Glossary of Terms

A

B

AA Always Afloat
AAAA Always Accessible Always Afloat
AARA Amsterdam-Antwerp Rotterdam Area
ABT About
ADCOM Address Commission
AFSPS Arrival First Sea Pilot Station (Norway)
AFFREIGHTMENT The hiring of a ship in whole or part
AFT At or towards the stern or rear of a ship
AGW All Going Well
AHL Australian Hold Ladders
ANTHAM Antwerp-Hamburg Range
APS Arrival Pilot Station
ARAG Amsterdam-Rotterdam–Antwerp-Ghent Range
A/S Alongside
ATDNSHINC Any Time Day or Night Sundays and Holidays Included
ATUTC Actual Times Used to Count

BAF Bunker Adjustment Factor. A Fuel Surcharge expressed as a percentage added or subtracted from the freight amount reflecting the movement in the market place price or bunkers.
BALLAST Heavy weight, often sea water, necessary for the stability and safety of a ship which is not carrying cargo.
BAREBOAT CHTR Bareboat Charter Owners lease a specific ship and control its technical management and commercial operations only.
BBB Before Breaking Bulk
BDI Both Dates Inclusive
BENDS Both Ends (Load & Discharge Ports)
BI Both Inclusive
BIMCO The Baltic and International Maritime Council
BL (1) Bale
BL (2) (Bill of Lading) A document signed by the carrier which acts as a receipt and evidence of title to the cargo.
BM Beam
BEAM The maximum breadth of a ship
BOB Bunker on Board
BOFFER Best Offer
BROB Bunkers Remaining on Board
BSS Basis
BSS 1/1 Basis 1 Port to 1 Port
BT Berth Terms
BUNDLING This is the assembly of pieces of cargo, secured into one manageable unit. This is a very flexible description; a rule of thumb is to present cargo at a size easily handled by a large (20 ton) fork lift truck.
BUNKERS Name given for vessels Fuel and Diesel Oil supplies (Originates from coal bunkers)
BWAD Brackish Water Arrival Draft

C

D

CBM Cubic Meter
CBFT (or CFT) Cubic Feet
CFR (or C&F) Cost and Freight
CHOPT Charterers Option
CHTRS Charterers
CIF Cost, Insurance & Freight. Seller pays all these costs to a nominated port or place of discharge.
COA Contract of Affreightment Owners agree to accept a cost per revenue ton for cargo carried on a specific number of voyages.
COACP Contract of Affreightment Charter Party
COB Close of Business
COD Cash On Delivery
COGSA Carriage of Goods by Sea Act
CONS Consumption
COP Custom Of Port
CP (or C/P) Charter Party
CPD Charterers Pay Dues
CPT Carriage Paid To
CQD Customary Quick Dispatch
CROB Cargo Remaining on Board
CRN Crane
CST Centistoke
CTR Container Fitted

DAPS Days all Purposes (Total days for loading & discharging)
DDU Delivered Duty unpaid.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid.
DEM Demurrage
DESP Dispatch
DET Detention
DHDATSBE Dispatch Half Demurrage on Actual Time Saved Both Ends
DHDWTSBE Dispatch Half Demurrage on Working Time Saved Both Ends
DISCH Discharge
DK Deck
DLOSP Dropping Last Outwards Sea Pilot (Norway)
DO Diesel Oil
DOLSP Dropping Off Last Sea Pilot (Norway)
DOP Dropping Outward Pilot
DOT Department of Transport
DNRSAOCLONL Discountless and Non-Returnable Ship and/or Cargo Lost or Not Lost
DRAFT Depth to which a ship is immersed in water. The depth varies according to the design of the ship and will be greater or lesser depending not only on the weight of the ship and everything on board, but also on the density of the water in which the ship is lying.
DRK Derrick
DUNNAGE Materials of various types, often timber or matting, placed among the cargo for separation, and hence protection from damage, for ventilation and, in the case of certain cargoes, to provide space in which the forks of a lift truck may be inserted.
DWAT (or DWT) Deadweight. Weight of cargo, stores and water, i.e. the difference between lightship and loaded displacement.

