Term	Definition
Abaft	Aft of; farther aft than.
Access Holes	Holes cut in ship’s structure to permit entering or leaving various compartments.
Accommodation Ladder	A portable set of steps on a ship’s side for the accommodation of people boarding from small boats or from a pier.
Aft	Toward, at, or near stern.
After	Nearer stern.
Aftermost	Nearest the stern.
After Body	Hull form aft of the midship section.
After Peak	The compartment in the narrow part of the stern, aft of the last watertight bulkhead.
After Peak Bulkhead	Watertight bulkhead farthest aft.
After Perpendicular	A vertical straight line at, or near the after edge of rudder post.
Air Hammer	Hammer driven by compressed air for riveting, or chipping. Sometimes called an air gun or ‘gun.’
Air Port	A circular opening or window through the ship’s, or deckhouse, for light or ventilation.
Amidships	At or near the midship section of the ship.
Anchor	A heavy hook-shaped device for holding a ship at rest in water. The anchor grips the ocean bottom and is fastened to the ship by a chain.
Angle Clip	A short piece of angle bar.
Angle Collar	A ring made of angle bar.
Anneal	To soften metal by heating and allowing it to cool slowly.
Anode	Zink or aluminum or some such alloy that is fixed to the hull of a vessel. They are ‘eaten’  up by electrical currents moving from the vessel to the water. The anode is sacrificed to protect the metal hull of the vessel without the anode, the hull plating would be dissolved by electrolysis.
Aperture	A recess in which the propeller is located.
Assemble	To fit together small parts, in making a large section, or part .
Athwartship	Across the ship at right angles to the centerline.
Auxiliaries	Machinery supplementary to main propulsive units.
Awning Deck	Shade deck above another deck.
Ballast	Any weight or weights (usually sea water, but could be concrete, scrap steel, etc.) used to keep the ship from becoming ‘top heavy’ or to change her trim. Some of the largest cannons in the navy were on hospital ships they were in the bilge for ballast.
Ballast Tank	Watertight compartment to hold ballast.
Barge	A water tight vessel that floats in water. Barges also come in open and closed hopper styles, and with flat decks.
Barnacle	Small marine growth which attaches itself to a vessel’s hull in large numbers, often greatly retarding her speed.
Term	Definition
Battens	Long strips of wood used in the mold loft for fairing lines; also, wooden protective strips in cargo holds; see hatch battens.
Beam	An athwartship member supporting a portion of a deck. Also, the width of the ship.
Beam Knee	(See Bracket)
Below	Below a deck or decks (corresponding to ‘downstairs’).
Bend	To fasten; as, to  bend  on  a  rope
Bending Rolls	Large machine used to give curvature to plates. Also see ‘press brake’.
Bending Slab	Heavy cast iron perforated slabs arranged to form a large floor on which frames, etc., are bent.
Berth	A place for a ship; a place to sleep; a bunk; also, a specified small section of the hull structure.
Between Decks	The space between any two decks.
Bevel	The angle between the flanges of a frame or other member.(When greater than a right angle, open bevel; when less, closed.) Also, to chamfer.
Bilge	Curved section between the bottom and the side of a ship; the recess into which all water drains.
Bilge Blocks	Supporting blocks used under bilge for support during construction or dry docking.
Bilge	A fore and aft member fitted to the outside of the shell plating along the bilge, to prevent excessive rolling of the ship.
Bilge Pump	Pump for removing bilge water.
Bilge Strake	Course of plates at the bilge.
Bilge Water	Water in ship due to leaks, sweat, etc.
Bilge Well	A sump to which bilge water drains.
Binnacle	A case, box, or stand containing a ship’s compass, adjusting magnets, and a lamp for use at night.
Bitt	A vertical post used in making fastlines; a bollard.
Bitumastic	An elastic cement used in place of paint to protect steel.
Boat Deck	A deck on which lifeboats are kept.
Body Plan	A drawing which shows frame lines in elevation.
Boiler	Container in which water is heated to form steam.
Boiler Chocks	Stay braces which prevent fore and aft movement of boilers.
Boiler Foundation	A support for a boiler.
Bollard	A single tie post (see bitt).
Booby Hatch	A watertight covering over a deck opening, which is used for a stairway or ladder.
Boom	A long, round, heavy spar, pivoted at one end, usually used for handling cargo, etc.
Boom Rest	A support for a boom when the boom is not in use.
Boom Step	A socket for end of boom.
Bosom Piece	A short piece of angle riveted over a butt joint of two angles, a butt strap for angle bars; a splice piece.
Boss	The curved swelling portion of the ship’s hull around the propeller shaft.
Boss Frame	A hull frame which is bent for clearing propeller shaft tube boss
Boss Plate	A shell plate covering the curved portion of hull where the propeller shaft passes outboard.
Term	Definition
Bow	The forward end of a vessel. (Usually the pointed end.)
Bowsprit	A spar projecting forward from the bow of a vessel used to attach sails and stays.
Bracket	A triangular plate used to connect rigidly two or more parts, such as a deck beam to a frame, a frame to a margin plate, etc.
Braze	To heat and join by means of hard solder (spelter). This may be brass, bronze, or other alloys.
Breakwater	A braced guard plate which prevents solid water from sweeping the decks.
Breast Cap	Small plate on top of bulwark, at stem of vessel to stiffen bulwark.
Breast Hook	A triangular-shaped plate extending horizontally across the bow behind the stem, stiffening the stringers and stem.
Bridge, Navigating	A deck from which the ship is navigated.
Bridge Deck	A deck of the superstructure amidships.
Brow	A watershed over an airport; a small inclined runway to allow passage of trucks over hatch coaming, or through bulkhead door, etc.; sometimes portable.
Buck frame	In a double skin tank barge, these frames act as spacers in the void tanks. A 4’6’ wide void might have 2 vertical 8’ channel iron with 3’ x 3’ x 5/16’ angle iron between. Also called a transverse truss.
Building Slip	A place where the ship is built; a shipway.
Bulb Angle	An angle shape, which is reinforced at one toe.
Bulb Plate	A narrow plate reinforced on one edge.
Bulb Tee	A Tee bar with toe of web reinforced.
Bulkhead	A vertical partition corresponding to the wall of a room, extending either athwartships or fore and aft. A steel partition in a ship.
Bulkhead Sluice	A small opening in a watertight bulkhead which can be opened or closed from the deck above.
Bulwark	The ship’s side above the weather deck.
Bull Riveting	Driving rivets by squeezing them with a high powered air or hydraulic machine.
Bunker	A compartment used for the stowage of coal or other fuel.
Buoyancy	Ability to float; lifting power when immersed.
Butt	The joint formed when two parts are placed edge to edge.
Buttock	A distance from centerline; an intersection of moulded surface with a vertical longitudinal plane.
Butt Strap	A small plate used to connect the two parts of a butt joint by overlapping each; a splice piece.
Butterworth (TM) Gun	Butterworth is  the name of a company that manufactures automatic tank wash machines. The machines can be hose mounted or permanent. The water flowing through the machine causes the wash nozzles to turn..
Butterworth Hatch	An opening on the deck of a vessel opened when cleaning or ventilating the tanks. May be round or square, secured by bolts or dogs.
Button	A cast or fabricated deck item, usually round, that is used to thread cables between vessels when they are madeup.
Caboose	A kitchen on deck.
Term	Definition
Camber	The athwartship rise or crown of a deck.
Cant Frame	A frame which is not square to the keel line.
Capstan	A revolving drum, with vertical axis, used for heaving in lines.
Cargo	The freight carried by a ship.
Cargo Battens	Strips of wood used to keep cargo away from the steel hull.
Cargo Boom	A heavy boom used in handling cargo.
Cargo Hatch	A large opening in a deck which permits the loading of cargo into holds.
Cargo Port	An opening in a ship’s side used in loading and unloading cargo.
Casing Bulkheads	Walls enclosing portion of vessel, as the boiler room casing. Also a covering for parts of machinery.
Cat’s paw	A light puff of wind.
Caulk	To make a joint watertight. The old saying  ‘the devil to pay and a half bucket of pitch’ referred to a very big joint to be caulked (pay) with the pitch and there may not be enough pitch.
Caulker	One who caulks.
Ceiling Wood	Sheathing on the tank top, sides of ship, and bulkheads; used to protect cargo.
Center Keelson	(See vertical keel).
Center Line	The middle line of the ship, extending from stem to stern .
Chafing Plate	A bent plate used in minimizing chafing of ropes, as at hatches.
Chain Locker	A compartment in the forward portion of ship in which anchor chain is stowed.
Chain Pipe	A pipe for passage of anchor chain from deck to chain locker.
Chain Riveting	Two or more rows of rivets spaces so that the rivets in one row are opposite those in an adjacent row.
Chain Stopper	A device which prevents anchor chain from running out. It is moved into position after the anchor has been dropped.
Chamfer	To cut off the sharp edge of a 90o corner. To trim to an acute angle.
Channel Iron	A steel shape commonly used in vessel construction.
Chart Room	A small room adjacent to the Pilot House in which charts and navigating instruments are located.
Chock	A heavy fitting through which ropes or hawsers may be led. A saddle or seat of wood or metal.
Chock Boat	A cradle or support for a lifeboat.
Chock Roller	A chock with a sheave to prevent chafing of ropes.
Cleat	A fitting having two arms or horns around which ropes may be made fast. Also called a kevel. A clip on the frames of a ship used to hold cargo battens in place.
Clinching Pan	A flat plate for clinching nails. (Used in the mold loft.)
Coaming	The vertical boundary of a hatch or skylight.
Cofferdam	A narrow vacant space between two bulkheads. A double watertight bulkhead.
Collar	A flanged band or ring. A welded plate used to close a frame or beam penetration through plating.
Collision Bulkhead	The watertight bulkhead nearest the bow of a ship; forepeak bulkhead.
Term	Definition
Companionway	A covered stairway leading downward from an open deck. A series of steps leading from the deck to a cabin or saloon below; also, the space occupied by these steps.
Compartment	A subdivision of space or room in a ship.
Corrugated	Having a series of wrinkles or grooves arranged so as to produce stiffness.
Corrugated Bulkheads	Bulkheads with corrugated plating, eliminating the need for many welded stiffeners.
Counter	Overhang of the stern of a ship.
Countersink	To taper a hole for a flush rivet or bolt.
Cowl	The hoodshaped top of a ventilator pipe.
Cradle	A form on which bows, etc., are assembled. The support in which a ship rests during launching; a launching cradle.
Cross-header	A pipeline that crosses over a tank providing a transit for cargo without tying into the vessel.
Cycloidal propulsion system	A system of vertical blades that have taken the place of propellers for propulsion in some applications. Made by Voith Hydro GmbH & Co.. Generically referred to as a ‘tractor system’.
Davit	A crane arm used in handling small boats, lifeboats, stores, gear, etc.
Dead Flat	A portion of a ship’s side or bottom where the plating has no curvature; also, the midship portion of constant cross section.(The parallel middle body.)
Dead Man	A buried timber (etc.) that has an attached pipe or cable going to the surface for the purpose of securing a vessel at a dock or along a riverbank.
Dead Rise	The rise or upward slant of the bottom of a ship from the keel to the bilge.
Deadweight	The total weight of cargo, fuel, water, stores, passengers and crew, and their effects, which a ship can carry.
Deck	A part of a ship corresponding to the floor of a building.
Deckhouse	A shelter built on deck.
Declivity	Inclination of shipways to provide for launching.
Deep Tank	A deep compartment usually extending from tank top to lower deck.
Derrick	A device for hoisting heavy weights, cargo, etc.
Die	A tool for forming a rivet head (applied to rivet dies).
Displacement	The total weight of the ship when afloat, including everything on board, (equals weight of water displaced.) Usually expressed in long tons.
Dog	A small bent metal fitting used in closing doors, hatch covers, manhole covers, etc.; a bent bar of round iron used in holding shapes on bending slab; any small flat lug temporarily welded to structure as backing for a wedge.
Dolly Bar	A heavy bar to hold against a rivet, to give backing when riveting.
Double Bottom	Compartments at bottom of ship between inner and outer bottoms, used for ballast tanks, water, fuel, oil, etc.
Doubling Plate	A plate fitted outside or inside of another to give extra strength or stiffness.
Drag	The amount the stern end of the keel is below the bow end when the ship is afloat, but not on an even keel.
Term	Definition
Draft	The vertical distance of the lowest point of the ship below the surface of the water, when afloat. Draft marks are the painted numbers on the side of a vessel.
Drift Pin	A small tapered tool used in aligning holes in adjacent members.
Drop Strake	A strake discontinued near the bow or stern.
Drydock	A watertight vessel fitted with pumps and valves usually built in a ushape. The valves are opened, the vessel sinks, the vessel to be docked is pulled over the drydock deck, the valves are closed and the pumps are started, as the drydock becomes more buoyant, drydocking the vessel to be repaired.
Erecting	The process of hoisting into place and bolting the various parts of a ship’s hull.
Even Keel	A ship is said to be on an even keel when the keel is level or parallel to the surface of the water.
Expansion Trunk	Raised portion of tank used on some oil tankers to allow for the expansion of oil when temperature changes.
Eye Bolt	Bolt whose head is in the form of a ring or eye.
Fabricate	To make assemblies from ‘raw’ material.
Face Plate	A narrow stiffening plate welded alone the edge of any web frame or stiffener.
Fairing or Fairing Up	Correcting or fairing up a ship’s lines or structural members; assembling the parts of ship so that they will be fair, that is, without kinks, bumps, or waves.
Fairlead	A fitting through or over which a rope, line, etc., maybe led so as to change its direction without excessive friction.
Fairwater	Plate or casting used to preserve streamline flow past hull structure or propeller hub.
Fathom	Six feet.
Fathometer	A device to measure the depth of water, by timing the travel of a sound wave from the ship to the ocean bottom and return.
Faying Surface	The contact surface between two adjoining parts.
Fender	A portable device to protect a ship when bumping a pier; sometimes made of wood, rope, etc.; permanently installed extension which protects the hull of a ship in docking.
Fidley	Casing top over boiler room.
Fidley Hatch	A hatch over boiler room.
Figurehead	The bust, often of a woman, on the bow of a vessel, just under the bowsprit.
Flagstaff	Flagpole at stern of ship; ensign staff.
Flange	A part of a plate or shape at, or nearly at, right angles to main port; to bend over to form an angle.
Flare	The sudden widening of the shell at top near the bow.
Flat	A small partial deck (built level) without curvature.
Floor	The lower portion of a transverse frame, usually a vertical plate extending from center line to bilge, and from inner to outer bottom.
Flotsam	Floating objects or debris in the water wreckage that floats after a vessel sinks.
Fore and Aft	In line with the length of the ship, longitudinally.
Fore and Aft Gangway	A walkway between deckhouses at or near centerline of ship.
Term	Definition
Forebody	A hull form forward of the midship section.
Forecastle	The forward upper portion of the hull, sometimes used for the crew’s quarters.
Forefoot	The part of the keel which curves and rises to meet the Stem.
Forepeak	The large compartment or tank, at the bow in the lower part of the ship.
Forepeak Bulkhead	Collision bulkhead; bulkhead nearest bow.
Forging	Steel worked to special shape by hammering while red hot.
Forward	Near, at, or toward, the bow of the ship.
Forward Perpendicular	A vertical line through the intersection of the stem with the load water line.
Foundations	Supports for boilers, engines, and auxiliary machinery.
Foundations, Auxiliary	Supports for small machinery, such as winches, condensers, heaters, etc.
Frames	Ribs forming the skeleton of a ship.
Frames	Continuous Frames combining side frames and floors.
Frame, Side	Frame inside a ship, above and connecting to margin plate or floor plates.
Frame Spacing	The fore and aft distance between adjacent frames.
Frame, Web	A heavy side or continuous frame, made with web plate for extra stiffness.
Freeboard	The vertical distance from the upper watertight deck to waterline, when the ship is fully loaded.
Freeboard Mark	(See Plimsoll mark.)
Freeing Port	Hole through bulwark which provides ready drainage of water from deck.
Funnel	A smokestack of a vessel.
Furnace	A heater or large forge for heating plates or shapes for bending; to bend by heating in furnace.
Galley	A cook room or kitchen.
Galley Dresser	A cook’s work table.
Galvanizing	Coating metal parts with zinc for protection from rust.
Gangway	A passageway, a ladder, or other means of boarding a ship.
Garboard Strake	The course of plates next to the keel of a ship.
Gasket	Packing of canvas composition, or other material, used in making a tight joint.
Girder	Fore and aft stiffening member for deck or bottom shell.
Girth	Any expanded length.
Grab Rods	Bent rods welded to bulkheads or ship’s side to form a ladder.
Grating	Light platform or walkway built up of metal bars, used for access to machinery.
Graving Dock	A arrangement for getting vessels out of the water so that bottom work can be done. Usually a slip is dug in the shore, a vessel is floated in, a wall is placed across the open end of the slip and the water is pumped out of the ‘tank’. Often used for very heavy objects.
Grommet	A soft ring used under a nut or bolt head to maintain water tightness.
Ground Ways	Timbers secured to the ground, under the hull on each side of the keel, on which a ship is launched.
Gudgeons	Bosses on stern post drilled for pins (Pintles) on which rudder swings.
Term	Definition
Gunwale	The junction of deck and shell at top of sheer strake.
Gunwale Bar	Angle iron which connects stringer plate and shell plates. (Riveted work)
Gyro Compass	A mechanical compass operated by means of a gyroscope. This compass indicates true north rather than magnetic north.
Gyro Repeater	An apparatus to show the reading of the gyro compass at a distance from the main gyroscope equipment.
Hatch	An opening in a deck for passage of cargo, etc.
Hatch Battens	Flat bars which are wedged against hatch coamings to secure tarpaulins.
Hatch Beam	A portable beam used to support wooden hatch covers.
Hawse Pipe	Casting, or castings, through deck and side of ship at bow for passage of anchor chain.
Hawser	A large rope used in towing or mooring.
Headlog	The bow plate on a vessel that is made of thick steel plate.
Heeling	The inclination of a vessel to one side.
Hogging	Straining of the ship which tends to make the bow and stern lower than the middle portion.
Hold	The inside of a hull; cargo space.
Hold Beams	Structural members placed in a hold, similar to deck beams, but having no plating or planking on them.
Holder-n	One who ‘backs up’ or ‘holds on’ the head of a rivet while the point is being ‘driven’, or upset.
Horn	To line or square-up; also, part of a cleat.
Hull	The body of a ship, including shell plating, framing, decks, bulkheads.
I-Beam	A structural shape with cross section resembling the letter I.
Inboard	Inside the ship; toward or nearer the center line.
Inboard Profile	A drawing of the longitudinal section at centerline of ship.
