Maritime & Shipping Vocabulary: 100 Key English Terms
English is the working language of international shipping: bridge teams speak it with pilots, port authorities and other ships, and charts, logbooks, safety manuals and cargo documents are written in it. These terms are the words deck and engine officers, ratings, cadets, agents and chartering staff use every day, from the bridge and the engine room to the quay and the shipping office.
100 terms
10 topics
51 core terms
200 example sentences
Read, understand, keep going
No account needed. Read the meaning, see where the term is used, then study the examples. Click any word in the lesson for help. You can also select a word and press Alt + Enter.
Ship Types & Ship Structure
vessel
noun
Meaning
A ship or large boat. In official documents, contracts and radio calls it is the standard word for any craft that travels on water.
Where you use it
More formal than 'ship' and used constantly in port documents, charter parties, the COLREGs and VHF calls. People talk about the vessel name, vessel type and vessel particulars, and port staff say 'the vessel is alongside'.
Examples
The vessel is expected to arrive at the pilot station at 0600 local time.
Please send us the vessel particulars before we confirm the berth.
Usage note
Seafarers traditionally call a ship 'she' ('she is due at 0600'), although 'it' is also common in modern writing.
Common phrases
vessel particulars · vessel name · merchant vessel · fishing vessel · vessel traffic service (VTS)
The front end of a ship. Positions and directions on board are often described in relation to it, for example 'on the port bow'.
Where you use it
Used on deck and on the bridge all the time: bow thruster, bow line, 'the anchor is ready at the bow'. Lookouts report objects 'on the starboard bow' or 'right ahead'.
Examples
Two tugs will make fast, one at the bow and one at the stern.
A fishing boat is crossing about two miles off our port bow.
Usage note
It rhymes with 'now', not with 'low'. Pronounced like 'low', bow is a different word (a ribbon knot or a weapon).
Common phrases
bow thruster · bow line · on the port bow · bulbous bow
The back end of a ship, where the rudder and propeller are usually found. On many merchant ships the accommodation and the bridge are also close to it.
Where you use it
Paired with 'bow' in mooring orders and position reports: stern line, stern thruster, 'stern to the quay'. 'Astern' means behind the ship or moving backwards, as in the engine order 'full astern'.
Examples
Send two stern lines and one spring from aft.
The tug is pushing on the starboard quarter, close to the stern.
Usage note
'Aft' is an adverb or adjective ('go aft', 'aft mooring station'), while 'stern' is the noun for the back of the ship.
Common phrases
stern line · stern thruster · stern ramp · from stem to stern
The left-hand side of a ship when you face forward towards the bow. At night it is shown by a red sidelight.
Where you use it
In orders, reports and radio calls people usually just say 'port': 'port side alongside', 'hard to port', 'alter course to port'. Its meaning never changes with the direction a person is facing, which is why seafarers do not say 'left'.
Examples
We will berth port side alongside, so prepare the fenders on the port side.
The pilot ladder is rigged on the port side, two metres above the water.
Usage note
Watch out for two double meanings: English 'port' also means a harbour, and Turkish 'iskele' also means a pier or a gangway. The context tells you which one is meant.
Common phrases
port side alongside · hard to port · alter course to port · port sidelight
The right-hand side of a ship when you face forward towards the bow. At night it is shown by a green sidelight.
Where you use it
Used in helm orders ('starboard ten', 'hard a-starboard'), lookout reports and collision avoidance. Under the COLREGs, in a crossing situation the vessel that has the other on her own starboard side must keep out of the way.
Examples
Starboard ten. Steady on course zero four five.
The other vessel is on our starboard side, so we are the give-way vessel.
Usage note
Pronounced /ˈstɑːrbərd/: the second part sounds like 'bird', not like 'board'. The word comes from the old steering oar used on the right-hand side of ships.
Common phrases
hard a-starboard · starboard side · alter course to starboard · starboard sidelight
The main watertight body of a ship, including its bottom and sides but not the masts, superstructure or equipment on deck.
Where you use it
Common in surveys, dry-docking, damage reports and insurance: hull inspection, hull damage, hull cleaning. Insurers speak of 'hull and machinery' (H&M) cover for the ship itself.
Examples
Divers will inspect the hull for damage after the grounding.
Marine growth on the hull is increasing our fuel consumption.
The vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest point of a ship's keel. It shows how deep the ship sits in the water and changes with cargo and ballast.
Where you use it
Read from draught marks at the bow, stern and midships, and reported to pilots and terminals as forward, aft and maximum draught. Ports have a maximum permitted draught, and a draught survey uses these readings to calculate cargo weight.
Examples
Our arrival draught is 11.2 metres forward and 11.6 metres aft.
The channel limits the maximum draught to 12.5 metres at low water.
Usage note
'Draught' is the British spelling and 'draft' the American one; both are pronounced the same. Turkish seafarers usually say 'draft'.
Common phrases
maximum draught · draught marks · draught survey · arrival draught · even keel
A flat, movable blade at the stern, under the water, that is turned to change the direction of the ship.
Where you use it
The rudder angle is shown on the bridge by the rudder angle indicator, usually up to 35° each side. Before departure, officers check during the steering gear test that the rudder follows the helm correctly.
Examples
The rudder angle indicator shows fifteen degrees to starboard.
With the ship in ballast, the top of the rudder is out of the water.
Usage note
Turkish 'dümen' covers both 'helm' (the wheel and the steering) and 'rudder' (the blade under the water). In English these are different words.
Common phrases
rudder angle · rudder angle indicator · rudder stock · rudder hard over
A cargo ship designed to carry standard steel containers, stacked in cell guides in the holds and in rows on deck. Its capacity is measured in TEU.
Where you use it
Container ships usually run on fixed liner services with scheduled port calls, so words like schedule, berthing window and port rotation are common. The largest ones carry more than 24,000 TEU.
Examples
The container ship has a capacity of 14,000 TEU and calls at five ports in the Mediterranean.
Work on a container ship is fast: a port call may last less than a day.
Common phrases
feeder container ship · ultra large container ship · container ship schedule · liner service
A ship built to carry unpacked dry cargo, such as grain, coal, iron ore or fertiliser, loose in its holds.
Where you use it
Often called a 'bulker'. Size classes include Handysize, Supramax, Panamax and Capesize. Bulk carriers usually work in the tramp trade under voyage or time charters rather than on fixed routes.
Examples
The bulk carrier loaded 55,000 tonnes of wheat for Alexandria.
We are looking for a Supramax bulk carrier to carry coal from Indonesia.
A ship designed to carry liquids in bulk in its tanks, such as crude oil, oil products or chemicals.
Where you use it
Types include crude oil tankers, product tankers and chemical tankers; ships for liquefied gas are usually called gas carriers. Tanker crews need extra safety training, and cargo is loaded and discharged through the manifold with shore hoses or loading arms.
Examples
The tanker discharged 80,000 tonnes of crude oil at the refinery terminal.
Smoking on deck is strictly forbidden on board a tanker.
The vertical distance from the waterline up to the main deck at the ship's side. Load line rules set a minimum freeboard to keep the ship safe.
Where you use it
Linked to the load line, or Plimsoll mark, painted on the hull. Overloading reduces the freeboard, and port state control officers check that the load line mark is not under water.
Examples
With full cargo our freeboard is only 2.3 metres.
The pilot station asked for our freeboard to plan the pilot boarding.
Common phrases
minimum freeboard · summer freeboard · load line · Plimsoll mark
The raised, enclosed area from which a ship is steered and navigated. It holds the steering controls, radars, chart displays and radio equipment.
