Okuzeka
Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Deck Work & Seamanship

Deck

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

/dek/nounCore term

In maritime & shipping, deck means: 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.

In Turkish: güverte, güverte bölümü

How it is used

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.

Example sentences

  1. All deck crew to be on deck at 0800 for mooring stations.

  2. She started as a deck cadet and is now a second officer.

Common collocations

  • main deck
  • on deck
  • deck crew
  • deck officer
  • deck cargo
  • bosunThe senior deck rating, who leads the deck crew in maintenance, mooring and cargo work and takes daily orders from the chief officer.
  • chief officerThe 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.
  • able seaman (AB)An experienced deck rating who is qualified to steer, keep a lookout, handle mooring lines and do maintenance work on deck.
  • hatch coverThe 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.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Deck Work & Seamanship

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: