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Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Safety & Emergencies

Abandon ship

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

phraseCore term

In maritime & shipping, abandon ship means: 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.

In Turkish: gemiyi terk, gemiyi terk etmek

How it is used

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.

Example sentences

  1. The master gave the order to abandon ship after the fire reached the engine room.

  2. Today's abandon ship drill will include lowering the starboard lifeboat.

Common collocations

  • abandon ship drill
  • abandon ship signal
  • order to abandon ship
  • abandon ship procedure
  • lifeboatA 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.
  • liferaftAn 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.
  • muster stationA fixed place on a ship where crew and passengers gather when the alarm sounds, so that everyone can be counted and given instructions.
  • SOLASThe 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.

More terms: Safety & Emergencies

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