Where you use it
Everything about navigation happens 'on the bridge': the officer of the watch keeps the watch there, the master is called to the bridge, and the pilot comes to the bridge after boarding. 'Bridge team' means everyone working there during a manoeuvre.
Examples
Please escort the pilot to the bridge as soon as they are on board.
Call the master to the bridge if visibility drops below two miles.
Usage note
Turkish speakers sometimes translate 'köprüüstü' word for word as 'bridge top'; in English it is simply 'the bridge'. The open areas on each side are the 'bridge wings'.
Common phrases
on the bridge · bridge team · bridge wing · bridge watch · call the master to the bridge
The unit of speed at sea, equal to one nautical mile per hour, or about 1.85 kilometres per hour.
Where you use it
Used for a ship's speed, for current and for wind: 'making 14 knots', 'a current of two knots', 'wind 25 knots'. Speeds reported to VTS and pilots are always given in knots.
Examples
We are making twelve knots and expect to reach the pilot station by 1400.
Reduce speed to eight knots when entering the channel.
Usage note
A knot already means 'per hour', so say 'twelve knots', never 'twelve knots per hour'. The k is silent.
Common phrases
make ten knots · speed of 12 knots · reduce to eight knots · knots over ground
The unit of distance used at sea and in the air, defined as exactly 1,852 metres. It is based on one minute of latitude, which makes distances easy to measure on charts.
Where you use it
Distances to ports, waypoints and other ships are given in nautical miles, usually shortened to 'miles' or written NM or nm. Officers measure them on the latitude scale at the side of the chart.
Examples
The anchorage is about five nautical miles south of the breakwater.
The master's standing orders require a CPA of at least two nautical miles in open sea.
Usage note
A nautical mile (1,852 m) is longer than a land mile (about 1,609 m). On board, 'mile' almost always means the nautical mile.
Common phrases
five nautical miles off · distance to go · within two nautical miles · nautical miles per day
The direction in which a ship is intended to travel or is actually travelling, given as an angle from 000° to 359° measured clockwise from north.
Where you use it
Officers set, steer, alter and keep a course. Course over ground (COG) is the actual track shown by GPS, which can differ from the heading because of wind and current. Courses are read digit by digit: 'course zero four five'.
Examples
Alter course to starboard to pass astern of the tanker.
Our course over ground is two seven zero, but the current is setting us north.
Usage note
Course and heading are not the same: heading is where the bow points, course is the direction in which the ship moves. In Turkish this is the difference between 'pruva' and 'rota'.
Common phrases
alter course · set a course · course over ground (COG) · steady on course · course to steer
The direction in which a ship's bow is pointing at a given moment, shown by the compass as an angle from north.
Where you use it
The helmsman steers to a heading, and the gyro compass, radar and ECDIS display it. Because of wind and current, the heading and the course over ground are often different.
Examples
Our heading is zero nine five, but we are making good zero nine zero.
VTS asked the vessel to report her heading and speed.
Common phrases
steady on heading · gyro heading · heading and speed · change of heading
Equipment that sends out radio waves and shows their echoes on a screen, so that officers can see the coast, other ships and buoys and measure their range and bearing, even at night or in fog.
Where you use it
Ships usually carry an X-band and an S-band radar. Officers acquire targets, track them with ARPA and watch their CPA. In restricted visibility radar plotting is essential, and radar ranges are given in nautical miles.
Examples
I have a target on the radar at six miles, bearing two two zero.
The fog was thick, so we kept both radars running and posted an extra lookout.
Common phrases
radar target · radar range · radar plotting · acquire a target · X-band radar
A map of a sea area made for navigation. It shows water depths, coastlines, dangers, buoys, lights and traffic routes.
Where you use it
On board usually just 'chart'. Charts may be paper or electronic (ENC), must be kept up to date with Notices to Mariners, and are used to plot positions and passage plans. 'Chart datum' is the level from which charted depths are measured.
Examples
The second officer corrected the nautical charts using the latest Notices to Mariners.
The depth on the nautical chart is only nine metres near the wreck.
Usage note
At sea the word is 'chart', not 'map'. Correcting charts is normally the job of the second officer, who is the ship's navigating officer.
Common phrases
chart correction · paper chart · electronic navigational chart (ENC) · plot a position on the chart · chart datum
Electronic Chart Display and Information System: an approved computer system that shows official electronic charts together with the ship's position and can replace paper charts.
Where you use it
Now carried by most large merchant ships under SOLAS. Officers plan and check routes on it, set safety contours and alarms and monitor the ship's track. Type-specific ECDIS training is required for each make of equipment.
Examples
The passage plan was checked on the ECDIS for shallow water alarms.
Our main ECDIS failed, so we switched to the backup unit.
The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972: the rules of the road at sea, covering lookout, safe speed, which ship gives way, lights, shapes and sound signals.
Where you use it
Officers quote them by rule number: Rule 5 (lookout), Rule 15 (crossing situation), Rule 19 (restricted visibility). Every deck officer is expected to know them very well, and they are a standard part of oral exams.
Examples
In open water, under the COLREGs, a power-driven vessel keeps out of the way of a vessel engaged in fishing.
The investigation found that neither ship had followed the COLREGs in restricted visibility.
Usage note
It is written COLREGs, COLREGS or COLREG, and all are accepted. Sailors also call them 'the Rules of the Road'.
Common phrases
Rule 15 of the COLREGs · comply with the COLREGs · breach of the COLREGs · rules of the road
The wheel or control used to steer a ship, and by extension the steering of the ship itself. The person who steers is the helmsman.
Where you use it
Helm orders follow a fixed form and are repeated by the helmsman: 'Port ten', 'Midships', 'Hard a-starboard', 'Steady'. Officers 'take the helm' or change from autopilot to hand steering.
Examples
The helmsman repeated the helm order: 'Starboard twenty, sir.'
Put the helm hard to port and stop the engine!
Common phrases
helm order · take the helm · at the helm · hand steering
Automatic Identification System: a system that automatically broadcasts a ship's identity, position, course, speed and other data by VHF so that other ships and shore stations can see it.
Where you use it
Required by SOLAS on most merchant ships. AIS targets appear on radar and ECDIS, and officers keep voyage data such as destination, ETA and draught up to date. Ship-tracking websites also use AIS data.
Examples
Update the AIS with the new destination and ETA before departure.
The fishing boat had no AIS, so we only saw it on radar.
Usage note
AIS is a useful aid but does not replace radar and a visual lookout, because many small boats do not transmit AIS.
Common phrases
AIS target · AIS data · update the AIS · AIS transponder
Closest Point of Approach: the shortest distance at which another ship or object will pass if both keep their present course and speed. TCPA is the time left until that point.
Where you use it
Calculated by radar (ARPA) and ECDIS and used in every collision-risk assessment. Masters' standing orders usually set a minimum CPA, for example one mile in coastal waters and two miles in open sea.
Examples
The container ship has a CPA of 0.3 miles and a TCPA of 12 minutes, so I am altering course to starboard.
Call me if any target has a CPA of less than two miles.
Common phrases
CPA and TCPA · minimum CPA · CPA limit · pass with a safe CPA
A detailed berth-to-berth plan for a voyage, prepared before departure, showing the route, waypoints, hazards, safe speeds, reporting points and contingency actions.
Where you use it
Required under SOLAS and IMO guidelines. It is normally prepared by the second officer, approved by the master and signed by all deck officers. Its four stages are appraisal, planning, execution and monitoring.
Examples
The second officer prepared the passage plan from Mersin to Hamburg.