Inert Gas	A gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen that is used to make an oxygen deficient atmosphere. Inerted tanks are useful for preserving cargo integrity and reducing the explosive potential of cargo tanks.
Inerted	Implies that a tank is filled with an inert gas.
Innage	A measurement of liquid cargo in a tank. It is the distance from the top of the cargo to the bottom of the tank. It is the opposite of ullage.
Inner Bottom	Plating forming the upper surface of the double bottom. Also called tank top.
Inner Shell	A plated surface or ‘shell’ inside the outer shell plating, used as additional protection in case of collision or other accidents. The space between the inner and outer shells is often used as a storages pace for liquid ballast or cargo.
Inserted Packing Red lead	soaked canvas strips placed between connections that cannot be caulked successfully; stop waters.
Intercoastal	Made in separate parts; between frames, beams, etc., the opposite of continuous. (Floors are continuous; longitudinal girders are intercoastal in most cargo vessels.)
Isherwood System	A system of building ships in which the main framing is longitudinal or fore and aft, instead of transverse as in ordinary ships.
Jack Staff	A flag staff at the bow of a ship.
Term	Definition
Jetsam	Items that are thrown overboard from a vessel in distress. Discarded cargo that washes ashore.
Joggle	An abrupt bend or offset in a plate, bar, or frame to eliminate the use of liners.
Keel	The principal fore and aft member of a ship’s frame. The keel runs along the bottom, connecting the stem and stern, and to it are attached the frames of the ship.
Keel blocks	Heavy blocks which support the keel of the ship during construction.
Keel, Flat	The bottom shell strake on centerline of ship.
Keelson, Side	Fore and aft member placed on either side of, and similar to, the vertical keel.
Keel, Vertical	Vertical plate used as reinforcement for keel, often called centerkeelson.
Kevel	A deck fitting used to secure a line or a cable to a vessel
King Post	A stub mast, outboard from center line, used to carry cargo booms; kingposts also serve as ventilators.
Knot	A tie in a line (for instance a square knot). A nautical mile. (About one and one seventh statute miles.)
Knuckle Plate	A plate bent to form a knuckle. A knuckle is a rounded corner usually found on the bottom of a vessel. It is believed that if a vessel contacts the river bank, a vessel with rounded ‘knuckle’ plates can be dislodged easier than one that has sharp corners.
Kort Nozzles	A steel tube that surrounds a propeller, directing the water and improving efficiency.
Ladder	Inclined steps, used aboard ship in place of ‘stairs.’
Lap	A joint in which one part overlaps the other, thus avoiding the use of a butt strap; also, the amount of overlap.
Launching	The operation of placing a hull in the water by allowing it to slide down on greased skids, called launching ways.
Laying Out	Marking plates or shapes, for shearing, punching, etc.
Lazarette	Ship’s storeroom between decks.
Length Between Perpendiculars	The length of a ship measured from the forward perpendicular to the after perpendicular.
Length Over All	The length of a ship measured from the extreme forward end to the aftermost point of the stern.
Lift	To make a template from measurements taken from the job.
Lightening Hole	A hole cut in a member to reduce its weight.
Limber Hole	A small hole cut in a plate near the bottom to permit the passage of water.
Liner	A flat or tapered strip of steel placed under a plate or shape to bring the member in line with another which it overlaps. A filler.
Lines	The form of a ship as represented by its moulded surface.
List	To lean over to one side.
Load Waterline	Line of surface of water on a ship when loaded to designed draft.
Loftsman	A workman in the mold loft, who lays down ship lines and makes templates.
Longitudinal	A shell, deck, or bulkhead stiffener running fore and aft.
Lug Pad	A projection on deck with hole for fastening a block fora lead.
Main Deck	Usually the deck immediately below the shelter or weather deck.
Term	Definition
Manhole	A hole cut in a bulkhead, tank top, etc., to allow the passage of a man.
Margin Plate	The outboard row of plates of the inner bottom, connecting to the shell plating to the bilge.
Marlinspike	A pointed tapering tool which is used in separating strands of rope or cable in splicing.
Mast	A large long spar, placed nearly vertical on the center line of a ship.
Mess Room	A dining room for officers or crew.
Midship	At or near the middle point of a ship’s length.
Midship Section	A cross section through the ship, midway between the forward and after perpendiculars.
Mold Loft	A shed or building with large, smooth floor on which the lines of a ship can be drawn to full scale.
Mooring	Securing a ship in position by several lines or cables, so that she cannot move or swing; anchoring.
Mooring Pipe	A casting which prevents chafing of mooring lines passing through bulwark plating.
Mould or Mold	A light pattern of a part of a ship usually made of thin wood or paper. Also called a template.
Net Tonnage	A figure obtained by making deduction from the gross tonnage for space not available for carrying cargo.
Oakum	Untwisted fibers of old rope treated with a composition of resin and pitch, used to fill seams of wooden decks.
Offset	To move out of line or position.
Offsets	A table of moulded dimensions for waterlines, decks, etc.
Oil Tight	Sealed by welding or caulking to prevent oil leakage.
Old Man	A rig for holding a drilling machine.
On Board	On or in the ship.
On Deck	On the upper deck; in the open air.
Outboard	Away from the centerline, towards the side of a ship.
Overboard	Outside; over the side of a ship, into the water.
Overhang	That portion of the hull which is over and unsupported by the water.
Oxter Plate	Bent shell plate which fits around upper part of stern post; also called tuck plate.
Packing	Material which is placed between plates or shapes to make them watertight; wooden blocks and wedges which support a ship on sliding ways; spacers.
Pad Eye	An eye located on deck which is used for fastening cables or on the hull for hanging tires or an attachment for hanging a block and fall for lifting the propeller or rudder.
Painter	A rope used to secure a boat to anything.
Painting a vessel hull	Vessels must be removed from the water to apply coatings. This vessel is on a drydock. The painter is using an airless paint system. The paint is under very high pressure (1,000 lbs or more). The coating protects the steel hull from corrosion.
Palm	Flattened top portion of rudder stock (for bolted connection). Also, a flat surface at the end of a strut or stanchion.
Term	Definition
Panama chock	A steel casting used for line handling from one vessel to another vessel or to the dock. Developed for use in the Panama canal(?).
Panting	An inandout movement of plating; to pulsate or throb. Panting may be caused by the lift and fall of a ship in a seaway, or by engine vibration.
Peak	A narrow compartment at either end of a vessel.
Pillar	A vertical member or column which provides support to a deck girder. (Also termed a stanchion.)
Pilot House	An enclosed place in which the main steering wheel, controls, engine room, telegraph, etc., are located. A wheel house.
Pintle	A pin on which a rudder hinges.
Pitch	Spacing; as of rivets or gear teeth.
Planking	Wood covering for decks, etc.
Plating	The plates of a hull, a deck, a bulkhead, etc.
Plimsoll Mark	A mark placed on the ship’s side to indicate maximum allowable draft.
Pontoon Hatch Cover	A steel boxshaped member sometimes used in place of hatch beams to close in a cargo hatch.
Poop	The after, upper portion of the hull, often containing the steering gear.
Poop Deck	The first deck above the shelter deck at after end of a vessel.
Port	A harbor; or opening in the side of a ship. The left hand side of a ship (looking toward the bow.) Originally called larboard.
Porthole	A circular opening in the ship’s side such as a window(see airport).
Press break	A hydraulic or mechanical device for bending and shaping steel plate. In shipyards the plate is usually shaped cold. Plates bent in a press may be referred to as ‘shaped’ or ‘flanged’ plate.
Profile	A side elevation of a ship’s form.
Propeller	A rotating device which drives a ship through the water. Also see cycloidal propulsion system
Propeller Post	The forward post of stern frame, which is bored for propeller shaft.
Propeller Shaft	Rotating bar by means of which the engine turns the propeller.
Quarters	Living or sleeping rooms.
Rabbet	A depression or offset designed to take some other adjoining part; as for example, the rabbet in the stem to take the shell plating.
Rail	The upper rounded edge of the bulwarks.
Railway	An inclined slope fitted with railroad track. A carriage is lowered down the track into the water, the vessel is floated over the carriage and both are brought up the slope until the vessel is drawn out of the water. Requires a very stout winch to pull the carriage up the slope.
Rake	Slope aft of a mast, kingpost or stack.
Reaming	Enlarging a rivet hole by means of a revolving, cylindrical, slightly tapered tool with cutting edges running along its sides.
Reeve	To pass the end  of a rope through a pulley, etc.
Reverse Frame	An angle bar or other shape riveted to the inner edge of a transverse frame as reinforcement.
Term	Definition
Ribband	A fore and aft steel strip or heavy batten which is used to temporarily align the transverse frames after erection.
Rigging	Ropes, wire ropes, lashings, masts, booms, etc.; also, the handling and placing on board the ship of heavy weights and machinery.
Rivet	A short round metal connection used to fasten two or more members together by clinching after being heated red hot.
Roll	To impart curvature to a plate. Also, the motion of the ship from side to side, alternately raising and lowering each side of the deck.
Roller Chock	(See Chock Roller.)
Rose Box	A screen or strainer placed around the end of a bilge suction pipe.
Rudder	A flat piece or structure of wood or metal attached upright to the sternpost (or in single screwvessels, to the rudder post) of a vessel by hinges, or pintles and gudgeons, so that it can be turned, as by a tiller, causing the vessel’s head to turn in the same direction, because of the resistance offered to the water by the rudder.
Rudder Post	After post of stern frame to which the rudder is hung. (Also called stern post.)
Rudder Stock	The shank of a rudder which extends through shell upward to the steering engine.
Rudder Stop	Lug to limit the swing of the rudder.
Sagging	Straining of the ship which tends to make the middle portion lower than the bow and stern.
Samson Post	A heavy vertical post which supports cargo booms; kingpost.
Scantlings	The dimensions of various shapes.
Scarf	To thin out or taper a corner or edge of a plate or shape to make a lap. A joint in a stem, bar keel or stern frame.
Screen Bulkhead	A bulkhead, usually placed between the engine room and boiler room, which is fire proof, dust proof, and gas tight.
Scupper	A deck drain.
Scupper Pipe	A pipe which drains water from scuppers throughout the side of a ship.
Scuttle	A very small hatch; a manhole.
Sea Chest	A compartment through which sea water is admitted or discharged.
Seam	A riveted or welded plate edge connection. A riveted seam overlaps; welded seam may or may not overlap.
Serrated frame	Sometimes pieces of an angle iron are cut to allow for ventilation, reduce weight or as a shortcut that saves material in the vessel construction. These cutouts may be spaced regularly – every few inches or so and the frame is called a serrated frame.
Set	Metal mold or template for use on bending slab.
Set Iron	A bar of soft iron used on bending slab to give shape of frames.
Shaft Alley	A casing (large enough in which to walk), covering the propeller shaft and extending from engine room to after peak.
Shaft Tunnel	(See Shaft Alley.)
Shape	A bar of constant cross section, such as a channel, Tbar, angle bar, etc. Also, to impart curvature to a plate or other member.
Shear Line	A line at which a shearing cut is to be made.
Shears	A large machine for cutting plates and shapes.
Term	Definition
Sheer	Curvature of deck in a fore and aft direction as seen in profile.
Sheer Strake	The top full course of side shell plating.
Shell Expansion	A plan showing details of all shell plating and shell longitudinals. (Longitudinals would appear only on tankers)
Shell Landings	Points on the frames where the edges of shell plates are to be located.
Shell Plating	The plates forming the outer skin of the hull.
Shelter Deck	A continuous superstructure deck above the freeboard deck.
Shore	A temporary brace or prop.
Side Thruster	A propeller in a tube that is mounted through the hull. They are particularly handy for maneuvering by providing side thrust.
Sight Edges	Visible edges of plating (outside shell and above decks.)
Skylight	An opening in a deck to give air and light to the compartment below it.
Sliding Way	That part of launching way which moves with the ship.
Slop Chute	Chute for dumping garbage overboard.
Sounding Pipe	Vertical pipe in oil or water tank used in measuring depth of liquid in tank.
Spar	Long, round member such as mast or boom; part of rigging.
Stability	The tendency of a ship to remain upright.
Staging	Planks or scaffolding on which to stand when working onsides or under decks.
Stanchion	A pillar or upright post.
Starboard	The right hand side of a ship, looking forward.
Stay	A guy line.
Stealer	A plate extending into an adjoining strake as at the end of a drop strake.
Steering Gear	Apparatus for controlling the rudder.
Stem	Forging, casting, or plating forming extreme bow of ship and extending from keel to forecastle deck.
Step	To set in place (as applied to a mast); also, a socket for the end of a must; a support for the fixed or ‘hinged’ end of a boom.
Stern	The after or back end of a vessel.
Stern Frame	A large casting or forging attached to the after end of a hull to form the ship’s stern. It includes rudder post, propeller post, and aperture for the propeller.
Stern Tube	A long bushing or bearing through the stern to support the end of a propeller shaft.
Stiffener	An angle bar, Tbar, channel, etc., used to stiffen plating of a bulkhead or other member.
Stool	A support for a propeller shaft bearing in the shaft alley. A foundation, etc.
Stop Water	Canvas and red lead, or other material, fitted between two metal parts to make a watertight joint.
Stowage	A support or fastening for any gear, as, anchor or boat stowage.
Strake	A fore and aft course, or row, of shell or other plating
Stringer	A fore and aft member used to give longitudinal strength. Depending on location, these are called hold stringers, bilge stringers, side stringers, etc.
Stringer Deck	The strake of deck plating which contacts the shell.
Stringer Plate	A deck plate at the outboard edge of deck connected to the shell of a ship with an angle or a welded joint.
Term	Definition
Strong Back	A supporting girder for a hatch cover; a rig used in straightening bent plates; a bar for locking cargo ports.
Strut	A support for a propeller tail shaft (used on ships with more than one propeller).
Super structure	Deck houses, etc., which are located above shelter deck.
Swash Plate	A baffle plate in a tank which prevents excessive surging of a liquid.
Syncrolift^(TM)	A platform fitted with winches and anchor chain. The winches lower the platform into the water, the vessel is floated on and the platform is raised. Sometimes the vessel can be rolled to a repair station on railroad track.
Tail Shaft	A short section of a propeller shaft extending through the stern tube and carrying the propeller.
Tank barge	A vessel designed for carrying usually liquid cargo. Often has an engine and a pump to assist in transferring cargo, but does not have main propulsion equipment.
Tank Top	The plating over the double bottom.
Tankerman	The official USCG classification of the person that supervises the transfer of cargo between vessels or vessel and shore. There are different grades of expertise A, B, C, D and LFG   relating to the degree of hazard in relation to fire.
Teebar	A structural shape with cross section resembling the letter T.
Template	A mold or pattern. Sometimes made of plywood or paper.
Thrust Bearing	A bearing or block to resist end thrust. A bearing on propeller line shaft which relieves the engine from the driving force of the propeller.
Thwart	A seat in a lifeboat. Something that runs transverse.
Tiller	An arm, attached to rudder head, which operates the rudder.
Tow Boat	A vessel generally used on inland rivers to push barges.
Tow Knee	On a tow boat (so named because they push a bunch of barges called a ‘tow’) there are almost always 2 vertical supports for the barges to rest on. These are called tow knees and they have stairs built in for the crew to get to the barges.
Tractor propulsion	A system of vertical blades used to propel a vessel in the water. Used on some harbor tugs and ferries. Made by Voith. Sometimes called a cyclonic system in reference to the way the blades are mounted under the hull, and the way they turn.
Transom	The main frame at the rudder stock (cant frames usually radiate from the transom frame). The very last (most aft) plate on a welded vessel.
Transverse	Athwartships ; at right angles to the keel.
Transverse Frames	Athwartship members forming the ship’s ‘ribs. ‘Also see Buck frame.
Travelift^(TM)	A device for lifting vessels out of the water. Has rubber tires and slings. The slings are lowered in the water, the vessel is floated in and  lifted out of the water with cable winches. Once raised, the vessel can be moved to a station, blocked, etc. and the Travelift can return to the slip to move another vessel.
Trick	A sailor’s duration of time in steering.
Trim	To shift ballast; to cause a ship to change its position in the water; drag.
Trunk	A small casing passing through a deck, such as is used for ladders or ventilation.
Tug Boat	A relatively small vessel with a big engine used to 1/ assist ships when the ships are being docked  2/ tow barges by pulling them with a cable in the ocean  3/
Tumble Home	An inboard slant of a ship’s side above the bilge.
Term	Definition
Ullage Hatch	A small hinged opening on a tank for gauging or sampling cargo. The ullage is the distance from the top of this hatch to the top of the cargo. It is the ‘opposite’ of innage.
Uptake	Connection between boilers and smokestack.
Vapor Header	A pipeline connected to the top of a cargo tank that channels the displaced tank vapors to a shore side control system.
Vertical Keel	A row of vertical plates extending along the center of the flat plate keel. It sometimes is called the center keelson.
Voice Tube	A large speaking tube that goes from one operating station to another. Very effective.
Void Tank	A watertight space that does not carry ballast or cargo. For floatation.
Water Line	Any one of certain lines of a ship parallel with (and at various heights above) the base line. In half breadth plans the waterlines are smooth curves showing the shape of the ship; in profile plans they are projected as straight lines
Watertight	So riveted, caulked, or welded as to prevent the passage of water.
Waterway	A narrow passage along the edge of a deck for drainage. A gutter.
Ways	Timbers, etc., on which a ship is built or launched. (See Launching.)
Weather Deck	A deck exposed to the weather.
Web	The vertical portion of a beam, the athwartship portion of a frame, etc.
Web Frame	A frame with a deep web.
Welding	Fusing together two or more members with electric arc or by other means.
Well	A cofferdam or a sump in the double bottom.
Wheel	Nickname for propeller; steering gear control.
Winch	A small hoisting device; used in pulling lines or cables in handling cargo. Can be hand, air motor, electric, steam, engine, etc...powered.
Windlass	A machine used to hoist the anchors by winding in the anchor chain.
Wind Scoop	A device used to divert air into a compartment of a ship.
Zee bar	A structural shape with a cross section resembling the letter Z.

