
MB Merchant Broker
MBL Minimum Breaking Load
MBM Multi-Buoy Moorings
MCA Maritime Coastguard Agency (United Kingdom)
MDO (DO) Marine Diesel Oil
MEPC Maritime Environment Pollution Comittee
MERSAR Merchant Ship Search & Rescue Manual
MFAG Medical First Aid Guide
MIN/MAX Minimum/Maximum (cargo quantity)
MIO Marine Information Object
MMSI Maritime Mobile Service Identity
MNLO Merchant Navy Liaison Officer
MOB Man Overboard
MOC Management Of Change
MODU Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit
MOLCHOPT More or Less Charterers Option
MOLOO More or Less Owners Option
MSC Maritime Safety Committee
MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet
MSI Maritime Safety Information
MSL Maximum Securing Load
MSL Mean Sea Level
MT Metric Ton (i.e. 1,000 kilos / 2204.6lbs)
MTC Medical Treatment Case
MTOTS Marine Terminal Operators Training System
MTSC Marine Technical Sub-Committee
NAABSA Not Always Afloat But Safely Aground
NARSUC Navigation and Routeing Sub-Committee
NCB National Cargo Bureau
NCEC National Chemical Emergency Centre
NCMM Norwegian Centre for Maritime Medicine
NDA Non Discharge Area
NESTING Implies that cargo is presented stacked in the contour of similarly shaped cargo, it may be likened to a stack of plates.
NIS Non Indigenous Species
NLS Noxious Liquid Substances
NON-REVERSIBLE (Detention). If loading completed sooner than expected, then saved days will not be added to discharge time allowed.
NOR Notice of Readiness
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rule Making
NRT Net Registered Tonnage
NTVRP Non Tank Vessel Response Plan
NUC Not Under Command
NYPE New York Produce Exchange
OBQ On Board Quantity
OBS Observation
OCIMF Oil Company International Marine Forum
OCM Oil Content Monitor
ODMCS Oil Discharge Monitoring & Control Systems
ODME Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment
ODS Ozone Depleting Substances
OEL Occupational Exposure Limit
OFAC Office of Foreign Assets Control
OFG Offshore Floating Group
OHG Offshore Hose Guidelines
OIC Officer in Charge
OMC Offshore Marine Committee
OMOG Offshore Maritime Operations Group
ONI Office of Naval Initiative
OO Owners Option
OPA Oil Pollution Act
OPRC Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation
ORS Open Reporting System
OSH Open Shelter Deck
OTF Offshore Terminal Forum
OVID Offshore Vessel Inspection Database
OVIQ Offshore Vessel Inspection Questionnaire
OVMSA Offshore Vessel Management and Self Assessment
OWS Oil Water Separator
OWS Owners
PARS Piracy Attack Risk Surface
PASTUS Past Us
PC Period of Charter
PCASP Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel
PCGO Part Cargo
PCT Percent
PDCA Plan Do Check Act
PDPR Per Day Pro Rata
PER Period
PERDIEM Per Diem By the Day
PFG Piracy Focus Group
PHPD Per Hatch Per Day
PLEM Pipeline End Manifold
PMSC Private Maritime Security Contractor
POEA Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
PPD Permanent Partial Disability
PPE Personal Protective Equipmeny
PRATIQUE License or permission to use a port
PSI Pounds Per Square Inch
PSIG Pounds Per Square Inch Gauge
PSR Perils at Sea Revision
PTC Ports & Termincal Committee
PTD Permanent Total Disability
PV Valve Pressure Vacuum Valve
PWSA Ports and Waterways Safety Act
QHSE Quality, Health, Safety & Environment
RAM Risk Assessment Matrix
RCDS Raster Chart Display System
RCVR Receivers
RECAAP Regional Cooperation Agreement of Combating Piracy & Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia
REVERSIBLE (Detention)  If loading completed sooner than expected at load port, then days saved can be added to discharge operations.
RIO Radar Information Overlay
RMRGC Recommendations for Manifolds of Refrigerated for Gas Carriers for Cargoes
RNC Raster Navigational Chart
RNLI Royal National Lifeboat Institution
ROB Remaining On Board
RPS Recruitment Placement Services
RRS Release Retrieval System
RT Revenue Ton (i.e. 1.0 metric Ton or 1.0 cubic meter, whichever is greater). The overall RT is calculated on a line by line basis of the Packing List using the largest amount. The overall freight liability is calculated on the total RT amount, multiplied by the freight rate.