The auditor checked whether the passage plan showed all no-go areas.
Common phrases
berth-to-berth passage plan · approve the passage plan · passage planning · no-go areas · waypoint
To keep out of the way of another vessel, as the collision rules require, by altering course, changing speed or both. The vessel that must do this is the give-way vessel.
Where you use it
Used with the COLREGs terms give-way vessel and stand-on vessel. The rules ask the give-way vessel to take early and substantial action, often a clear turn to starboard that the other ship can easily see.
Examples
The tanker is crossing from starboard, so we are the give-way vessel.
We will give way to the fishing vessel by altering course 30 degrees to starboard.
Usage note
On British roads 'give way' is the sign Americans call 'yield'. At sea, 'give way' is the standard term in both varieties of English.
Common phrases
give-way vessel · stand-on vessel · give way to a vessel · take early and substantial action
One of the floor levels of a ship, especially the open main deck. The word also names the department that handles navigation, cargo and the upkeep of the ship's structure.
Where you use it
Seafarers say 'on deck' for the open deck, 'below deck' for inside spaces, and 'deck crew' or 'deck officers' for the deck department, as opposed to the engine department. Decks have names such as main deck, poop deck and bridge deck.
Examples
All deck crew to be on deck at 0800 for mooring stations.
She started as a deck cadet and is now a second officer.
Common phrases
main deck · on deck · deck crew · deck officer · deck cargo
A heavy metal device on a chain that is dropped to the seabed to hold a ship in place. As a verb, it means to stop a ship in this way.
Where you use it
Ships 'drop' or 'let go' the anchor, 'heave up' or 'weigh' it, and lie 'at anchor'. Chain length is counted in shackles, and the anchor is 'aweigh' when it leaves the seabed.
Examples
Let go the starboard anchor, four shackles in the water.
We anchored outside the port and waited two days for a berth.
Usage note
A ship 'drags' its anchor when the anchor slides along the seabed and no longer holds the ship. It is one of the most common reasons for calling the master at night.
Common phrases
let go the anchor · heave up the anchor · at anchor · drag anchor · anchor chain
A strong rope or wire used to tie a ship to a quay, a buoy or another ship. Lines are named by their position, such as head line, stern line, breast line and spring.
Where you use it
Used in mooring and unmooring orders: send, heave in, slack away, single up and let go the lines. In port the watch checks and adjusts the mooring lines as the tide and draught change.
Examples
Check the mooring lines every hour while we are discharging.
One of the mooring lines parted during the storm, so we sent an extra line.
Usage note
On board people usually say just 'lines' or 'ropes'. The 'snap-back zone' is the dangerous area where a breaking line can whip back.
Common phrases
send the mooring lines · slack away · single up · let go the mooring lines · snap-back zone
A portable bridge or ladder that connects a ship to the quay so that people can walk on and off. A ladder hung along the ship's side is called an accommodation ladder.
Where you use it
In port someone must keep a 'gangway watch' to check visitors and keep the gangway safe. Crew rig, lower and raise the gangway, fit the safety net beneath it and adjust it as the tide and draught change.
Examples
All visitors must sign in at the gangway.
Adjust the gangway, the tide has dropped half a metre.
Usage note
Turkish 'iskele' can mean a gangway, a pier or the port side; in English these are 'gangway', 'pier' and 'port side'.
Common phrases
gangway watch · rig the gangway · gangway safety net · gangway log · accommodation ladder
A powerful machine on the forecastle deck that lowers and raises the anchor chain, often with drums for mooring lines as well.
Where you use it
Used during anchoring and mooring. The bosun operates the windlass, engages or disengages the gypsy (cable lifter) and applies the brake. A similar machine that turns on a vertical axis is called a capstan.
Examples
Test the windlass and the brakes before we arrive at the anchorage.
The windlass motor overheated while we were heaving up the anchor.
Common phrases
windlass brake · test the windlass · anchor windlass · windlass gypsy
A cushion made of rubber, foam or rope that is placed between a ship and a quay, or between two ships, to absorb impact and prevent damage.
Where you use it
Large fixed fenders are fitted along most quays, and floating Yokohama fenders are used in ship-to-ship (STS) operations. Crew put out portable fenders when tugs or barges come alongside.
Examples
The bunker barge has good fenders, so it can come alongside safely.
The ship hit the quay hard and crushed one of the fenders.
Usage note
In American English a 'fender' is also part of a car, but at sea it always means this cushion.
Common phrases
Yokohama fender · rubber fender · put out fenders · quay fenders
A short, thick post of steel or iron on a quay or on a ship's deck, to which mooring lines are made fast.
Where you use it
Linesmen put the eye of the line over a shore bollard, and the crew turn up the line on the ship's bitts (paired bollards on deck). 'Bollard pull' is the pulling power of a tug, measured in tonnes.
Examples
Put the head line on the second bollard from the end of the quay.
This tug has a bollard pull of 60 tonnes.
Common phrases
shore bollard · bollard pull · turn up on the bitts · bitts
To tie or secure a rope, a line or a tug firmly so that it holds, for example to a bollard, a cleat or the ship's side.
Where you use it
Used in mooring orders, pilot instructions and SMCP: 'make fast the tug', 'make fast forward and aft'. A report such as 'all fast forward' means that the lines at the bow are secured.
Examples
Make fast the tug on the port bow, using the ship's line.
Make fast the head line and report when it is done.
Usage note
Here 'fast' means 'firmly fixed', not 'quick'. The past form is 'made fast': 'the tug is made fast'.
Common phrases
make fast forward and aft · make fast the tug · make fast to a buoy · all fast
The space low inside a ship that holds the main engine, generators, pumps and other machinery. Engineers and engine ratings work and keep watch there.
Where you use it
Used for the place and, informally, for the engine department ('the engine room says we can increase speed'). Most modern ships have an engine control room (ECR), and many run with an unattended machinery space (UMS) at night.
Examples
The bridge called the engine room to prepare the main engine for manoeuvring.
Ear protection must be worn in the engine room at all times.
Common phrases
engine room watch · engine control room · engine room crew · engine room fire
A set of curved blades on a shaft at the stern that turns in the water and pushes the ship ahead or astern.
Where you use it
Seafarers talk about propeller pitch, propeller revolutions (rpm) and fixed-pitch or controllable-pitch propellers (CPP). Before the engine is tried out in port, the watch checks that the propeller is clear of boats and lines.
Examples
Check that the propeller is clear before the engine is tested.
A rope got caught in the propeller and divers had to cut it free.
Usage note
Informally seafarers also say 'prop', and older English uses 'screw'.
The large engine that drives a ship's propeller. On most large merchant ships it is a slow-speed two-stroke diesel engine connected directly to the propeller shaft.
Where you use it
Written M/E in logbooks and reports. Before manoeuvring the bridge asks the engine room to prepare the main engine or put it on 'stand-by', and after the pilot leaves it orders 'full away' to sea speed.
Examples
The main engine is on stand-by and ready for manoeuvring.
We stopped the main engine for two hours to change a fuel injector.
Common phrases
main engine on stand-by · start the main engine · main engine failure · main engine rpm · full away
The process of supplying fuel to a ship, usually from a barge alongside or from a terminal. The fuel itself is called bunkers.
Where you use it
Engineers prepare a bunkering plan, hold a safety meeting with the barge, take samples and sign the bunker delivery note (BDN). A spill during bunkering is a serious pollution risk, so scuppers are plugged and spill equipment is kept ready.
Examples
Bunkering will start at 1400, with the barge coming alongside on the starboard side.
During bunkering the chief engineer stayed at the manifold.