Disclaimer: Author unknown

Ash Breeze - oar power

Baboon watch - The person standing watch while the rest of the crew is on leave, usually the apprentice.

Beating the booby - swimming the arms in cold water to increase circulation

Bird's nest - tangled rope

Black gang - engine room crew

Blood money - payment to an agent for the recruitment of a seaman

Bluenose - Novascotiaman

Brass hat - naval officer with rank of commander or above

Bricklayer's clerk - a sailor who acts like he above it all

Cape Horn fever - the feigned illness of a malingerer

Catch a crab - an oar caught aback when rowing

Clearing for Guam - getting under way to nowhere

Deadeye watch - 4 am to 8 am watch

Dead horse - sailor's debt for advance wages

Dock walloper - a person who walks around the dock "checking things out"

Dogs running before their master - the heavy swell in advance of the hurricane

Dutch courage - fearlessness brought on by strong drink

Dying man's dinner - food quickly prepare during an emergency

Fourth class liberty - watching the shore when confined to the ship

Fuel fever - fuel oil in short supply

Galley news - gossip and rumor

Gongoozler - a person who stands around the waterfront with his hand in his pockets, watching other people do things

Graveyard watch - 12 - 4 am

Granny knot - failed, unseamanlike attemp at a square knot

Half seas over - just short of being drunk

High pressure hat - an officer's cap

Homeward bound stitches - excessively long sewing stitches, taken in a hurry

Hot bunk - a bunk used successively by more than one sailor

Irish hurricane - a flat calm

Irish pennant - loose irregular end

Jackass brig - a variation of the brigatine rig

Jimmy the one - first lieutenant or executive officer

Limer juicer (also Limey) - British vessel or sailor

Metal or Iron, Mike - mechanical self steering

Nantucket sleigh ride - a whaleboat towed out of control by a harpooned whale

North River Jibe - uncontrolled standing jibe

Blowing up and down - a dead calm

Paper jack - a licensed captain seen to be incompetent

Pig boat - a submarine

Rocks and Shoals - the portion of naval regulations concerning punishment for crimes

Rope -Yarn Sunday - an afternoon off devoted to washing and sewing clothes

Sailor's blessing - a curse

Seaman's digrace - a fouled anchor

Soldier - a sailor who dodges work

Soldier's breeze - a fair, light wind

Tom Cox's traverse - dodging work by making frequent trip to the scuttlebutt "searching" for the proper tool, etc.

Abaft: On the after side of. Further towards the stern.

Aboard: On board. In, into or inside a vessel. Close alongside.

Abyss: That volume of ocean lying below 300 fathoms from surface.

Accommodation Unit/Floatel - normally a semisubmersible or jackup (See Jackup), equipped with cabins, catering facilities and office space for up to 800 persons. The installation is normally used for the accommodation and catering for personell constructing or operating a fixed production platform. An accommodation unit may also be equipped with workshops and/or storage facilities.

Adrift: Unattached to the shore or ground and at the mercy of wind and tide. Colloquially used to mean missing from its place; absent from place of duty; broken away from fastening.

Aframax: An oil tanker of 75,000-115,000dwt. Certain external statistical compilations define an "Aframax Tanker" slightly differently, some going as high as 125,00 dwt and others as low as 70,000 dwt. External data used in this prospectus has been adjusted so that the definition of "Aframax Tanker" is consistent throughout.

Against the Sun: Anti-clockwise circular motion. Left-handed ropes are coiled down in this way.

Alongside: Close beside a ship, wharf or jetty.

Altar: Step in a dry dock, on which lower ends of shores rest.

Amok: Homicidal frenzy that sometimes affects Malayans and other eastern peoples.

Anchorhandling Tug - AHT - ship carrying out tasks such as the placing or moving of anchors, as well as towing drilling installations and barges etc. May double as a supply vessel and is in such cases termed Anchorhandling Tug/Supply (AHTS).

Anchor Ice: Ice, of any form, that is aground in the sea.

ANNUAL SURVEY: An annual inspection of a vessel by a classification society surveyor to ensure that the vessel meets the standards of that society.

Apeak: Said of anchor when cable is taut and vertical.

A-stay: Said of anchor cable when its line of lead approximates a continuation of line of fore stay.

Athwart: Across. Transversely.

A-trip: Said of anchor immediately it is broken out of the ground.

Avast: Order to stop, or desist from, an action.

Awash: Water washing over.

ABS - American Bureau of Shipping - American classification society.