E

F

EC East Coast
EIU Even if Used
ELVENT Electric Ventilation
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETC Estimated Time of Completion
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
ETS Estimated Time of Sailing
EXW Ex Works
FAS Free Alongside Ship. Seller delivers goods to appropriate dock or terminal at port of embarkation and buyer covers costs and risks of loading.
FD Free of Dispatch
FDD Freight Demurrage Deadfreight
FDIS Free Discharge
FEU Forty foot container equivalency unit Standard 40‘ Container
FHEX Fridays/Holidays Excluded
FHINC Fridays/Holidays Included
FILO Free In/Liner Out. Seafreight with which the shipper pays load costs and the carrier pays for discharge costs.
FIO Free In/Out. Freight booked FIO includes the sea freight, but no loading/discharging costs, i.e. the charterer pays for cost of loading and discharging cargo.
FIOS Free In/Out Stowed. As per FIO, but includes stowage costs.
FIOT Free In/Out and Trimmed. As per FIOS but includes trimming the leveling of bulk cargoes
FIOSLSD Free In/Out Stowed, Lashed, Secured and Dunnaged. As per FIO, but includes cost of lashing securing and dunnaging cargo to Masters satisfaction.
FIOST Free In/Out and Trimmed. Charterer pays for cost of loading/discharging cargo, including stowage and trimming.
FIT Free In Trimmed
FIW Free In Wagon
FIXING Chartering a Vessel
FLT Full Liner Terms Shipowner pays to load and discharge the cargo
FMC Federal Maritime Commission US government agency
FMS Fathoms = 6 feet
FO (IFO) Fuel Oil/Intermediate F0
FOB Free on Board. Seller sees the goods «over the ship’s rail“ on to the ship which is arranged and paid for by the buyer
FOFFER Firm Offer
FOG For Our Guidance
FOQ Free On Quay
FOR Free On Rail
FORCE MAJEURE Clause limiting responsibilities of the charterers, shippers and receivers due to events beyond their control.
FOW (1) First Open Water
FOW (2) Free On Wharf
FREE OUT Free of discharge costs to Owners
FWAD Fresh Water Arrival Draft
FWDD Fresh Water Departure Draft
FYG For Your Guidance
FYI For Your Information
EC East Coast
EIU Even if Used
ELVENT Electric Ventilation
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETC Estimated Time of Completion
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
ETS Estimated Time of Sailing
EXW Ex Works
FAS Free Alongside Ship. Seller delivers goods to appropriate dock or terminal at port of embarkation and buyer covers costs and risks of loading.
FD Free of Dispatch
FDD Freight Demurrage Deadfreight
FDIS Free Discharge
FEU Forty foot container equivalency unit Standard 40‘ Container
FHEX Fridays/Holidays Excluded
FHINC Fridays/Holidays Included
FILO Free In/Liner Out. Seafreight with which the shipper pays load costs and the carrier pays for discharge costs.
FIO Free In/Out. Freight booked FIO includes the sea freight, but no loading/discharging costs, i.e. the charterer pays for cost of loading and discharging cargo.
FIOS Free In/Out Stowed. As per FIO, but includes stowage costs.
FIOT Free In/Out and Trimmed. As per FIOS but includes trimming the leveling of bulk cargoes
FIOSLSD Free In/Out Stowed, Lashed, Secured and Dunnaged. As per FIO, but includes cost of lashing securing and dunnaging cargo to Masters satisfaction.
FIOST Free In/Out and Trimmed. Charterer pays for cost of loading/discharging cargo, including stowage and trimming.
FIT Free In Trimmed
FIW Free In Wagon
FIXING Chartering a Vessel
FLT Full Liner Terms Shipowner pays to load and discharge the cargo
FMC Federal Maritime Commission US government agency
FMS Fathoms = 6 feet
FO (IFO) Fuel Oil/Intermediate F0
FOB Free on Board. Seller sees the goods «over the ship’s rail“ on to the ship which is arranged and paid for by the buyer
FOFFER Firm Offer
FOG For Our Guidance
FOQ Free On Quay
FOR Free On Rail
FORCE MAJEURE Clause limiting responsibilities of the charterers, shippers and receivers due to events beyond their control.
FOW (1) First Open Water
FOW (2) Free On Wharf
FREE OUT Free of discharge costs to Owners
FWAD Fresh Water Arrival Draft
FWDD Fresh Water Departure Draft
FYG For Your Guidance
FYI For Your Information

G

H