Usage note
As a shipping noun, 'bunker' means ship's fuel, not a shelter. A 'bunker port' is a port where ships often stop only to take fuel.
A smaller diesel engine that drives a generator to produce the ship's electricity. Most ships have two to four of them, so that one can be stopped for maintenance.
Where you use it
Engineers start, parallel and stop the auxiliary engines, written A/E, according to the electrical load. During manoeuvring or cargo work with deck cranes, two generators are usually kept running.
Examples
Start the second auxiliary engine before we use the bow thruster.
No. 3 auxiliary engine is under overhaul, so we only have two generators.
Usage note
If all the generators stop, the ship has a 'blackout'; the emergency generator should then start automatically.
Common phrases
auxiliary engine overhaul · start the auxiliary engine · generators in parallel · blackout
The machinery, usually hydraulic, that turns the rudder according to the orders from the bridge. It is located in the steering gear room at the stern.
Where you use it
SOLAS requires the steering gear to be checked and tested within 12 hours before departure, and emergency steering drills to be held regularly, with the crew steering from the steering gear room on local control.
Examples
The steering gear was tested before departure and found in good order.
We switched to emergency steering after a steering gear failure.
The lowest part inside a ship's hull, where water, oil and other liquids collect. The mixture that collects there is called bilge water.
Where you use it
Engineers pump the bilges, check the bilge alarms and pass bilge water through the oily water separator before it goes overboard. A rising bilge level can be the first sign of a leak.
Examples
The bilge alarm in the engine room went off twice during the night.
Bilge water is pumped to the holding tank before treatment.
Common phrases
bilge water · bilge pump · bilge alarm · pump the bilges · bilge well
Short for lubricating oil: oil that reduces friction and wear and cools the moving parts of engines, gearboxes and other machinery.
Where you use it
Engineers check lube oil pressure and temperature, send samples for laboratory analysis and order supplies. Main engines often use separate cylinder oil and system oil.
Examples
Low lube oil pressure stopped the generator automatically.
We will receive 10,000 litres of lube oil by truck at the next port.
A large space inside a ship's hull where cargo is carried. Holds are numbered from the bow, and each one is closed from above by a hatch cover.
Where you use it
Usually just 'hold': No. 1 hold, hold cleaning, hold inspection. Before loading, surveyors check that the holds are clean, dry and free of smell, which is especially important for grain.
Examples
The surveyor rejected cargo hold No. 3 because of rust scale on the frames.
We need to wash all five cargo holds before loading grain.
Common phrases
hold cleaning · hold inspection · No. 2 cargo hold · pass the hold survey
Seawater, or sometimes another heavy material, carried in special tanks to keep a ship stable, upright and at a safe draught when it has little or no cargo.
Where you use it
Ships take in ballast while discharging and deballast while loading. A ship 'in ballast' is sailing empty to her next loading port. Ballast water must be treated or exchanged so that marine species are not carried to new areas.
Examples
We are sailing in ballast to Brazil to load soybeans.
Start deballasting the double-bottom tanks when loading reaches 60 percent.
Usage note
'In ballast' is the opposite of 'laden' (loaded). The Ballast Water Management Convention entered into force in 2017.
Common phrases
in ballast · ballast tank · ballast water · deballast · ballast water management
The total weight a ship can safely carry, including cargo, fuel, fresh water, stores and crew, measured in tonnes. It is usually written DWT.
Where you use it
Used to describe a ship's size in chartering and sale and purchase: 'a 58,000 dwt bulk carrier'. Deadweight is a weight, while gross tonnage (GT) measures a ship's internal volume; the two are often confused.
Examples
She is a 37,000 deadweight Handysize built in 2015.
The cargo intake is lower than the deadweight because we must keep fuel and water on board.
Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit: the standard unit for counting containers and measuring the capacity of container ships and terminals. A 40-foot container counts as two TEU.
Where you use it
Used in schedules, port statistics and chartering: 'a 4,500 TEU vessel', 'the terminal handled 2 million TEU'. The 40-foot unit is called FEU, and the letters are spoken one by one: 'T-E-U'.
Examples
The terminal handled 1.2 million TEU last year.
We will load 820 TEU here, including 60 reefer containers.
Common phrases
TEU capacity · a 10,000 TEU ship · million TEU · FEU
A plan that shows where each part of the cargo will be placed on a ship, taking into account weight, stability, discharge ports and dangerous goods.
Where you use it
On container ships it is usually called a 'bay plan'; the line's planners prepare it and the chief officer checks it. On bulk carriers the chief officer prepares the loading plan and stowage plan for the terminal.
Examples
The chief officer checked the stowage plan for dangerous goods segregation.
Please send the final stowage plan to the agent at the discharge port.
Common phrases
final stowage plan · bay plan · approve the stowage plan · loading sequence
The rods, chains, wires or straps used to secure cargo so that it cannot move at sea, and the work of fixing them in place.
Where you use it
On container ships, lashing gangs fit lashing bars and twistlocks; on general cargo and ro-ro ships, chains and straps are used. Crews check and tighten lashings before bad weather, following the Cargo Securing Manual.
Examples
Check and tighten all lashings on deck before we enter the storm.
Several containers were lost overboard after the lashing failed.
Common phrases
lashing bar · lashing gang · check the lashings · cargo lashing · twistlock
To unload cargo from a ship in port. As a noun, discharge means the unloading operation itself.
Where you use it
The standard shipping word for unloading: port of discharge, discharge rate, commence and complete discharge. In engine and environmental contexts it also means releasing water or oil overboard, which MARPOL strictly controls.
Examples
We expect to complete discharging by Friday afternoon.
The receivers asked us to discharge No. 2 hold first.
Usage note
Turkish shipping uses 'tahliye' for unloading cargo, while 'deşarj' usually means releasing waste or water. English 'discharge' covers both.
Common phrases
port of discharge · commence discharge · discharge rate · complete discharging
The strong, watertight steel lid that closes the opening on top of a cargo hold. It is opened for loading and discharging and kept closed at sea.
Where you use it
Common types are folding, side-rolling and lift-away hatch covers. Crews open and close the hatches, check the rubber seals and test them for tightness, because leaking hatch covers are a major cause of wet cargo claims.
Examples
Close the hatch covers immediately, it is starting to rain.
An ultrasonic test showed that the No. 4 hatch cover was not watertight.
Common phrases
open the hatch covers · hatch cover seals · hatch cover tightness test · hatch coaming
A worker, or a company, that loads and unloads ships in port. Stevedores operate cranes, handle the cargo and do lashing work.
Where you use it
Masters and chief officers deal with stevedores every day in port: the foreman, the gangs and the shifts. Damage caused by stevedores is recorded in a stevedore damage report, which the foreman is asked to sign.
Examples
The stevedores damaged the ladder in No. 3 hold with a grab.
Stevedores are working two gangs on the night shift.
Usage note
Port workers are also called 'longshoremen' in the United States and 'dockers' in Britain.
Common phrases
stevedore damage report · stevedoring company · stevedore foreman · stevedore gang
A place in a port where a ship ties up to load or discharge. As a verb, to berth means to bring a ship to that place. The word can also mean a bed on a ship.
Where you use it
Agents and terminals talk about berth availability, berthing time and berthing prospects. Ships wait at anchor 'for a berth' and are 'berthed port side alongside'. A 'berthing window' is the agreed time slot at a container terminal.
Examples
The agent says berth number 4 will be free tomorrow morning.
We are expected to berth at 0900, with the pilot boarding at 0730.
Usage note
'Berth' and 'birth' are pronounced the same, so check the spelling in emails.