ACOT - Advisory Committee on Offshore Technology

ACP - Area Contingency Plan

ADB - African/Asian Development Bank

AFRA - Average Freight Rate Assessment - average costs for the freight of oil with tankships. Calculated by the Worldscale Association in London. based on an ongoing registration of all freightrates at particular points in time.

AHT - Anchorhandling Tug - vessel employed in the offshore field moving anchors and performing towing operations.

AHTS - AHT which is also a combined supplyvessel.

AID - Agency for International Development - US organization for civilian aid programmes.

AIMS - American Institute of Merchant Shipping - the American shipowners' association for the major part of the privately owned tonnage.

ALAMAP - Associac¢n Latinamericano de Armadores - Latin-American Shipowners' Association (established in March 1963).

ALU-TUCP - Philippine Seafarers' Union, member of TUCP (Trade Union Council of the Philippines).

AMOSUP - Associated Marine Officers' and Seamen's Union of the Philippines - Filipino union for officers and crew.

AMVER - Automatic Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System - American warning system for international shipping.

ASEAN - Association of South East Asian Nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore.

ASF - Asian Shipowners' Forum - shipowners' association for East Asia and Oceania.

ASO - Arbeidsgiverforeningen for Skip og Offshorefartoyer - The Employers' Organization for Ships and Offshore Installations (Oslo).

AWES - Association of Western European Shipbuilders

Ballast: A vessel is in ballast when it is steaming without cargo, and is instead loaded down with sea water for stability. Given that oil production is concentrated in certain parts of the world, a vessel will generally spend a significant amount of time "ballasting" as it returns from discharge port to load port.

Bareboat Charter: The leasing of an empty ship for a specified period of time for a specific fee in this arrangement, the ship owner virtually relinquishes all rights and responsibilities in respect of the vessel and the charterer becomes the de facto ("disponent") owner for this period. The charterer is generally responsible for all operating expenses including crewing and insurance.

Barque: Sailing vessel with three or more masts: fore and aft rigged on aftermast, square rigged on all others.

Barquentine: Sailing vessel with three or more masts. Square rigged on foremast, fore and aft rigged on all others.

Barratry: Any wrongful act knowingly done by the master or crew of a vessel to the detriment of the owner of either ship or cargo; and which was done without knowledge or consent of owner or owners.

Bar Taut: Said of a rope when it is under such tension that it is practically rigid.

Beams Ends: Vessel said to be "on her beam ends" when she is lying over so much that her deck beams are nearly vertical.

Bear Off: To thrust away; to hold off. Order given to bowman of boat when he is required to push boat's head away from jetty, gangway or other fixture at which boat is alongside. Order given, also, when it is required to thrust away, or hold off, an approaching object.

Before the Mast: Said of a man who goes to sea as a rating, and lives forward. Forward of a mast.

Belay: To make fast a rope by turning up with it around a cleat, belaying pin, bollard, etc. Often used by seamen in the sense of arresting, stopping or canceling; e.g. "Belay the last order'.

Bergy Bits: Pieces of ice, about the size of a small house, that have broken off a glacier, or from hummocky ice.

Berth: Place in which a vessel is moored or secured. Space around a vessel at anchor, and in which she will swing. An allotted accommodation in a ship. Employment aboard a ship. To berth a vessel is to place he in a desired or required position.

Beset: Said of a vessel when she is entirely surrounded by ice.

Bleed the Monkey: Surreptitiously to remove spirit from a keg or cask by making a small hole and sucking through a straw.

Boat: Small craft not normally suitable for sea passages but useful in sheltered waters and for short passages.

Bone: Foam at stem of a vessel underway. When this is unusually noticeable she is said to "have a bone in her teeth".

Booby Hatch: Sliding cover that has to be pushed away to allow passage to or from a store room, cabin of small craft, or crew's quarters.

Bound: Proceeding in a specified direction, or to a specified place.

Bouse: To heave, or haul, downwards on a rope. Originally, and strictly, heave meant an upward pull, haul meant a horizontal pull, bouse meant a downward pull: but these distinctions have not survived.

Bowse: To pull downward on a rope or fall.

Brash: Ice broken into pieces, about 6 ft. in diameter and projecting very little above sea level.

Breach: Said of waves that break over a vessel.

Breast: Mooring line leading approximately perpendicular to ship's fore and aft line.

Breast Rope: Mooring rope, leading from bow or quarter, at about right angles to ship's fore and aft line.

Brig: Vessel with two masts and square rigged on both of them.

Brigantine: Originally, a ship of brigands, or pirates. Up to end of 19th century was a two-masted vessel square rigged on fore-mast and main topmast, but with fore and aft mainsail. Latterly, a two-masted vessel with foremast square rigged, and mainmast fore and aft rigged.

Brow: Substantial gangway used to connect ship with shore when in a dock or alongside a wharf.

Bucko: A bullying and tyrannical officer.

Bulkhead: Transverse, or fore and aft, vertical partition in a vessel to divide interior into compartments. Not necessarily water-tight. Increases rigidity of structure, localizes effects of fire and, when watertight, localizes inflow of water.

Bulk Carrier: A ship with single deck designed to carry homogenous loose cargo

Bulk-oil carrier - multipurpose vessel built to carry cargoes of coal as well as oil. Most bulk-oil carriers are reinforced to carry ores and are called OBO-ship (ore/bulk/oil).

Bunker: Fuel oil used to operate a vessel’s engines and generators.

Buoyage: The act of placing buoys. 2. Establishment of buoys and buoyage systems. Applied collectively to buoys placed or established.

Burgoo: Seaman's name for oatmeal porridge. First mentioned in Edward Coxere's Adventures by Sea" (1656)

By the Board: Overboard and by the ship's side.

BEI - Banque Europeenne d'Investissement - The European Investment Bank.

BFI - Baltic Freight Index - an index for bulk freight rates.

BIAC - Business and Industry Advisory Committee - OECD's advisory committee. Opposite to TUAC.

BICC - Bureau International des Chambres de Commerce - International information bureau for Chambers of Commerce.

BIFA - British International Freight Association

BIFFEX - Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange (London) - an exchange for the buying and selling of futures, based on the BFI.

BIMCO - The Baltic and International Maritime Council (Copenhagen)

BIS - Bank for International Settlements (Basel)

BISCO - British Iron and Steel Corporation

BOSVA - British Offshore Supply Ships Association

BOTB - British Overseas Trade Board (London)

BROA - British Rigowners' Association

BSC - British Shippers Council

BSI - British Standards Institution

BV - Bureau Veritas - French classification society.

Cable: Nautical unit of distance, having a standard value of 1/10th of a nautical mile (608 ft.). For practical purposes a value of 200 yards is commonly used.

Calving: Breaking away of a mass of ice from a glacier or iceberg.

Camber: Arched form of a deck or beam to shed the water. Standard camber for weather decks is 1/50th of vessel's breadth.

Camel: Hollow vessel of iron, steel or wood, that is filled with water and sunk under a vessel. When water is pumped out, the buoyancy of camel lifts ship. Usually employed in pairs. Very valuable aid to salvage operations. At one time were usual means of lifting a vessel over a bar or sandbank. Were used in Rotterdam in 1690.

Can Hooks: Two flat hooks running freely on a wire or chain sling. Hooks are put under chime of casks, weight is taken on chain sling or wire. Weight of lift prevents unhooking.

Capesize:  vessel which is too large to navigate the Suez Canal to and from the Arabian Gulf, therefore being forced to voyage around the Cape of Good Hope - approximately 80,000 - 175,000 dwt.

Captain: Rank in R.N. between Commander and Commodore. In Merchant Navy is a courtesy title for a Master Mariner in command of a ship.

Careen: To list a vessel so that a large part of her bottom is above water. Formerly done to remove weed and marine growth, to examine the bottom, to repair it and to put on preservative or anti-fouling. Still done with small craft.

Carry on: To continue sailing under the same canvas despite the worsening of the wind.

Catching up Rope: Light rope secured to a buoy to hold vessel while stronger moorings are attached.

Catenary: Originally, length of chain put in middle of a tow rope to damp sudden stresses. Now applied to any weight put in a hawser for same purpose. 2). Curve formed by chain hanging from two fixed points.

Cat's Skin: Light, warm wind on surface of sea.

Chemical tanker - special tanker built for the transportation of bulk chemicals. Newer tonnage is equipped with stainless steel tanks. Ships may carry many different cargoes simultaneously, because each tank has its own pump and pipeline system for loading and unloading.

Charter: The hiring of a vessel for either 1) a specified period of time or 2) a specific voyage or set of voyages.

Charterer: The entity hiring the vessel from the shipowner.

Charter party: The contract between the owner and the charterer, stipulating in detail each party’s responsibilities in the transaction.

Check: To ease a rope a little, and then belay it.

Checking: Slacking a rope smartly, carefully and in small amounts.

Chuch: Name sometimes given to a fairlead.

Classification: In order for a vessel to obtain both insurance and employment with most companies, the vessel must belong to a classification society, an independent body run under the direction of various shipping professionals. In order to maintain classification, a vessel must meet the standards of that society and be inspected on a regular basis.

Clock Calm: Absolutely calm weather with a perfectly smooth sea.

Close Aboard: Close alongside, Very near.

Colimation: Correct alignment of the optical parts of an instrument.

Combination carrier - ships for the transportation of both liquid and dry bulk cargoes. There are two main types: Ore carriers and bulk-tank-ships.

Container vessel - Ship specially designed to carry standard containers (TEUs). Generally called Cellular container ship. The larger part of the cargo-carrying capacity consists of containers carried on deck or in cells in the hold. Containers are lifted on and off with special cranes and are then called lift on-lift off-ships. Container ships are generally fast, operating regular sailing schedules (lines).

Crack on: To carry sail to full limit of strength of masts, yards, and tackles.

Craft: Vessel or vessels of practically any size or type.

Crane and Construction Vessel/Unit - normally a ship, a barge or a semisubmersible, equipped for the construction and maintenance of fixed installations. May sometimes offer accommodation. Other services offered are: Storage facilities, the supply of water, compressed air and electricity, office space, communications centre, helicoptre landing pad, etc.

Crank: Said of a vessel with small stability, whether due to build or to stowage of cargo.

Creep: To search for a sunken object by towing a grapnel along bottom.

Crew: Personnel, other than Master, who serve on board a vessel. In some cases a differentiation between officers and ratings is made; but officers are "crew" in a legal sense.

Crimp: Person who decoys a seaman from his ship and gains money by robbing and, or, forcing him on board another vessel in want of men.

Crude Oil Carrier - Vessel designed for carrying for bulk crude oil in tanks.
Panamax - 50,001 dwt - 80,000 dwt approx with 32.2m beam limitation , Aframax - 80,001 dwt - 120,000 dwt , Suezmax - 120,001 dwt - 200,000 dwt , VLCC - 200,001 dwt - 350,000 dwt
ULCC - 350,001 dwt and larger 

Cruise ship - passenger vessel carrying passengers on trips between various ports, normally with the same starting and ending port. Standards of accommodation and recreation normally high.

Cruise: Voyage made in varying directions. To sail in various directions for pleasure, in search, or for exercise.

Culage: Laying up of a vessel, in a dock, for repairs.

Customary Dispatch: Usual and accustomed speed.

CAACE - Comité des Associations d'Armateurs de la Communaute Europeenne (Brussels) - organization for shipping companies from the EU.

CACM - Central American Common Market

CAJEA - Council of All Japanese Exporters' Association

CARICOM - Caribbean Community.

CASO - Council of American-flag Ship Operators (eight liner companies which left the AIMS).

CBA - Collective Bargaining Agreement (tariff agreement) - CBA for Filipino seamen between AMOSUP and ASO is an example. The term is used for any kind of tariff agreement, both for NIS-ships and foreignflagged ships.

CCA - Chemical Carriers Association

CCAF - Comite des Armateurs de France - the French shipowners' association.

CCC - Customs Co-operation Council - forum for international cooperation between customs authorities, attempting to create harmony and uniformity of approach.

CE - Conseil de l'Europe (Strasbourg)

C&E - Customs and Excise - British Department for Tariffs and Customs.

CEFOR - Maritime insurers central association.

CEMT - Conference Europeenne des Ministres des Transports - OECD-affiliated organization for dealing with transportation problems on rails, roads and inland waterways.

CEN - European Standardization Organization

CENSA - Council of European and Japanese National Shipowners' Associations (London).

CIS - Commonwealth of Independant States

CLC - Civil Liability Convention of 1969.

CMI - Comite Maritime International - the international association for maritime law.

COFR - Certificate of Financial Responsibility - regarding the transport of oil to USA. Vessels must have a certificate guaranteeing the payment of up to USD 1,500 per dwt. in case of oil spills.

COGSA - Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (USA).

COTTON CLUB - informal forum for Western European and Japanese shipping attachees in Washington.

CRISTAL - Contract Regarding a Supplement to Tanker Liability for Oil Pollution - a voluntary system established by oil companies in order to "plug" holes in IMO-conventions concerning the financial settlement of claims in connection with oil spills. The oil companies' supplemet to TOVALOP.

CSC - Container Safety Convention - convention for the promotion of safer containers.

CSG - Consultative Shipping Group - forum for the discussion of shipping policy on Government level. Fourteen West-European participants and Japan.

Dead on End: Said of wind when exactly ahead; and of another vessel when her fore and aft line coincides with observer's line of sight.

Demurrage: Compensation paid by the charterer of the ship owner when loading and discharging time exceed the stipulated time in the voyage charter-party. This rate of compensation is generally explicitly stated in the charter-party.

Deratisation: Extermination of all rats aboard a vessel.

Dingbat: Slang term for a small swab made of rope and used for drying decks.

Ditty Bag: Small canvas bag in which a seaman keeps his small stores and impedimenta.

Ditty Box: Small wooden box, with lock and key, in which seamen of R.N. keep sentimental valuables, stationery, and sundry small stores.

