Okuzeka
Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Ports & Port Calls

Quay

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

/kiː/nounCommon term

In maritime & shipping, quay means: A long stone or concrete structure along the shore of a port where ships tie up to load and discharge.

In Turkish: rıhtım

How it is used

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'.

Example sentences

  1. The containers are stacked on the quay waiting for the next ship.

  2. The pilot wants us to approach the quay at less than one knot.

Common collocations

  • alongside the quay
  • quay crane
  • quayside
  • quay wall
  • berthA 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.
  • portA 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.
  • fenderA 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.
  • bollardA short, thick post of steel or iron on a quay or on a ship's deck, to which mooring lines are made fast.

More terms: Ports & Port Calls

Practise with graded reading

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