Common phrases
berthing prospects · wait for a berth · berth alongside · berthing window · shift berth
An experienced local mariner who boards a ship to advise the master on navigating safely into or out of a port, a canal or a narrow waterway.
Where you use it
Ships 'take', 'embark' or 'pick up' a pilot at the pilot station and 'drop' or 'disembark' the pilot after the passage. The pilot climbs the pilot ladder. In most waters the master keeps full responsibility even with a pilot on board.
Examples
The pilot will board at the outer buoy, so rig the pilot ladder on the lee side.
Pilot on board at 0612; the master and pilot exchanged information.
Usage note
In Turkish 'pilot' first suggests an airline pilot; at sea the standard Turkish word is 'kılavuz kaptan', although 'pilot' is also heard on board.
Common phrases
pilot on board · pilot ladder · pilot station · compulsory pilotage · drop the pilot
A town or place on the coast with facilities where ships load and discharge cargo, take on passengers and receive services such as fuel, water and repairs.
Where you use it
Used in many fixed expressions: port of call, port of loading, port of discharge, port authority and port dues. Ships 'call at' a port, 'enter' and 'leave' port, and 'stay in port'.
Examples
Our next port of call is Piraeus, and then we sail for Genoa.
The vessel stayed in port for three days because of a strike.
Usage note
'Port' is also the left side of a ship: 'in port' means in the harbour, while 'to port' is a direction.
Common phrases
port of call · port of loading · port of discharge · port authority · port dues
A small but very powerful boat that pushes or pulls large ships, especially when they are berthing, unberthing or moving in narrow waters.
Where you use it
Also called a 'tugboat'. Tugs are ordered through the agent or the pilot; they make fast with a towline and push or pull as the pilot orders. Port rules often set the number of tugs by ship size.
Examples
Two tugs are required for berthing, one forward and one aft.
The tug is pushing on the port bow at half power.
Common phrases
order tugs · tug assistance · make fast the tug · let go the tug · towline
A long stone or concrete structure along the shore of a port where ships tie up to load and discharge.
Where you use it
Used for the structure itself, while 'berth' is the particular place a ship is given. People talk about the quayside, quay cranes and quay length, and cargo is landed 'on the quay'.
Examples
The containers are stacked on the quay waiting for the next ship.
The pilot wants us to approach the quay at less than one knot.
Usage note
Pronounced like 'key' /kiː/. Turkish speakers often read it as 'kuey', which native speakers may not understand.
An area of water, usually marked on charts, where ships are allowed to anchor while they wait for a berth, a pilot, orders or better weather.
Where you use it
VTS assigns ships an anchorage or an anchor position. Agents report how many ships are waiting 'at the anchorage', and time spent there can make a port call much more expensive.
Examples
VTS instructed us to proceed to the outer anchorage and wait for the pilot.
There are eleven ships waiting at the anchorage for the grain terminal.
Common phrases
outer anchorage · anchorage area · proceed to the anchorage · waiting at the anchorage
The inspection of foreign ships in a country's ports to check that they meet international rules on safety, pollution prevention, crew certificates and working conditions.
Where you use it
Shortened to PSC. Countries cooperate through regional agreements such as the Paris MoU and the Tokyo MoU. Inspectors record deficiencies and can detain a ship until serious ones are put right.
Examples
Port state control inspectors boarded the ship two hours after berthing.
The vessel was detained by port state control because the emergency generator did not start.
Usage note
Port state control checks foreign ships in a port; flag state control is carried out by the country whose flag the ship flies.
Common phrases
PSC inspection · PSC deficiency · detained by port state control · Paris MoU
A person or company in a port that looks after a ship's business on behalf of the owner or charterer, arranging berths, pilots, customs, crew changes and supplies.
Where you use it
Usually just 'the agent'. Masters send ETA notices, documents and requests to the agent, who replies with berthing prospects and port information. Agents also handle port costs through a proforma and a final disbursement account.
Examples
The ship's agent will bring the new crew members on board tomorrow morning.
Please contact the ship's agent for the berthing schedule.
Common phrases
port agent · agency fees · disbursement account · inform the agent
The official responsible for the safety, order and traffic of a port, including berthing rules, anchorages and permission for ships to enter and leave.
Where you use it
Written 'harbor master' in American English. The harbour master's office gives instructions to ships and issues port clearance before departure.
Examples
The harbour master closed the port because of strong winds.
We need permission from the harbour master to shift berth.
Common phrases
harbour master's office · port clearance · harbour master's permission · port regulations
Estimated Time of Arrival: the time when a ship is expected to arrive at a port, a pilot station or another point. ETD is the estimated time of departure.
Where you use it
Masters send ETA notices to agents and charterers, often 72, 48 and 24 hours before arrival, and update them whenever the ETA changes. Times are given in local time (LT) or UTC, and it must be clear which one is meant.
Examples
Our ETA at the pilot station is 0600 LT on 14 March.
Because of bad weather, our ETA has changed to Friday noon.
Usage note
Say the letters one by one: 'E-T-A'. Turkish seafarers also usually keep the English abbreviation.
Common phrases
ETA notice · update the ETA · ETA at the pilot station · ETD
A rigid boat carried on a ship, usually fully enclosed, that is lowered into the water so that people can leave the ship in an emergency.
Where you use it
Crews lower, launch and recover lifeboats during drills, and inspectors check lifeboat engines and davits. Many bulk carriers and tankers have a free-fall lifeboat at the stern.
Examples
The lifeboat was lowered to the water and the engine was run for three minutes.
Each crew member has a seat number in the lifeboat.
Usage note
A lifeboat is a rigid boat; a liferaft is an inflatable raft. Turkish 'filika' corresponds to lifeboat, and 'can salı' to liferaft.
A fixed place on a ship where crew and passengers gather when the alarm sounds, so that everyone can be counted and given instructions.
Where you use it
Shown on the muster list and on each person's cabin card. During drills people go to their muster station wearing life jackets, and the officer in charge takes a roll call. 'Muster' is also a verb: 'all crew muster at the boat deck'.
Examples
On hearing the general alarm, go to your muster station with your life jacket.
The second officer counted everyone at muster station B and reported to the bridge.
Common phrases
go to your muster station · muster list · muster drill · roll call at the muster station
To leave a ship in an emergency because staying on board has become more dangerous than going into the survival craft. The order to abandon ship is given only by the master.
Where you use it
Heard in the abandon ship drill, the abandon ship signal and the master's order 'Abandon ship!'. Under SOLAS, every crew member on a cargo ship takes part in an abandon ship drill every month.
Examples
The master gave the order to abandon ship after the fire reached the engine room.
Today's abandon ship drill will include lowering the starboard lifeboat.
Usage note
The order is a fixed phrase without an article: 'Abandon ship!', not 'Abandon the ship!'.
Common phrases
abandon ship drill · abandon ship signal · order to abandon ship · abandon ship procedure
A person who has fallen from a ship into the sea, and the alarm and emergency procedure that follow. It is shortened to MOB.
Where you use it
Anyone who sees it shouts 'Man overboard!' and throws a lifebuoy. On the bridge the officer presses the MOB button on the GPS or ECDIS and starts a recovery manoeuvre such as the Williamson turn.
Examples
Man overboard on the starboard side! Throw a lifebuoy!
We practised a man overboard recovery with the rescue boat.
Usage note
The phrase is used for anyone who falls overboard, whether a man or a woman. Some companies now say 'person overboard'.