Diurnal: Daily. Occurring once a day.

Diving Support Vessel - ship with diving equipment on board, carrying out various types of diving operations. May also be equipped with remotely operated or controlled sub-sea robots (Remote Operated Vehicle - ROV).

Donkeyman: Rating who tends a donkey boiler, or engine, and assists in engine-room.

Donkey's Breakfast: Merchant seaman's name for his bed or mattress.

Double bottom / double hull: Hull construction technique by which a ship has an inner and outer bottom or hull separated by void space, usually several feet in width.

Drift Ice: Ice in an area containing several small pieces of floating ice, but with total water area exceeding total area of ice.

Drilling Barge - barge equipped for drilling operations in smooth seas. Normally not equipped with own propulsion machinery. Max. drilling depth approximately 150 metres.

Drilling Rig - drilling tower with turntable and mudpumping system. May be installed on an offshore rig or placed on a fixed or floating offshore installation like a drillship.

Drillship - ship equipped with drilling rig and its own propulsion machinery. Kept in position by Dynamic Positioning Equipment. Operating in waters with a max. depth of 2,000 metres.

Drilling Tender - ship serving drilling installations which are depending on a ship or a barge for storage, accommodation, etc.

Dry cargo: A ship which carries break bulk cargoes, may be single or multi-decked.

Dunnage: Any material, permanent or temporary, that is used to ensure good stowage, and protect cargo during carriage.

DWT: Deadweight ton. A unit of a vessel’s capacity, for cargo, fuel oil, stores and crew, measured in metric tons of 1,000 kg. A vessel’s dwt or total deadweight is the total weight the vessel can carry when loaded to a particular load line.

DIS - Dansk Internationalt Skibsregister - Danish International Shipregister.

DG - Directorate General - the term used for the various departments of the EU-Commission.

DNME - Dynamic Non-Member Economies (referring to dynamic countries which are not members of the OECD)

DNMF - Det norske maskinistforbund - the Norwegian association for ships' engineers.

DNV - Det Norske Veritas (NV) - Norwegian classification society.

DoTI - Department of Trade and Industry, UK

DR - Danmarks Rederiforening - the Danish Shipowners' Association.

DSO - De samarbeidende organisasjoner - cooperation between DNMF and NS for mobile offshore installations (Norway).

DSRK - Deutsche Schiffs Revision und Klassifikation - German classification society.

EBRD - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

ECE - Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva (UN)

ECJ - European Court of Justice (EU)

ECLA - Economic Commission for Latin America, UN-body under ECOSOC.

ECMT - European Conference of Ministers of Transport

ECOSOC - Economical and Social Council of the United Nations, New York - UN's main body for economic questions. The regional commissions - ECLA, ESCAP, ECA, etc. - answer to ECOSOC.

ECSA - European Community Shipowners' Association (Brussels)

ECSC - European Coal and Steel Community

ECU - European Currency Units. A financial unit used for EU accounting.

EEA - European Economic Area

EFTA - European Free Trade Association of Non-common Market Countries.

EIB - European Investment Bank

ELA - Euzko Langilleen Alkartsuna - Spanish-Basque trade union.

EMA - European Monetary Agreement

EMIF - European Maritime Industries Forum

EMU - Economic Monetary Union

E&P FORUM - The Oil Industry International Exploration and Production Forum (London). Statoil, Norsk Hydro and Saga Petroleum are full Norwegian members, while OLF is associated member.

ESA - EFTA Surveillance Authority.

ESC - European Shippers' Council (Hague)

ESCAPE - Economic and Social Commission for Asia and South Pacific - under ECOSOC.

EUROS - Planned shipregister in the EU.

EXIMBANK - Export-Import Bank of the United States to promote American exports.

Fair: To adjust to proper shape or size.

Fairway: Navigable water in a channel, harbour or river.

Fake: One circle of a coil or rope. To coil or arrange a rope ornamentally with each fake flat, or almost flat, on the deck, usually in a circle or figure-of-eight pattern. Sometimes called "Cheesing down".

Fang: Valve of a pump box. (or) to prime a pump.

Farewell Buoy: Buoy at seaward end of channel leading from a port.

Fast: Hawser by which a vessel is secured. Said of a vessel when she is secured by fasts.

Fast Ice: Ice extending seaward from land to which it is attached.

Fathom: Six feet (1.83 metres); length covered by a man's outstretched arms. Fathom of wood is a cubical volume 6'x 6'x 6' = 216 cu. ft.

Feather Spray: Foaming water that rises upward immediately before stem of any craft being propelled through water.

Feeder Vessel - a short-sea vessel used to fetch and carry goods and containers to and from deep sea vessels.

Fiddles: Wooden fittings clamped to meal tables in heavy weather. They limit movement of dishes, plates, glasses, etc.

Field Ice: Ice pack whose limits cannot be seen from ship.

Flake: To coil a rope so that each coil, on two opposite sides, lies on deck alongside previous coil; so allowing rope to run freely.

Fleeting: Shifting the moving block of a tackle from one place of attachment to another place farther along. Moving a man, or men, from one area of work to area next to it.

Flotsam, Flotson: Goods and fittings that remain floating after a wreck.

Flo-flo-ship - special ship which may be submerged to allow cargo to be floated on or off, i.e. jack-up platforms which may be carried "piggy-back"-fashion on a flo-flo-ship.

Fly Boat: Fast boat used for passenger and cargo traffic in fairly sheltered waters.

Fothering: Closing small leaks in a vessel's underwater body by drawing a sail, filled with oakum, underneath her.

Founder: To fill with water and sink.

Frazil: Small, cake-shaped pieces of ice floating down rivers. Name is given, also, to newly-formed ice sheet off coast of Labrador.

Freshen the Nip: To veer or haul on a rope, slightly, so that a part subject to nip or chafe is moved away and a fresh part takes its place.

Full and By: Sailing close-hauled with all sails drawing.

Furniture: The essential fittings of a ship, such as masts, davits, derricks, winches, etc.

FACS - Federation of American Controlled Shipping - organization for US companies with ships under FOC, mainly the Liberian.

FAO - UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (Rome)

FASA - Federation of Asian Shipowners' Associations

FENSO - Federation of Norwegian Ships Officers organizations (NMB in Norwegian)

FIATA - Federation Internationale des Associations de Transifaires et Assimiles (Zurich) – International association of forwarding agents.

FMC - Federal Maritime Commission - American independant control authority regulating liner services to the USA.

FOC - Flag of Convenience

FONASABA - Federation of National Associations of Shipbrokers and Agents

FR - Finlands Rederiförening - the Finnish Shipowners' Association.

Gas tanker - special ship for the transportation of condensed (liquid) gases. The most important cargoes are: LNG - Liquefied Natural Gas (mostly methane). LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas (propane, butane). Ammonia. Ethylene. On board, gases are kept liquid with highly effective insulation (thermosbottle-principle), by high pressure or by low temperature. LNG-ships must be able to carry cargoes with temperatures as low as -163°C.

Gilliwatte: Name given to Captain's boat in 17th century.

Glory Hole: Any small enclosed space in which unwanted items are stowed when clearing up decks.

Gob Line: Back rope of a martingale. 2. A length of rope used in a tug to bowse in the towrope. Gog rope.

Growler: Small iceberg that has broken away from a larger berg.

GATS - General Agreement on Trade in Services - part of GATT - concerns trading in services, incl. shipping.

GATT - General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Geneva).

GCBS - General Council of British Shipping - the amalgamation of the former BSF - British Shipping Federation - and the UK Chamber of Shipping, established 1976.

GIS - German International Shipregister

GL - Germanischer Lloyd - German classification society.

GMDSS - Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

GBS - Gravity Base Structure

Handysize: 10,000 dwt - 30,000 dwt

Handymax: 30,001 dwt - 50,000 dwt

Haul: To pull.

Hawser: Flexible steel wire rope, or fibre rope, used for hauling warping or mooring.

Hazing: Giving a man a dog's life by continual work, persistent grumbling and petty tyranny.

Head Fast: Mooring rope leading forward from fore end of a vessel.

Headway: Forward movement of a ship through the water.

Heave: To lift.

Heavy Floe: Piece of floating ice more than three feet thick.

Hoist: To lift.

Horse Marine: Unhandy seaman.

Hove: Heaved.

Hoveller: Person who assists in saving life or property from a vessel wrecked near the coast. Often applied to a small boat that lies in narrow waters ready to wait on a vessel, if required.

Hove To: Lying nearly head to wind and stopped, and maintaining this position by trimming sail or working engines.

Hull Down: Said of a distant ship when her hull is below horizon and her masts and upper works are visible.

Hulling: Floating, but at mercy of wind and sea. 2. Piercing the hull with a projectile. 3. Taking in sail during a calm.

HSS - Highspeed Sea Service - fast ferry concept with double- or multihulled vessels with carrying capacity of up to 1500 passengers and around 400 cars.

HR - Hellenic Register of Shipping - Greek classification society.

Idler: Member of a crew who works all day but does not keep night watches: e.g. carpenter, sailmaker.

Idle time: Period during which a vessel is able to be employed but is not earning revenue.

Indulgence Passenger: Person given a passage in one of H.M. ships; usually on compassionate grounds.

Intermediate survey: The inspection of a vessel by a classification society surveyor which takes place approximately two and half years before and after each Special Survey. This survey is more rigorous than the "Annual Survey" and is meant to ensure that the vessel meets the standards of the classification society.

IACS - International Association of Classification Societies

IADC - International Association of Drilling Contractors (Houston/Amsterdam)

IAPH - International Association of Ports and Harbours.

IBIA - International Bunker Industry Association (Kingston on Thames).

IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Washington) - the World Bank.

ICC - International Chamber of Commerce

ICFTU - International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

ICHCA - International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association (London)

ICOTAS - International Committee on the Organization of Traffic at Sea (London)

ICPL - International Committee on Passenger Lines (for the CENSA-countries).

ICS - International Chamber of Shipping (London)

IFC - International Finance Corporation

IFSMA - International Federation of ShipMasters Association (London)

ILA - International Law Association

ILO - UN's International Labour Organization (Geneva)

IMB - International Maritime Bureau - bureau established by the ICC to combat fraud in the shipping industry.

IMDG - International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code - rules for the labelling of dangerous goods at sea.

IMEC - International Maritime Employers' Committee

IMIF - International Maritime Industry Forum - a forum for banks and shipbuilders with the purpose of solving problems in connection with surplus tanker tonnage.

IMO - International Maritime Organization (London) - UN's maritime authority.

IMPA - International Pilots' Association

IMU - International Maritime Union (Latin-American seamen's union with US affiliations.)

INMARSAT - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London)

INSROP - International Northern Sea Route Programme - comprehensive, multi-national, multi-disciplinary five-year research programme investigating commercial navigation through the North-East Passage.

INTERCARGO - International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (London) - Opposite number to INTERTANKO.

INTERTANKO - International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Oslo)

IOE - International Organization of Employers

IOPC - International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund

IOPP - International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate

ISF - International Shipping Federation (London) - cooperation of maritime employers' associations.

ISM - International Safety Management Code

ISMA - International Ship Managers' Association

ISO - International Organization for Standardisation

ISOA - International Support Vessels Owners' Association (London)

ITF - International Transport Workers' Federation (London)

ITOPF - International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd. (London) - manages TOVALOP and cooperates closely with CRISTAL.

ITS - International Tanker Service - planned cooperation in the market between independent tanker owners.

IWA - International Wheat Agreement

Jack Nastyface: Nickname for an unpopular seaman. Originally, nom de plume of a seaman who wrote a pamphlet about conditions in Royal Navy in early years of 19th century.

Jackup - movable installation consisting of a large deck with legs which may be jacked up. During operation, the legs are resting on the seabed, and the vessel "jacked up", leaving the deck in secure position high above the surface of the sea. When moved, the legs are retracted and the installation floates. Usually not equipped with own propulsion machinery. (Max. water depths 110 to 120 metres.) Normally used as a drilling rig.

Jerque: Search of a vessel, by Customs authorities, for unentered goods.

Jetsam: Goods that have been cast out of a ship and have sunk.

Jimmy Bungs: Nickname for a ship's cooper.

Jolly Boat: General purpose boat of a ship.

JR - Jugoslav Register - Yugoslav classification society.

Keckling: Winding small rope around a cable or hawser to prevent damage by chafing. 2. The rope with which a cable is keckled.

Kedging: Moving a vessel by laying out a small anchor and then heaving her to it.

Kelter: Good order and readiness.

Kenning: Sixteenth-century term for a sea distance at which high land could be observed from a ship. Varied between 14 and 22 miles according to average atmospheric conditions in a given area.

Kentledge: Permanent pip iron ballast specially shaped and placed along each side of keelson. Name is sometimes given to any iron ballast.

Key of Keelson: Fictitious article for which greenhorns at sea are sometimes sent.

Killick: Nautical name for an anchor. Originally, was a stone used as an anchor.

Kippage: Former name for the equipment of a vessel, and included the personnel.

Knots per Hour: An expression never used by careful seamen, being tautological and illogical.

Kraken: Fabulous sea monster supposed to have been seen off coasts of America and Norway. Sometimes mistaken for an island.

KFK - Koordinerende forskningskomite (Norway) - Coordinating Research Committee.

KPI - Kesatuan Pelant Indonesia - Indonesian seamen's union.

Lading: That which is loaded into a ship. The act of loading.

Ladden: A vessel is laden when it is carrying cargo.

Lagan: Jettisoned goods that sink and are buoyed for subsequent recovery.

Lanyard: Rope or cord used for securing or attaching.

Large: Said of vessel sailing with wind abaft the beam but not right aft.

Lascar: Native of east India employed as a seaman.

LASH - Lighter Aboard Ship, i.e. ships which can carry lighters "piggy-back" fashion.