RUF Rules for the Use of Force
SALM Single Anchor Leg Mooring
SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SART Search and Rescue Transponder
SATPM Saturday P.M.
SATV Safe Access to Vessels Working Group
SB Safe Berth
SCBRA Speed Reduction and Bunker Consumption Algorithm
SCUBA Self-Containerd Underwater Breathing Apparatus
SD (or SID) Single Decker
SEA Seafarer Employment Agreement
SEAFREIGHT Costs charged for transporting goods over the sea. This does not cover any haulage or loading/discharging costs but the sea transport only.
SECA Sulphur (SOx) Emission Control Area
SEEMP Ships Energy Efficiency Management Plan
SELFD Self Discharging
SENC System Electronic Navigational Chart
SF Stowage factor. Cubic space occupied by one ton (2,240 lbs/1,000 kgs) of cargo.
SFG Special Forces Group
SHEX Sundays/Holidays Excluded
SHINC Sundays/Holidays Included
SIGTTO Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators
SIRE Ship Inspection Report
SKIDS Are bearers (timber or steel) positioned under cargo to enable fork lift handling at port, and for ease of rigging and lashing on board ship.
SL Bale (capacity)
SLA Safety Level Approach
SLF Stability and Load Lines and on Fishing Vessels’ Safety
SMC Safety Management Certificate
SMT Ship Mean Time
SOA Speed of Advance
SOC Shipper Owned Container
SOF Statement Of Facts
SOHSP Shipboard Occupational Health and Safety Program
SOLAS International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SP Safe Port
SPM Self Protection Measures
SPM Single Point Mooring
SPMOMG SPM Operating & Maintenance Guidelines
SRBL Signing and Releasing Bill of Lading
SRML Single Rope Maximum Loading
SSAS Ship Security Alert System
SSBA Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus
SSHEX (or SATSHEX) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays Excluded
SSHINC Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays Included
SSRS Ship Security Report System
STABILITY It is paramount that a vessel is stable in all respects at all times. When cargo is loaded / discharged, the stability is monitored by a computer, which takes into account the weight and position of cargo within the vessel.
STARBOARD Right side of a ship when facing the bow
STCW Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
STEM Subject To Enough Merchandise (Availability of Cargo)
STERN The aft part of a ship
STOLGOE The Safe Transfer of Liquefied Gas in an Offshore Environment
STS Ship to Ship
STW Standards of Training and Watchkeeping
SUB Subject (to)
SUPERCARGO Person employed by a ship owner, shipping company, charterer of a ship or shipper of goods to supervise cargo handling operations. Often called a port captain.
SWAD Salt Water Arrival Draft
SWDD Salt Water Departure Draft
SWL Safe Working Load
TC
TCPA Time to Closest Point of Approach
TEU Twenty Foot Equivalency Unit Standard 20′ Container
TLV Threshold Limit Value
TM Tonnage Measurement
TMSA Tanker Management Self Assessment
TPA Third Party Auditor
TPRG Terminal Policy Review Group
TPSG Terminal Policy Steering Group
TRCF Total Recorded Case Frequency
TSGB Training Ship Golden Bear (California Maritime Academy)
TSS Traffic Separation Scheme
TTL Total
TW Tween Decker
UKHO United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (provides AIO)
USC Unless Sooner Commenced
UU Unless Used
UUIUATUTC Unless Used If Used Actual Time Used To Count
VEF Vessel Experience Factor
VEL Velocity
VHF Very High Frequency
VIQ Vessel Inspection Questionnaire
VLOC Very Large Ore Carrier
VOC Volatile Organic Compound
VP Voyage Plan
VPD Vessel Protection Detachment
VPD Vessel Pays Dues
VPQ Vessel Particulars Questionnaire
VRM Variable Range Marker
VTS Vessel Tracking System
WASP Weather Analysis Service Provider
WCCON Whether Customs Cleared Or Not
WCDC Wind and Current Drag Coefficient Task Group
WGS84 World Geodetic System 1984
WIBON Whether In Berth Or Not
WIFPON Whether In Free Pratique or not
WIPON Whether In Port Or Not
WLTOHC (distance) Water Line-To-Hatch Coaming
WOG Without Guarantee
WPD Weather Permitting Day
WRIC Wire Rods In Coils
WTF Western Terminal Forum
WWD Weather Working Day
WWR When, Where Ready
WWWW Wibon, Wccon, Wifpon, Wipon
YAR York Antwerp Rules