Common phrases
man overboard alarm · man overboard drill · MOB button · Williamson turn · rescue boat
A jacket filled with buoyant material, or inflated with gas, that keeps a person floating face up in the water.
Where you use it
Also written 'lifejacket' and called a 'life vest' in American English. Each person has one in the cabin, extra life jackets are kept on the bridge and in the engine room, and crew wear them at drills and when working near the ship's side.
Examples
Put on your life jacket and go to your muster station.
Two life jackets in the forward store had damaged lights and were replaced.
Common phrases
put on a life jacket · inflatable life jacket · life jacket light · don a life jacket
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea: the main IMO treaty that sets minimum safety standards for the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships.
Where you use it
The version in force dates from 1974 and is kept up to date by amendments. Seafarers refer to its chapters, such as SOLAS Chapter II-2 (fire safety) or Chapter III (life-saving appliances), and to 'SOLAS-approved' equipment and certificates.
Examples
Under SOLAS, every ship must carry a life jacket for each person on board.
The inspector found that the fire doors did not meet SOLAS requirements.
Usage note
The first SOLAS convention was adopted in 1914, after the loss of the Titanic.
Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon: a small floating transmitter that sends a distress signal with the ship's identity and position via satellite when a ship is in trouble.
Where you use it
Usually mounted on the bridge wing in a float-free bracket with a hydrostatic release, so it activates automatically if the ship sinks. It transmits on 406 MHz to the Cospas-Sarsat system, and its battery and release unit have expiry dates.
Examples
The EPIRB was activated by mistake, and the rescue centre called the ship.
Check the expiry date of the EPIRB battery during the monthly inspection.
Common phrases
activate the EPIRB · float-free EPIRB · EPIRB battery · hydrostatic release unit
An inflatable raft, packed in a hard container on deck, that opens and fills with gas when it is thrown into the water or floats free from a sinking ship.
Where you use it
Also written 'life raft'. Liferafts are serviced every year at an approved service station. Crew learn to launch them by throwing them overboard or with a davit, and to board them from the ship's side or from the water.
Examples
The liferaft inflated within a minute after it was thrown overboard.
All liferafts were sent ashore for their annual service.
Common phrases
launch the liferaft · davit-launched liferaft · liferaft service · hydrostatic release
A practice exercise in which the crew respond to a simulated fire, using the alarm, fire teams, hoses and breathing apparatus as they would in a real emergency.
Where you use it
On cargo ships, SOLAS requires every crew member to take part in a fire drill and an abandon ship drill every month. Drills are recorded in the logbook, and port state control inspectors may ask the crew to carry one out.
Examples
Today's fire drill scenario is a fire in the galley.
The inspector asked us to hold a fire drill and was not satisfied with the result.
Common phrases
hold a fire drill · fire drill scenario · fire team · breathing apparatus
A space on a ship with limited openings and poor natural ventilation, such as a tank, cargo hold or void space, where the air may lack oxygen or contain toxic gas.
Where you use it
Entry needs a permit to work, ventilation, gas testing and a standby person at the entrance. SOLAS requires enclosed space entry and rescue drills at least every two months, because many seafarers have died in such spaces.
Examples
No one may enter the enclosed space until the oxygen level has been tested.
The enclosed space entry permit was signed by the chief officer.
Common phrases
enclosed space entry · entry permit · gas testing · enclosed space rescue drill
The International Safety Management Code: IMO rules that require shipping companies to run a documented safety management system for the safe operation of ships and the protection of the environment.
Where you use it
Made mandatory by SOLAS Chapter IX. Seafarers talk about the SMS (safety management system), SMS manuals, internal audits, non-conformities and the designated person ashore (DPA), who links the ship with the company's top management.
Examples
The ISM Code requires every company to name a designated person ashore.
The auditor raised two non-conformities during the ISM Code audit.
Common phrases
ISM Code audit · safety management system (SMS) · designated person ashore (DPA) · non-conformity
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships: the main IMO treaty that limits pollution from ships by oil, chemicals, sewage, garbage and air emissions.
Where you use it
It has six annexes, which seafarers refer to by number: Annex I (oil), Annex V (garbage), Annex VI (air pollution) and so on. Related records include the Oil Record Book and the Garbage Record Book.
Examples
Throwing plastic into the sea is prohibited under MARPOL Annex V.
The new engineer was trained to fill in the Oil Record Book in line with MARPOL.
Usage note
The name comes from 'marine pollution'. The convention dates from 1973 and was changed by a protocol in 1978, so you may also see 'MARPOL 73/78'.
Common phrases
MARPOL Annex I · MARPOL violation · Oil Record Book · special area
The international radio distress signal, spoken three times, used when a ship, aircraft or person is in grave and imminent danger and needs immediate help.
Where you use it
A distress call starts 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is…', followed by the ship's name, call sign, position, the nature of the distress and the help required. It is usually sent first by DSC and then by voice on VHF channel 16.
Examples
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is motor vessel Blue Star, Blue Star, Blue Star.
The coast station acknowledged the mayday and sent a rescue boat.
Usage note
It comes from the French 'm'aider' (help me). Making a false mayday call is a serious offence in most countries.
Common phrases
send a mayday · mayday call · mayday relay · acknowledge a mayday
Very High Frequency: the short-range marine radio band that ships use to talk to each other, to pilots, ports and VTS, and to send distress, urgency and safety calls.
Where you use it
Seafarers say 'call them on VHF', 'listen on channel 16' and 'switch to channel 12'. Bridge VHF sets have DSC for automatic distress alerts, and handheld VHFs are used during mooring and in survival craft.
Examples
Call the pilot station on VHF channel 12 one hour before arrival.
The forward station lost contact on the handheld VHF during mooring.
Usage note
VHF only works over short distances, roughly within sight of the horizon; long-range calls use MF/HF radio or satellite systems.
Common phrases
call on VHF · VHF channel · handheld VHF · VHF DSC · VHF working channel
IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases: a standard set of English phrases and rules for ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore and on-board communication, designed to avoid misunderstandings.
Where you use it
Adopted by IMO in 2001 and required knowledge for deck officers under STCW. It uses message markers such as INSTRUCTION, ADVICE, WARNING, INFORMATION, QUESTION, ANSWER, REQUEST and INTENTION, and avoids contractions and unclear modal verbs like 'may' and 'could'.
Examples
In SMCP you say 'QUESTION: Do I have permission to enter the fairway?' instead of 'May I enter?'
Our cadets practise SMCP every week in the bridge simulator.
Usage note
SMCP is not a separate language but simplified English with fixed patterns. Learn the phrases exactly, because on the radio even small changes can cause confusion.
Common phrases
use SMCP · SMCP message markers · standard phrases · SMCP training
The radio urgency signal, spoken three times, used when there is an urgent problem concerning the safety of a ship or a person but no grave and imminent danger.
Where you use it
Typical reasons are a medical emergency on board or a loss of propulsion with no immediate danger. In priority it ranks below mayday and above sécurité.
Examples
Pan-pan, pan-pan, pan-pan, all stations, this is tanker Aegean Sun: we have lost propulsion.
The master sent a pan-pan call to get medical help for an injured crew member.
Usage note
It comes from the French 'panne' (breakdown). Say it clearly, as two words, three times: 'pan pan, pan pan, pan pan'.
Common phrases
pan-pan call · urgency message · send a pan-pan · all stations
The international VHF frequency (156.8 MHz) reserved for distress, urgency and safety calls and for first contact between stations. Ships at sea keep listening on it at all times.
Where you use it
Stations call on channel 16 and then switch to a working channel for the conversation, keeping 16 free. Ships keep a continuous listening watch on it, as well as a DSC watch on channel 70.