Lask: To sail large, with wind about four points abaft beam.

Lay Aboard: To come alongside.

Laying on Oars: Holding oars at right angles to fore and aft line of boat with blades horizontal and parallel to surface of water. Is used also as a sarcastic term for idling, or not pulling one's weight.

Lay Out: Order to men at mast to extend themselves at intervals along a yard. 2. To keep a vessel at a certain place until a specified time has elapsed.

Lay the Land: To cause the land to sink below horizon by sailing away from it.

Lay-up: Mooring a ship at a protected anchorage, shutting down substantially all of its operating systems and taking measures to protect against corrosion and other deterioration. Generally, a ship enters lay-up for a period when its owner does not consider it profitable to continue trading that vessel for that period.

Lazarette, Lazaretto: Storeroom containing provisions of a ship. 2. Ship or building in which persons in quarantine are segregated.

League: Measure of distance three miles in length. One-twentieth of a degree of latitude.

Lee Lurch: Heavy roll to leeward with a beam wind.

Lie: To remain in a particular place or position.

Lie By: To remain nearly alongside another vessel.

Lie To: To shop a ship and lie with wind nearly ahead.

Light Hand: Youthful but smart seaman.

Light Port: Scuttle or porthole fitted with glass.

Limber Holes: Holes in floor timbers, or tank side-brackets, through which bilge water flows to pump suction.

Line: A light rope or hawser. Small rope used for a specific purpose.

Liner - Vessel serving a regular defined route or trade, following a published sailing schedule.

Lipper: Small sea that rises just above bows or gunwale.

Lobscouse: Nautical stew made with preserved meat and vegetables.

Lo-lo-ship - Lift on-lift off-ship. Containers or other goods are lifted on board and ashore by cranes.

Lop: Small but quick-running sea.

Lubber: A clumsy and unskilled man.

Lumper: Man employed in unloading ships in harbour, or in taking a ship from one port to another. Paid "lump" sum for services.

Lurch: Sudden and long roll of a ship in a seaway.

Lying to: Said of a vessel when stopped and lying near the wind in heavy weather.

LAFTA - Latin America Free Trade Association

LLMC - International Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims

LOF'90 - Lloyd's Open Form 1990 - standard form of salvage agreement.

LR - Lloyd's Register of Shipping - British classification society.

Mariner: In general, a person employed in a sea-going vessel. In some cases, applied to a seaman who works on deck.

Marry the Gunner's Daughter: Old Navy nickname for a flogging, particularly when across a gun.

Master: Merchant Navy officer in command of ship. Name was given, formerly, to the navigating officer of H.M. ships.

Mate: An officer assistant to Master. A "Chief Officer". From time immemorial he has been responsible for stowage and care of cargo and organization of work of seamen, in addition to navigating duties.

Middle Ground: Shoal area between two navigational channels.

Moor: To secure a ship in position by two or more anchors and cables. 2. To attach a vessel to a buoy, or buoys. 3. To secure a vessel by attaching ropes to positions ashore.

M/T-Motor Tanker: A tanker propelled by diesel engines.

Newbuilding: A new vessel under construction.

MARAD - Maritime Administration (USA) - authority under the US department for Trade. Handles subsidies etc. to American shipyards and shipping companies.

MARINTEK - Norsk Marinteknisk Forskningsinstitutt A/S (Trondheim) - Norwegian maritime research institution.

MARPOL - International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships (London)

MEIF - Mandatory Excess Insurance Facility - Norwegian-Swedish-Greek proposal to solve the COFR- question.

MEPC - Maritime Environment Protection Committee (IMO, London)

MITS - Maritim information technology.

MMEP - Martin's Marine Engineering Page (www.dieselduck.net) 

MSC - Maritime Safety Committee (IMO, London)

MTC - Maritime Transport Committee (OECD)

MUI - Maritime Union of Indian Officers

Narrow Channel Rule: Rule of Collision Regulations. Requires a vessel navigating a narrow channel to keep to that side of mid-channel that is on her starboard hand.

Nipped: Said of a vessel when pressed by ice on both sides.

Nog: Treenail in heel of a shore supporting a ship on the slip.

Nunatak: Isolated rocky peak rising from a sheet of inland ice.

NASCO - Norwegian Asian Seafarers' Conference

NATO - North-Atlantic Treaty Organization - Western defence alliance.

NFD - Norwegian Friendship Development - Norwegian recruiting office in Manila.

NIS - Norsk Internasjonalt Skipsregister (Bergen) - Norwegian International Ship Register.

NK - Nippon Kaiji Kyokai - Japanese classification society.

NMB - Norsk Maritimt Befalskartell - (see FENSO)

NMU - National Maritime Union (USA)

NOKUS - Special taxation scheme for Norwegian-controlled companies in low-tax countries.

NOPEF - Norsk Olje- og Petrokjemisk Fagforbund, Stavanger - Norwegian trade union for oil industry workers.

NOR - Skipsregisteret, Bergen. Often termed Norsk Ordinært Register - the Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register.

NORDKOMPASS - Nordisk Komite for Passasjerskip - Nordic forum for passengership and ferry companies and shipowners' associations.

NR - Norges Rederiforbund (Oslo) - Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA).

NS - Norsk Styrmandsforening - the former Norwegian association for ships' mates.

NSA - see NR

NSF - Norsk Sjomannsforbund - Norwegian Seafarers' Union, (also Norsk Skibsforerforbund - Norwegian Association of Master Mariners)

NSOAF - North Sea Offshore Authority Forum.

NSU - National Seafarers' Union (Sri Lanka)

NTC - Norwegian Training Center (Manila)

NUMAST - British trade union for officers and crew.

NUS - National Union of Seamen - British seamen's union.

NUSI - National Union of Seamen of India

NV - see DNV

OBO - carrier - vessel built for the carriage of diversified bulkcargoes (i.e. Oil/Bulk/Ore).

Off and Fair: Order to take off a damaged member of a vessel, to restore it to its proper shape and condition, and to replace it in position.

Offing: Sea area lying between visible horizon and a line midway between horizon and observer on the shore. To keep an offing is to keep a safe distance away from the coast.

Off-hire: Period during which a vessel is temporarily incapable of trading due to dry docking, maintenance, repair or breakdown.

Offshore service vessels - common term for specialized vessels used during the exploration, development and production phases of oil and gas finds at sea.

Oil tanker - ship carrying crude oil or refined products. If a ship is equipped to carry several types of cargo simultaneously, the ship type is called Parcel tanker. A shuttle tanker is a tanker carrying oil from offshore oil fields to terminals. An oil tanker especially built for the transportation of refined oil products, often with tanks painted or coated on the inside, is called a product carrier.

Overhaul: To examine with a view to repairing or refitting. 2. To overtake. 3. To extend a tackle so that distance between blocks is increased.

OAPEC - Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OCIMF - Oil Companies' International Marine Forum (London)

OECD - Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development - 25 member countries.http://www.oecd.org/

OFS - Oljearbeidernes Fellessammenslutning (Stavanger) - Norwegian federation of trade unions in the oil industry.

OFU - Offshorenæringens Forhandlingsutvalg - negotiating committee for the offshore industry.

OLF - Oljeindustriens Landsforening (Stavanger) - Federation of oil industry employers.http://www.olf.no/

OPA - Oil Pollution Act (USA)

OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Vienna)

OSSL - Oljeserviceselskapenes Landsforening - The Association of Norwegian Oil Industry Service Companies.

OSV - Offshore Support Vessel

Pack-Ice: Numbers of large pieces of floating ice that have come together and lie more or less in contact.

Paddy's Purchase: Seaman's scornful name for any lead of a rope by which effort is lost or wasted. "Paddy's purchase, spunyarn over a nail."

Painter: Rope at stem of boat for securing it or for towing purposes. 2. Chain by which an Admiralty pattern anchor is secured in place. "Shank Painter."

PANAMAX: A vessel of approximately 50,000 to 75,000 dwt, of maximum length and breadth (32.2m beam) and draught capable of passing through the Panama Canal.

Pancake Ice: Small, circular sheets of newly-formed ice that do not impede navigation.

Parclose: Limber hole of a ship.

Parting Strop: Strop inserted between two hawsers, and weaker than the hawsers, so that strop, and not hawsers, will part with any excessive strain. 2. Special strop used for holding cable while parting it.

Pay Off: To discharge a crew and close Articles of Agreement of a merchant ship. 2. To terminate commission of H.M.ship. 3. Said of ship's head when it moves away from wind, especially when tacking.

Peggy: Merchant Navy nickname for seaman whose turn of duty it is to keep the messing place clean.

Petty Officer: Rank intermediate between officer and rating, and in charge of ratings. Usually messed apart from ratings, and has special privileges appropriate to his position.

Piggin: Very small wooden pail having one stave prolonged to form a handle. Used as a bailer in a boat.

Pinnace: Formerly, small, two-masted sailing vessel sometimes with oars. Now rowing, sailing or mechanically-propelled boat of R.N. Is diagonal built: 36ft. in length.

Pool: Enclosed, or nearly enclosed sheet of water. 2. Fluctuating congregation of men from which can be drawn hands required for manning ships, and to which can be added men available for manning.

Pooping: Said of a vessel, or of the sea, when following seas sweep inboard from astern.

Popple: A short, confused sea.

Port Hole: Small aperture, usually circular, in ship's side. Used for lighting, ventilating and other purposes.

Primage: Money paid by shipper to Master of ship for diligence in care of cargo. Not now paid to Master, but added to freight. Amount was usually about 1% of freight.

Procuration: The acting of one person on behalf of another. 2. A document authorizing one person to act on behalf of another.

Products Tanker:Vessel designed for carrying refined petroleum products in bulk tanks. 
Coastal - 3,001 dwt - 10,000 dwt approx ,  Small - 10,001 dwt - 19,000 dwt approx , Handy - 19,001 dwt - 25,000 dwt approx , Medium - 25,001 dwt - 45,000 dwt approx , LRI (Long Range One) - 45,001 dwt - 70,000 dwt approx , LRII (Long Range Two) - 70,001 dwt - 100,000+ dwt approx  

Production Ship - specialized ship pumping oil through flexible pipelines from the seabed.

Production Unit - platform equipped for the production of oil and gas.

Propogation: Movement of crest of a progressive wave.

Protest: Statement under oath, made before a notary public, concerning a actual or anticipated loss, damage or hindrance in the carrying out of a marine adventure.

Punt: Small craft propelled by pushing on a pole whose lower end rests on the bottom of the waterway. 2. To propel a boat by resting end of a pole on bottom of waterway. 3. Copper punt.

Puoy: Spiked pole used for propelling a barge or boat by resting its outboard end on an unyielding object.

Purser's Grin: Hypocritical smile, or sneer.

PBOS - NATO Planning Board for Ocean Shipping (Brussels)

P&I - Protection and Indemnity Insurance

POEA - Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (Manila)

PR - Polish classification society.

PSU - Polish Seafarers' Union (formerly S-FUF or MR).

PSV - Platform Supply Vessel.

Quarter: That part of a vessel between the beam and the stern.

Quarter Boat: Boat carried at davits on quarter of ship, and kept ready for immediate use when at sea.

Quarter Spring: Rope led forward, from quarter of a vessel, to prevent her from ranging astern; or to heave her ahead.

Quay: Artificial erection protruding into the water to facilitate loading and discharge of cargo, landing and embarkation of passengers, repairing or refitting of ships.

Radome: A bun-shaped cover placed over a radar scanner to prevent risk of fouling and to protect it from the weather.

Rafting: Overlapping of edges of two ice-floes, so that one floe is partly supported by the other.

Reach: Straight stretch of water between two bends in a river or channel.

Rector: Name given to Master of a ship in 11th and 12 centuries.

Reefer Vessel - vessel with refrigerated cargo hold(s).

Refit: Removal of worn or damaged gear and fitting of new gear in replacement.

Return Port: The proper return port of a discharged seaman.

Rooming: The navigable water to leeward of a vessel.

Ro-ro-ship (Roll on - Roll off) - the cargo is driven on board and ashore, either by means of own engine (cars/trailers), or by means of special trucks. There are three main areas: Ro-ro-ship operating in lines carries containers, pallets, flats or general cargo, and any type of cargo that can be driven on board. Ro-ro-ship for the transportation of new automobiles (specialised: Pure Car Carrier - PCC), may also carry other rolling cargo. Ro-ro-ferries carrying a combination of rolling cargo (cars/lorries/trailers) and passengers.

Rummage: Originally meant "to stow cargo". Now, means "to search a ship carefully and thoroughly".

Run Out: To put out a mooring, hawser or line from a ship to a point of attachment outside her.

RI - Registro Italiano - Italian classification society.

RLF - Rederienes Landsforening - Association of Norwegian short-sea shipowners.

ROV - Remote Operated Vehicle

RS - the former Soviet classification society.

Sailing Ice: Small masses of drift ice with waterways in which a vessel can sail.

Sailor: Man or boy employed in sailing deep-water craft. Word is sometimes loosely used to include men who go to sea. Used officially to denote a seaman serving on deck. At one time was a man with previous sea experience, but who was not rated able seaman.

Sallying: Rolling a vessel, that is slightly ice-bound, so as to break the surface ice around her. May sometimes be done when a vessel is lightly aground, but not ice-bound.

Scrap: At the end of its life, a vessel is sold to a shipbreaker who strips the ship and sells the steel. When charter rates are low, the scrap value of the vessel may exceed the present trading value of that vessel, especially if the vessel must incur significant costs to pass special surveys.

Scuttle Butt: Covered cask, having lid in head, in which fresh water for current use was formerly carried.

Sea Battery: Assault upon a seaman, by Master, while at sea.

Sea Boat: Ship's boat kept ready for immediate lowering while at sea: sometimes called "accident boat". 2. Applied to a ship when assessing her behaviour in a seaway.

Sea Captain: Master of a sea-going vessel. Certificated officer competent and qualified to be master of a sea-going vessel.

Sea Dog: Old and experienced seaman. 2.Dog fish. 3. Elizabethan privateer.

Seafarer: One who earns his living by service at sea.

Sea Lawyer: Nautical name for an argumentative person.

Seamanlike: In a manner, or fashion, befitting a seaman.

Sea Smoke: Vapour rising like steam or smoke from the sea caused by very cold air blowing over it. Frost-smoke, steam-fog, warm water fog, water smoke.

Second Greaser: Old nickname for a second mate.

Seiche: Short period oscillation in level of enclosed, or partly enclosed, area of water when not due to the action of tide-raising forces.

Seismic ship - vessel mapping geological structures in the seabed by firing air guns transmitting sound waves into the bottom of the sea. The echo of the shot is captured by listening devices/hydrophones being towed behind the vessel. A seismic ship provides data which is an intrinsic part of the material determining if and when a test drilling should be initiated.

Semisubmersible - movable installation consisting of a deck on stilts, fastened to two or more pontoons. When in operation, the pontoons are filled with water and lowered beneath the surface. The installation is normally kept in position by a number of anchors, but may also be fitted with dynamic positioning equipment (DPE). Usually fitted with own propulsion machinery (max. water depths 600 - 800 metres).

Sewed: Said of a vessel when water level has fallen from the level at which she would float. Also said of the water that has receded and caused a vessel to take the ground.

Shallop: Small boat for one or two rowers. 2. Small fishing vessel with foresail, boom mainsail, and mizen trysail. 3. A sloop.

Sheet: Rope or purchase by which clew of a sail is adjusted and controlled when sailing.

Shelf-Ice: Land ice, either afloat or on ground, that is composed of layers of sow that have become firm but have not turned to glacier ice.

Shellback: An old and experienced seaman.

Ship: A sea-going vessel. 2. Vessel having a certificate of registry. Technically, a sailing vessel having three or more masts with yards crossed on all of them. In Victorian times, any vessel with yards on three masts was termed a "ship" even if other masts were fore and aft rigged. To ship, is to put on or into a vessel; to put any implement or fitting into its appropriate holder.

Shipmaster: A person in command of a ship. A person certified as competent to command a ship. A master mariner.

Shoot Ahead: To move ahead swiftly. To move ahead of another vessel quickly when underway.

Short Stay: Said of a vessel's anchor, or cable when the amount of cable out is not more than one-and-a-half times the depth of water.

Sighting: Observing with the eye. Applied to document, means examining and signing as evidence of satisfaction as to its authenticity.

Sighting the Bottom: Drydocking, beaching, or careening a vessel and carefully examining the bottom with a view to ascertaining any damage it may have.

Signed Under Protest: Words incorporated when signing under duress and not concurring entirely with import of document signed, and after stating grounds of non-concurrence.

Singling Up: Taking in all ropes not wanted, so that only a minimum number of ropes will require casting off when leaving a berth or buoy.

Sixteen Bells: Eight double strokes on ship's bell; customarily struck at midnight when new year commences. Eight bells are for 24 hours of passing year, eight bells for 00 hours of New Year.

Slob: Loose and broken ice in bays, or along exposed edges of floes.

Slop Chest: Chest, or compartment, in which is stowed clothing for issue to crew.

Slop Room: Compartment in which clothing for issue to crew is stowed.

Small Tanker: A tanker generally of less than 50,000 dwt.

Smelling the Ground: Said of a vessel when her keel is close to the bottom and all but touching it.

Snorter: Alternative name for "Snotter". 2. A very high wind.

Snub: To stop suddenly a rope or cable that is running.

Snubber Line: Rope used for checking a vessel's way when warping her into a dock or basin.

Soft Tack: Fresh bread.

Son of a Gun: Seaman who was born aboard a warship. As this was once considered to be one of the essentials of the perfect seaman it has long been a complimentary term.

Soogee Moogee/Sujee-mujee: Cleansing powder used for cleaning wood and paintwork.

Spanking: Applied to a wind, or movement of a vessel, to denote brisk and lively.

Special survey: The inspection of a vessel by a classification society surveyor which takes place every four to five years. A shipowner often must incur a great deal of repair expense in order to pass his fourth and fifth special survey and as a result may choose to simply scrap the vessel beforehand.

Spile Hole: Small hole bored in cask or barrel to allow air to enter when emptying.

Spindrift: Finely-divided water swept from crest of waves by strong winds.

Splice Main Brace: To issue an extra ration of rum. The main brace, often a tapered rope, was spliced only in the most exceptional circumstances.

Spooning: Running directly before wind and sea.

Spot market: The market for chartering a vessel for single voyages.

Spray: Water blown, or thrown, into the air in particles.

Spring: Rope from after part of a vessel led outside and forward to a point of attachment outside vessel. By heaving on it ship can be moved ahead. Sometimes led to anchor cable, for casting ship's head. 2. Tendency of a vessel's head to come nearer to wind. 3. The opening of a seam. 4. Partial fracture in a mast or spar.

Spume: Froth of foam of the sea.

Staith: Elevated structure from which coal and other cargoes can be loaded into a vessel. Name is also given to a landing-place, or loading-place.

Stanch: Said of a vessel that is firm, strong, and unlikely to develop leaks.

Stand-by Vessel - ship permanently stationed in the vicinity of an installation with the task of evacuating the rig-crew in an emergency. Also carrying out guard duty keeping other ships away from the installation.

Stave off: To bear off with a staff, boathook, long spar, etc.

Stemming: Maintaining position over the ground when underway in a river or tidal stream. 2. Reporting a vessel's arrival in dock to the dock authority, or Customs.

Stern Sheets: That space, in a boat, abaft after thwart; or between after thwart and backboard.

Storis: Large drift ice, more than two years old, that passes down the south-east coast of Greenland.

Storage: The use of a vessel for the storage rather than the transportation of cargo. When spot market rates are low, a vessel can earn comparable net cash flow from storage.

Storm Bound: Confined to an anchorage or haven through being unable to proceed because of stormy weather.

Stow: To pack compactly and safely.

Stretch Off the Land: Old sailing ship term for taking "forty winks".

Submersible - movable installation constructed for drilling operations in shallow waters, where it is lowered until it rests on the seabed (max. water depth 30 - 40 metres).

Suezmax: A vessel of approximately 115,000 to 200,000dwt of maximum length and breadth and draught capable of passing through the Suez Canal.

Suck the Monkey: Originally, to suck rum from a coconut -- into which it had been (illicitly) inserted, the end of the nut resembling a monkey's face. Later, illicitly to suck spirit from a cask, usually through a straw.

Sujee;Suji-muji (spelling various): Soap or cleaning-powder mixed with fresh water. To wash paint with sujee.

Sun over Foreyard: Nautical equivalent to "Time we had a drink."

Supply ship - vessel transporting stores and equipment to drilling rigs or installations being built or in the production phase. Often called Straight Supply, or Platform Supply Vessel (PSV).

Swab: Seaman's mop for drying decks. Made of old rope unlaid and seized on the bight; about four feet in length. Sometimes made smaller and seized to a wooden handle for putting highly-alkaline solutions on deck for cleansing purposes.

Swallow the Anchor: To leave the sea and settle ashore.

SWATH - Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull - fast and economical hull design, primarily used for highspeed ferries, etc.

Sweat Up: To haul on a rope to hoist the last possible inch or so.

Swell: Succession of long and unbroken waves that are not due to meteorological conditions in the vicinity. Generally due to wind at a distance from the position.

SEATO - South-East Asian Treaty Organization - defence alliance.

SFT - Statens Forurensningstilsyn - Norwegian Pollution Authority.http://www.sft.no/

SIGGTO - Society of International Gas Tankers and Terminal Operators

SIRE - Ship Inspection Report Programme

SIU - Seafarers' International Union (USA)

SIØS - Senter for Internasjonal Økonomi og Skipsfart ved Norges Handelshoyskole i Bergen - Norwegian center for maritime economics (Bergen).

SOLAS - Convention on Safety of Life at Sea (IMO, London)

SRF - Sveriges Redareförening, Gothenburg - Swedish Shipowners' Association.

STCW - International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (IMO, London)

STUFT - Ships Taken Up From Trade - merchant vessels chartered by the military.

SUNAMAM - Brazilian shipping organization representing the authorities.

Tally Board: Board, bearing instructions, that comes to a wrecked ship with a life-saving rocket line.

Tally Book: Book in which is kept a reckoning of items of cargo received or discharged from a hatch or vessel.

Tanky: Petty officer in R.N. whose duty is to look after fresh-water tanks. At one time these tanks were under the charge of the navigating officer, who shared the nickname.

Tanker: Ship designed for the carriage of liquid cargoes in bulk, her cargo space consisting of many tanks. Tankers carry a variety of products including crude oil, refined products, liquid chemicals, liquid gas and wine. Tankers load their cargo by gravity from the shore or by shore pumps and discharge using their own pumps. 
Types of tankers: see Product Tankers and Crude Oil Carriers

TCE - time charter equivalent: A measure of revenue performance based on a spot market rate, measured in $/ton, adjusted to equate to a time charter rate, measured in dollars per ship per day. TCE is calculated as gross revenue less the voyage specific expenses that the owner would not have incurred had the vessel been time-chartered, divided by the number of voyage days.

Time charter: The hire of a ship for a specified period of time. The owner provides the ship with crew, stores and provisions, ready in all aspects to load cargo and proceed on a voyage. The charterer pays for bunkering and all voyage related expenses including canal tolls and port charges.

Teem: To pour. To empty.

Tenth Wave: Commonly believed to be higher than preceding nine waves. Although it is true that wind effect causes one wave to override another, and so make a larger wave, it is not established that the eleventh wave will do this; so making a larger tenth wave. In some places the fifth wave is consistently larger.

Tension Leg Platform - floating platform or loading buoy fastened to the seabed with vertical chains or stays etc. , kept in position by its own buoyancy

Thole, Thole Pin: Metal or wooden peg inserted in gunwale of a boat for oar to heave against when rowing without crutch or rowlock.

Three Sheets in the Wind: Said of a man under the influence of drink. A ship with three sheets in the wind would "stagger to and fro like a drunken man". Conversely, a drunken man staggers to and fro like a ship with three sheets in the wind.

Ticket: Colloquial name for a "Certificate of Competency". Generally looked upon as a disparaging name but, etymologically speaking, is perfectly appropriate.

Tom Cox's Traverse: Work done by a man who bustles about doing nothing. Usually amplified by adding "running twice round the scuttle butt and once round the longboat".

Ton-miles: A measure of tanker demand. Tons carried by avessel multiplied by the distance traveled.

Touch and Go: To touch the ground, with the keel, for a minute or so and then proceed again.

Trice: To haul up by pulling downwards on a rope that is led through a block or sheave.

Trick: A spell of duty connected with the navigation of a vessel; more particularly, at the wheel or look-out.

Turn: Complete encirclement of a cleat, bollard, or pin by a rope.

Turn up: To fasten a rope securely by taking turns around a cleat or bollard. Under Foot: Said of anchor when it is under ship's forefoot, and cable is nearly up and down.

TIR - Transport Internationale Routier - International customs' convention.

TOVALOP - Tanker Owners' Voluntary Agreement Concerning Liabililty for Oil Pollution (London)

TUAC - Trade Union Advisory Committee - advisory committee representing employees in the OECD.

Under Way: Not attached to the shore or the ground in any manner. Usually, but not necessarily, moving through or making way through the water.

Unmoor: To cast off hawsers by which a vessel is attached to a buoy or wharf. To weigh one anchor when riding to two anchors. To remove a mooring swivel when moored to two cables.

ULCC: Ultra Large Crude Carrier. An ocean-going tanker vessel of more than 320,000 dwt, designed to carry crude oil cargoes.

Unship: To remove from a ship. To remove an item from its place.

Up and Down: Said of cable when it extends vertically and taut from anchor to hawsepipe.

UGT - Union General de Trabajadores - Spanish TUC.

UNCLOS - United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea

UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Geneva)

UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organization

USCG - U.S. Coast Guard

USMC - US Maritime Commission

Van: The leading ship, or ships, in a fleet or squadron.

Venture: An enterprise in which there is a risk of loss.

Vessel: Defined by Merchant Shipping Act as "any ship or boat, or other description of vessel, used in navigation".

Vigia: Uncharted navigational danger that has been reported but has not been verified by survey.

Vise: Endorsement on a document as evidence that it has been sighted, examined, and found correct by a proper authority.

VLCC: Very Large Crude Carrier. An ocean-going vessel of between 200,000 and 320,000 dwt, designed to carry crude oil cargoes.

Voyage charter: Contract of carriage in which the charterer pays for the use of a ship’s cargo capacity for one, or sometimes more than one, voyage. Under this type of charter, the ship owner pays all the operating costs of the ship (including bunkers, canal and port charges, pilotage, towage and ship’s agency) while payment for cargo handling charges are subject of agreement between the parties. Freight is generally paid per unit of cargo, such as a ton, based on an agreed quantity, or as a lump sum irrespective of the quantity loaded.

VDR - Verband Deutscher Reeder - German Shipowners' Association. (also Voyage Data Recorder)

VTS - Vessel Traffic System

Wake: The water immediately astern of a moving vessel. It is disturbed by vessel's motion through it and by the subsequent filling up of the cavity made.

“Warming the Bell”: Striking "eight bells' a little before time at the end of a watch.

Warp: The longitudinal threads in canvas and other textiles. 2. Hawser used when warping. Originally, was a rope smaller than a cable. 3. The line by which a boat rides to a sea anchor. 4. Mooring ropes.

Wash: Broken water at bow of a vessel making way. 2. Disturbed water made by a propeller or paddle wheel. 3. Blade of an oar.