Examples
We made contact on channel 16 and then switched to channel 6 to talk.
The coast guard called all ships on channel 16 about a missing fishing boat.
Usage note
Say 'channel one six'; on the radio, numbers are read digit by digit.
Common phrases
listen on channel 16 · call on channel 16 · switch to a working channel · keep channel 16 clear
The standard radio phrase used to ask the other station to repeat all or part of a message that was not heard or understood.
Where you use it
Used in SMCP and on all marine and aviation radio: 'Say again', 'Say again your ETA', 'Say again all after…'. It is also common in conversations on the bridge and on the phone.
Examples
Say again your position, I did not copy.
Because of noise on the channel, the pilot asked us to say again our draught.
Usage note
In SMCP the speaker uses 'repeat' to repeat an important part of their own message, so to ask someone else, say 'say again', not 'repeat'.
Common phrases
say again please · say again your ETA · say again all after · I say again
Global Maritime Distress and Safety System: the international system of radio and satellite equipment and procedures that lets ships send distress alerts and receive safety information anywhere at sea.
Where you use it
It includes DSC on VHF, MF and HF, NAVTEX, satellite communication, EPIRBs and SARTs. The equipment a ship carries depends on its GMDSS sea area (A1 to A4), and deck officers hold a GMDSS operator certificate.
Examples
The GMDSS equipment is tested daily and the results are written in the radio log.
She holds a GMDSS General Operator's Certificate.
Common phrases
GMDSS equipment · GMDSS operator · GMDSS sea area · GMDSS radio log · General Operator's Certificate (GOC)
The radio safety signal, spoken three times, used before a message about navigational or weather safety, such as a buoy out of position or a gale warning.
Where you use it
Pronounced 'say-cure-ee-tay' and usually written SECURITE. Coast stations and VTS use it for navigational warnings, and ships use it to warn others, for example about a floating container. It has the lowest priority of the three signals.
Examples
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité, all ships, this is Istanbul Traffic: a navigational warning follows.
We sent a sécurité message about a drifting container in the traffic lane.
Usage note
It is the French word for 'safety'. The order of priority is always mayday (distress), pan-pan (urgency), then sécurité (safety).
The officer in overall command of a merchant ship, legally responsible for the safety of the ship, crew, passengers and cargo. In everyday speech the master is called the captain.
Where you use it
'Master' is the official word in laws, conventions, logbooks and charter parties: master's signature, master's authority, master's standing orders. On board and on the radio people usually say 'Captain'.
Examples
The master signed the notice of readiness and sent it to the agent.
The master has the final say on whether it is safe to sail.
Usage note
A 'master mariner' is a person who holds the highest deck certificate of competency, whether or not they are commanding a ship at the moment.
The senior deck officer, second in command after the master. The chief officer is usually responsible for cargo work, stability, deck maintenance and the deck crew.
Where you use it
Also called 'chief mate' or simply 'the mate', and written C/O in messages. On many ships the chief officer keeps the 04–08 watch at sea and supervises loading and discharging in port.
Examples
The chief officer prepared the stowage plan and checked the stability.
Please send the cargo figures to the chief officer before the draught survey.
Common phrases
report to the chief officer · chief officer's watch · promoted to chief officer · chief mate
The most senior engineer on board, responsible for the main engine and all machinery, fuel and the engine room crew. The chief engineer reports directly to the master.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to 'the chief' or written C/E. The chief engineer signs bunker documents, plans maintenance and decides with the master on questions of speed and fuel.
Examples
The chief engineer confirmed that the main engine is ready for departure.
Ask the chief engineer how much fuel we will have on arrival.
Usage note
'The chief' usually means the chief engineer, while 'the mate' usually means the chief officer. Context decides, so ask if you are not sure.
Common phrases
report to the chief engineer · chief engineer's approval · chief engineer's standing orders
A fixed period of duty on the bridge or in the engine room, traditionally four hours, during which a person is responsible for safe navigation or for the machinery.
Where you use it
Seafarers keep, take over and hand over the watch. The usual pattern is four hours on and eight hours off, so the 00–04, 04–08 and 08–12 watches repeat twice a day. Keeping a lookout is a separate duty that is often part of the watch.
Examples
The third officer hands over the watch to the second officer at midnight.
Never leave the bridge during your watch until you have been properly relieved.
Common phrases
keep a watch · take over the watch · hand over the watch · navigational watch · anchor watch
All the people who work on board a ship, from the master to the ratings. It can also mean only the ratings, as distinct from the officers.
Where you use it
Common expressions are crew list, crew change, crew member and crew on board. In British English 'crew' can take a singular or plural verb: 'the crew is' or 'the crew are on board'.
Examples
The crew list must be sent to the agent 48 hours before arrival.
We have a crew change in Rotterdam: five crew members will sign off.
Usage note
'Crew' is a group noun; for one person say 'a crew member' or 'a seafarer', not 'a crew'.
Common phrases
crew list · crew change · crew member · sign on · sign off
The deck or engineer officer in charge of a watch. On the bridge, the OOW represents the master and is responsible for safe navigation during that watch.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to OOW, or EOOW for the engineer officer of the watch. The OOW follows the master's standing orders and night orders, keeps the logbook and calls the master whenever in doubt.
Examples
The officer of the watch called the master when the ship ahead suddenly slowed down.
The officer of the watch must never leave the bridge unattended.
Common phrases
relieve the officer of the watch · duties of the officer of the watch · engineer officer of the watch · OOW certificate
An experienced deck rating who is qualified to steer, keep a lookout, handle mooring lines and do maintenance work on deck.
Where you use it
Almost always called 'AB'. ABs work under the bosun during the day and stand bridge watches as helmsman and lookout. The rank below AB is ordinary seaman (OS).
Examples
The able seaman on watch reported a white light on the port bow.
We need two able seamen at the forward mooring station.
Usage note
STCW uses the gender-neutral term 'able seafarer deck'; in daily speech 'AB' is used for everyone.
Common phrases
AB on watch · AB as helmsman · AB as lookout · ordinary seaman (OS)
The senior deck rating, who leads the deck crew in maintenance, mooring and cargo work and takes daily orders from the chief officer.
Where you use it
Spelled 'boatswain' in official documents but always pronounced, and often written, 'bosun'. The bosun plans the day's work with the chief officer, handles the windlass when anchoring and looks after the deck store.
Examples
The bosun and two ABs are chipping rust on the main deck.
Ask the bosun to stand by at the windlass for anchoring.
Usage note
'Boatswain' is pronounced /ˈboʊsən/, not 'boat-swain'. Turkish 'lostromo' comes from Italian 'nostromo', like many old Turkish sea words of Italian origin.
Common phrases
bosun's store · bosun's chair · report to the bosun · bosun and deck crew
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which sets minimum international standards for seafarers' training, certificates and watchkeeping.
Where you use it
Adopted in 1978 and revised in 1995 and again in 2010 by the Manila amendments. Seafarers speak of STCW certificates, STCW basic safety training and rest-hour rules, and job adverts list the STCW regulation for each rank, such as II/1 or III/2.
Examples
Your STCW basic safety training certificate expires next month.
Under STCW, a seafarer must have at least ten hours of rest in any 24-hour period.
A student or trainee officer who works on board to complete the sea time and training needed for a first officer's certificate. Cadets are either deck cadets or engine cadets.
Where you use it
Cadets complete a training record book that officers sign, join drills and watches under supervision, and often help with paperwork. Many companies run cadet programmes and later employ their cadets as junior officers.