Washing Down: Said of a vessel when she is shipping water on deck and it is running off through scuppers and freeing ports.

Watch Bell: Bell used for striking the half hours of each watch.

Water Breaker: Small cask used for carrying drinking water in a boat.

Waveson: Goods floating on surface of sea after a wreck.

Way: Vessel's inertia of motion through the water.

"Way Enough": Order given to a boat's crew when going alongside under oars. Denotes that boat has sufficient way, and that oars are to be placed inside the boat.

Weather Board: Windward side of a vessel.

Well Found: Said of a vessel that is adequately fitted, stored, and furnished.

Wetted Surface: The whole of the external surface of a vessel's outer plating that is in contact with the water in which she is floating.

Wharfinger: One who owns or manages a wharf.

Where Away?: Esquire addressed to a look-out man, demanding precise direction of an object he has sighted and reported.

Whistling for Wind: Based on a very old tradition that whistling at sea will cause a wind to rise.

Whistling Psalms to the Taffrail: Nautical phrase that means giving good advice that will not be taken.

White Horses: Fast-running waves with white foam crests.

Wholesome: Said of craft that behaves well in bad weather.

Wind Dog: An incomplete rainbow, or part of a rainbow. It is supposed to indicate approach of a storm.

Winding: Turning a vessel end for end between buoys, or along-side a wharf or pier.

Without Prejudice: Words used when a statement, comment, or action is not to be taken as implying agreement or disagreement, or affecting in any way a matter in dispute, or under consideration.

Wrack: To destroy by wave action. 2. Seaweed thrown ashore by sea.

WFTU - World Federation of Trade Unions

WPC - World Petroleum Congress
WTO - World Trade Organization

Yard Arm: That part of yard that lies between the lift and the outboard end of the yard.

Yaw: To lurch, or swing, to either side of an intended course.

Terms Pertaining To "Lines of a Ship"

Every ship-builder or marine engineer should be familiar with the technical names denoting ship lines, surfaces, and dimensions. Familiarity with these terms is essential in reading blue prints and in building and installing parts of a ship.

SHELL - The principal function of the shell is to act as a watertight skin. It also gives strength to the construction of intermediate parts.

TRANSVERSES - These are the ribs or frames of the ship, and when placed in position, give the principal shape or contour, Transverses are not all the same distance apart; amidships, where there is the greatest strain, they are spaced more closely. The transverses are cut or notched where they connect on the shell, to allow the longitudinals to pass through. They are strengthened by clips at these points.

LONGITUDINALS - These run fore and aft from bulkhead to bulkhead, except in the shelter and upper decks, where some are broken by hatch interference. They give strength and rigidity to the framework and shell. They are connected and welded at the flange of the channel to the shell or deck.

BULKHEADS - The vertical partitions that divide the hull into separate compartments are called bulkheads. Some are watertight. These water-tight bulkheads are so arranged that in case of accident at sea, water would be confined to one compartment only. The collision bulkhead in the front end is constructed to withstand heavy strain and shock in case the bow be staved in.

DOUBLE BOTTOM - The double bottom extends from the flat keel to the tank top. It is strongly constructed and is water tight so that in case of accident causing an inrush of water into the double bottom, the ship would still be able to keep afloat. The principal parts of the double bottom are the flat keel, vertical keel, floors, intercostal girders, bilge, brackets, tank top, longitudinals, bounding bars and angle clips.

OTHER PRINCIPAL PARTS - From the tank top to the upper deck the principal parts are: bulkheads, pillars, deep tanks, bulk head stiffeners, girders, brackets, bounding angles, bar clips, shaft tunnel, engine settings, longitudinals, man-holes and covers

LINES DRAWING - A plan showing, in three views, the moulded surface of the vessel. (See Fig. 7)

MOULDED SURFACE - The inside surface of the skin, or plating, of a ship. The moulded surface has no thickness, and is fair and smooth. Actually, when the ship has been built, the thickness of the plating will extend outside of the moulded surface. "Outside" strakes of plating do not touch the moulded surface if they have a liner against the shell frame. The heel of each shell frame is in this moulded surface (unless joggled). It should be remembered that this moulded surface is not an actual part of the ship. It is almost exactly the shape which a thin piece of sheet rubber would take if stretched tightly over the shell frames and main deck beams with no plating in place. (See Fig. 1)

BASE LINE - A straight horizontal line at or near the bottom of the moulded surface from which vertical heights are measured. Usually, the base line is the very lowest part of the moulded surface. In Fig. 2 is shown an exception.

WATERLINE - The intersection of the moulded surface with a horizontal plane at a given height above the base line. The six foot water line is exactly six feet higher than the base line. These intersections are shown in the half breadth plan in the lines drawing. They should not be confused with the "load line" marked on the outside of a ship when built. Shipfitters use a waterline merely as a height above the base line and in this sense waterlines are marked on bulkheads, frames, and other members, for the purpose of properly setting and aligning the structure.

CENTER LINE - A straight line running from bow to stern, midway between the sides of the ship. All transverse horizontal dimensions are taken from the center line. The center line as applied to a transverse bulkhead is a vertical line in the middle of the ship.

BUTTOCK - The intersection of the moulded surface with a vertical plane at a given distance from the centerline of the ship. Buttocks are shown in the profile in the lines drawing. Shipfitters use a buttock merely as a distance from the centerline. Thus, they have buttocks marked on bulkheads, decks, foundations, etc., for setting and alignment. The buttocks and the waterlines which are marked on the steel members for regulating and setting are usually of some dimension expressed in even feet. That is, they would mark the 10'0" W. L. (waterline ) and the 24'0" Btk. (buttock) rather than a 10'7" W.L. or a 23'6" Btk.

FRAME LINE - The intersection of the moulded surface with a vertical plane perpendicular to the centerline (transverse plane). Frame lines are shown in the body plan of the lines drawing. They get their name from the fact that shell "frames" or ribs usually are made to this shape and installed transversely in the ship. The lines drawing consists of three views; a half-breadth plan, a profile view, and a body plan (See Fig. 7). These views each show only one side of the ship (usually, the port side), because all dimensions for the starboard are equal and to the opposite 'hand'; that is, the ship is symmetrical about the center line.

PROFILE - A view looking at the moulded lines from starboard to port. The waterlines and the frame lines are straight when observed from this direction. The deck line, or "sheer" curve shows up clearly in the profile, which for this reason is sometimes called the sheer plan.

BODY PLAN - A view showing the shapes of the frame lines. The body plan is made in two parts. The right-hand part is a view looking directly aft at the for'd port side of moulded surface, while the. Left-hand part is a view looking directly forward at the after half of the port side. This arrangement prevents the frame lines at the after end from obliterating or fouling the frame lines at the forward end. This view shows buttocks and waterlines straight, while the frame lines appear in their true shape.

HALF-BREADTH or WATERLINE PLAN - A view looking down on the moulded surface. Here the frame lines and buttocks appear straight, while the waterlines show their true shape. To save space, only the port side is shown.

LOAD WATERLINE (L.W.L.) - The waterline at which the ship will float when loaded to its designed draft.

FORWARD PERPENDICULAR (F.P.) - A vertical line at the point where the load waterline crosses the foremost part of the moulded surface.

AFTER PERPENDICULAR (A.P.) - A vertical line usually at the after end of the rudder post. If there is no rudder post, it usually is taken at the center of the rudder stock.

LENGTH BETWEEN PERPENDICULARS (L.B.P.) - The distance from the forward perpendicular to the after perpendicular. To the designers, this length is very important, since upon it largely depends the amount of power needed to drive the ship.

LENGTH OVER ALL (L.O.A.) - The total length of the ship from one end to the other, including bow and stern overhangs.

MIDSHIP SECTION - A transverse section exactly half way between the F.P. and the A.P. Almost invariably, this is the widest part of the ship.

PARALLEL MIDDLE BODY - The straight part at the center of the ship where the water lines and buttocks have no curvature; that is, where all the fore and aft lines are parallel.

DEADRISE - The rise of bottom. It is the difference in height between the base line and the point where the straight line through the bottom flat surface intersects the vertical line through the side of the moulded surface at its widest point. (See A and B in Fig. 1; also, Fig. 3) BEAM -- The width of-the ship (moulded surface) at the widest point. (See Fig. 3)

DEPTH - The height of the ship ar the midship section from the base line to the moulded line of the deck at side (underneath).

DRAFT (Moulded) - The height from the base line to the load water line.

FREEBOARD (Moulded) - The difference between the moulded depth and the moulded draft. (It is the height of the side of the vessel which is above the water when she floats at her load water line).

CAMBER - The curvature of the deck transversely. It is measured by the difference in height between the deck at center and the deck at side.

TUMBLE HOME - The amount the top of the side shell slopes back toward the centerline between the point of widest breadth and the deck at side (see Fig. 3)

SHEER - The curvature of the deck at side as shown in the profile. The amount of sheer forward is the difference in height between the deck line (at side) amidships and the deck line at the forward end (see Fig. 4) The amount of sheer aft is the difference in height between the deck (at side) amidships and the deck at the after end. The line of the deck at center, in the profile, is higher than the line of the deck at side, owing to the camber, or transverse curvature of the deck. In Fig. 4 is illustrated the difference between the deck at the side and the deck at the center, owing to camber. The camber curve, as usually designed, is a circle of very large radius, but sometimes it is made as a series of straight lines, as in Fig. 5. The camber curve is the moulded line of the deck.

MIDSHIP SECTION AND OFFSETS - The midship section of a ship, as stated before, is a transverse section taken halfway between the forward perpendicular and after perpendicular. Figure 6 shows the midship section of a type of oil tanker, giving the outline of the moulded surface at this section and also the spacing of the shell longitudinals and the longitudinal stiffeners. The camber of the deck is shown, as well as the deadrise and the bilge radius. This shape and spacing applies throughout the parallel middle body of the vessel (in this example, from frame 26 to frame 44, Table X) As illustrated, the shell longitudinals are three feet apart except for one space at the top of the side shell and four spaces in the bilge. The longitudinal bulkhead stiffeners are three feet apart except for three spaces at the bottom. The deadrise is nine inches. The moulded beam is seventy feet. The moulded depth is forty feet. The bilge radius is six feet. The camber of the deck is 1'5" in straight lines. There is no tumble home. The stiffeners (longitudinals) heel inboard on the bottom shell and upward on the side shell and longitudinal bulkhead. In Fig. 7 are given the midship section offsets for this tanker. Offsets are measurements of distance from the base line or from the center line to any point in the moulded surface. Half-breadths are measured transversely from the centerline. Heights are measured vertically from the base line. From the table of half breadths, we see that at frame 26, the 8 foot waterline is exactly 35 feet from the centerline. The 2 foot waterline is only 32' 9-3/4" from the centerline at this frame. (The offset 32-9-6 means 32 feet - 9 inches - 6 eighths of an inch or 32 feet 9-3/4"). From the table of heights, we see that at frame 44 the four foot buttock is only 5/8 of an inch above the base line, and the 24 foot buttock is 6-1/8 inches above the base line. These midship section offsets apply from frame 26 to frame 44, which is the extent of the parallel middle body. Table X shows the offsets for the tugboat whose lines are illustrated in Fig. 7. At each frame station are tabulated the half-breadths for the 2-foot, 4-foot, 6-foot, 8-foot, l0-foot and 12-foot waterlines, and also for the deck at side. The heights of the 3'6" and 7'0" buttocks are also given for each frame station from #0 to #10. The table of offsets for an ordinary cargo ship or tanker consists of many pages and usually includes the following items: profile, frame spacing, midship section, camber curves, stem and stern profile, rail profile, detail of frames at bossing, half-breaths, heights, and sight edges. Sight edges are the longitudinal edges of shell (or deck) plates which are visible on the outside of the hull. It should be remembered that in practically all ships. The frame spacing is different in different locations, and before taking any measurements a drawing should be consulted.

LOCATING FRAME LINE AT BULKHEAD - When it becomes necessary to set a transverse bulkhead or other member by means of a frame line marked on the adjacent members, the frame line must first be determined at the bulkhead itself. (See Fig. 8) In other words, it must be found out whether the face side (smooth side) of the bulkhead is to be directly on the moulded line, or whether the stiffener side of the plating is to be on the moulded line. This information must be obtained from the drawings. No specific rule will cover all cases, and the frame line is sometimes on the forward side of the bulkhead, and sometimes on the after side. In case of a discrepancy between two drawings showing the same member (for instance if the shell drawing shows the bulkhead plating aft of the frame line, while the bulkhead drawing shows the plating thickness forward of the frame line) the shell plan shall be assumed correct for the purpose of setting the bulkhead.

CORRUGATED BULKHEADS - In setting the more recently adopted type of corrugated bulkheads, as in Fig. 9, the drawing must be consulted for location of frame line. Here the moulded line may be on either the face side or the stiffener side of the bulkhead, at the extreme width of the web bulkhead stiffeners. In this type of corrugated bulkhead, the depth of the corrugations varies at different heights on the bulkhead. The deeper corrugations at the bottom supply the increased bulkhead stiffness which is required owing to greater pressure of water (or other liquid) in the lower part of the tank.

SCRIBING AT CORRUGATED BULKHEAD - When it is necessary to scribe a large bracket or other plate to fit in the corrugations of a bulkhead, the following precautions must be taken to assure a neat fit. The bracket shown in Fig. 10 must be scribed off to move 2" to the left. If there were no corrugations, this would be a simple matter of marking a vertical line on the bracket with a 2' spacer to give the proper cut. This line would be similar to that shown at "a" and at "c" in Fig. 10. However, the sloping sides of the corrugations, as at "b" and "d" cannot be marked off with the same 2' spacer, because the opening thus burned out would be too large. The measurements for scribing at the sloping surfaces (that is at "b" and "d") must, therefore, be taken in a horizontal direction as shown.