Examples
The deck cadet is keeping the 08–12 watch with the third officer.
Our cadets must complete their training record books before signing off.
Common phrases
deck cadet · engine cadet · cadet programme · training record book · sea time
A document issued by the carrier when goods are loaded. It acts as a receipt for the cargo, as evidence of the contract of carriage and as a document of title that can be transferred.
Where you use it
Shortened to B/L or BL. Masters and agents issue, sign and release bills of lading; a 'clean' B/L has no remarks about damaged cargo. The cargo is normally delivered only against an original B/L.
Examples
The agent will issue the bills of lading on behalf of the master after loading.
We cannot sign a clean bill of lading because several bags are torn.
Usage note
The plural is 'bills of lading', not 'bill of ladings'.
Common phrases
issue a bill of lading · clean bill of lading · original bill of lading · sign the bills of lading · release the B/L
The contract between a shipowner and a charterer for hiring a ship, either for a voyage or for a period of time. It sets out the freight or hire, the cargo, the ports and the laytime.
Where you use it
Shortened to C/P. Most charter parties are based on standard forms such as GENCON for voyage charters and NYPE for time charters, with extra rider clauses. Masters must follow its terms, for example on speed and fuel consumption.
Examples
According to the charter party, laytime starts six hours after the notice of readiness is tendered.
The owners and charterers signed the charter party last week.
Usage note
'Party' here has nothing to do with a celebration; it comes from the old French 'charte partie', a document divided into two parts.
Common phrases
voyage charter party · time charter party · charter party terms · rider clause · GENCON form
A person or company that owns one or more ships and either operates them or hires them out to charterers.
Where you use it
In contracts usually 'the Owners', in the plural, even for a single company. The shipowner employs the crew directly or through a manager, insures the ship and is responsible for its seaworthiness. Day-to-day ship management may be done by a separate company.
Examples
The shipowner ordered two new bulk carriers from a yard in China.
The shipowner has instructed the master to sail at economical speed.
Common phrases
shipowner and charterer · shipowners' association · on behalf of the shipowner · the Owners
The person or company that hires a ship from the shipowner under a charter party, either to carry its own cargo or to trade the ship.
Where you use it
In contracts usually 'the Charterers'. Under a time charter the charterer gives voyage orders and pays for fuel and port costs; under a voyage charter it pays freight and, if loading or discharging takes too long, demurrage.
Examples
The charterers have ordered the vessel to load at Constanța.
Bunkers on delivery will be paid for by the charterer.
The money paid to the carrier for transporting goods by sea. In general English it can also mean the goods themselves.
Where you use it
In chartering, freight is quoted per tonne or as a lump sum: 'freight USD 25 per metric tonne'. Bills of lading are marked 'freight prepaid' or 'freight collect'. Under a time charter the payment is called 'hire', not freight.
Examples
Freight is payable within five banking days after the bills of lading are signed.
Freight rates in the dry bulk market can change sharply in a single week.
Usage note
The 'gh' is silent: freight is pronounced /freɪt/ and rhymes with 'eight'.
Money that the charterer pays the shipowner when loading or discharging takes longer than the laytime agreed in the charter party. It is usually a fixed daily rate.
Where you use it
Used in claims and laytime calculations: 'the vessel is on demurrage', 'demurrage USD 15,000 per day pro rata'. Money paid for finishing early is called despatch. In container shipping, demurrage also means charges for leaving containers too long at the terminal.
Examples
The vessel has been on demurrage since Monday because of congestion at the port.
The owners sent a demurrage claim of USD 48,000 to the charterers.
Usage note
A well-known chartering principle is 'once on demurrage, always on demurrage': after laytime has run out, interruptions usually no longer stop the clock unless the contract says otherwise.
Common phrases
on demurrage · demurrage rate · demurrage claim · despatch · laytime and demurrage
The period of time agreed in a charter party for loading or discharging cargo without any extra payment to the shipowner.
Where you use it
Laytime is expressed in days or hours, or as a rate such as '8,000 tonnes per weather working day'. It usually starts after the notice of readiness, and the events that affect it are recorded in a statement of facts (SOF).
Examples
Laytime will commence at 0800 on Monday, twelve hours after NOR was tendered.
The agent's statement of facts shows that laytime expired on Thursday.
A formal notice from the master to the charterer or receiver stating that the ship has arrived and is ready in all respects to load or discharge. It is shortened to NOR.
Where you use it
The master 'tenders' the NOR, usually by email through the agent, and the charterer 'accepts' it. Its timing matters because laytime normally starts from it, so the exact time and conditions are carefully recorded.
Examples
The master tendered notice of readiness at 1030 on arrival at the anchorage.
The charterers rejected the notice of readiness because the holds had not passed inspection.
Common phrases
tender notice of readiness · accept the NOR · NOR tendered · valid NOR
The country in which a ship is registered and whose flag it flies. Its laws apply on board, and it issues the ship's statutory certificates or authorises others to issue them.
Where you use it
Seafarers talk about the flag, the port of registry and changing flag. Many ships fly the flags of open registries such as Panama, Liberia or the Marshall Islands, which are often called flags of convenience.
Examples
The flag state must endorse officers' certificates that were issued by another country.
Last year the vessel changed her flag state from Malta to Türkiye.
Common phrases
flag state inspection · flag state requirements · change of flag · flag of convenience
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn maritime & shipping vocabulary
Start with the parts of the ship and the directions on board: bow, stern, port, starboard, ahead and astern. Orders on deck, on the bridge and on the radio use them all the time.
Learn the IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) exactly as they are written, including message markers such as INSTRUCTION, ADVICE and WARNING. On VHF, fixed patterns are safer than everyday English.
Read real texts from the field: logbook entries, passage plans, safety management manuals, port information guides, charter parties and published marine accident investigation reports. They show how the terms are used in context.
Learn abbreviations together with their full forms: ETA, NOR, B/L, OOW, DWT and TEU appear in almost every email between ships, agents and charterers.
Say the trap words aloud: bow rhymes with now, quay sounds like key, bosun is the spoken form of boatswain, and starboard ends like bird.
Frequently asked questions
What is SMCP and do seafarers really need it?
SMCP stands for the IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases, adopted by IMO in 2001. It is a set of simplified English phrases for radio and on-board communication, built to avoid misunderstandings between crews with different first languages. Under STCW, officers in charge of a navigational watch must be able to use and understand it, so it is part of maritime training and officer exams.
Why do seafarers say port and starboard instead of left and right?
Left and right change with the way a person is facing, but port and starboard are fixed to the ship: looking towards the bow, port is always on the left and starboard on the right. Starboard comes from the old steering oar on the right-hand side of ships. The left side was once called larboard, but it sounded too similar to starboard, so port replaced it.
Is a ship 'she' or 'it' in English?
Both are correct. Seafarers have traditionally called ships 'she', and you will hear it on board, on the radio and in many charter parties. Some publications, such as Lloyd's List since 2002, use 'it', and 'it' is common in modern reports and emails.
How fast is a knot?
One knot is one nautical mile per hour, which is 1.852 kilometres per hour. A ship making 15 knots therefore travels about 28 kilometres in an hour. Because the unit already includes 'per hour', say 'fifteen knots', not 'fifteen knots per hour'.
Is there an official English exam for seafarers, like ICAO Level 4 for pilots?
There is no single international English test for seafarers. STCW requires officers to have enough English to use charts and publications, understand safety messages and communicate with other ships, coast stations and multilingual crews, including the use of SMCP. Maritime schools assess this in their own exams, and many crewing companies test candidates' maritime English before hiring.
