Operations Vocabulary
Shipping Terms
Complete maritime shipping vocabulary reference with searchable terms used in operations, compliance, and port logistics.
Showing 25 of 392 terms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| LLOYD’S REGISTER OF SHIPPING | British classification society. |
| LNG | Liquefied Natural Gas, or a carrier of LNG. |
| LNG CARRIER | Liquefied natural gas carrier, perhaps the most sophisticated of all commercial ships. The cargo tanks are made of a special aluminum alloy and are heavily insulated to carry natural gas in its liquid state at a temperature of -2850F. The LNG ship costs about twice as much as an oil tanker of the same size. |
| LOAD FACTOR | Percentage of cargo or passengers carried e.g. 4000 tons carried on a vessel of 10000 capacity has a load factor of 40% |
| LOAD LINE | The line on a vessel indicating the maximum depth to which that vessel can sink when loaded with cargo. Also known as marks. |
| LOADED LEG | Subdivision of a ship's voyage during which the ship is carrying cargo. |
| LONG TON | 2,240 pounds. |
| LOOKOUT | A member of the crew stationed on the forecastle, or on the bridge, whose duty it is to watch for any dangerous objects or for any other vessels heaving into sight. |
| LPG | Liquefied Petroleum Gas, or a carrier of LPG. |
| LSA | Liner Shipping Agreements. |
| LT | Long Ton = 1016.05 kilogram |
| LUMPSUM FREIGHT | Money paid to shipper for charter of a ship (or portion) up to stated limit irrespective of quantity of cargo |
| MBP | Market Bunker Price |
| NT | Net tonnage (NT) is based on a calculation of the volume of all cargo spaces of the ship. It indicates a vessel's earning space and is a function of the moulded volume of all cargo spaces of the ship. |
| OBO | Ore/bulk/oil vessel |
| OBO SHIP | A multipurpose ship that can carry ore, heavy dry bulk goods and oil. Although more expensive to build, they ultimately are more economical because they can make return journeys with cargo rather than empty as single-purpose ships often must. |
| OCEAN WAYBILL | A document, issued by a shipping line to a shipper which serves as a receipt for the goods and evidence of the contract carriage. |
| ODS | Operating Differential Subsidy: A direct subsidy paid to U.S.- flag operators to offset the high operating cost of U.S.-flag ships when compared to foreign-flag counterparts. |
| OECD | Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Maritime Transport Committee is part of this organization. OFF-HIRE CLAUSE -In a time charter, the owner is entitled to a limited time for his vessel to be off hire until such time as the vessel may be repaired or dry-docked. |
| OFF | LOAD - Discharge of cargo from a ship. |
| OFFICER | Any of the licensed members of the ship's complement. |
| OFFSHORE SERVICE VESSELS | Special vessels employed in exploration for, development of or continuous production of, subsea oil and gas. |
| OIL RECORD BOOK | A book or log normally kept by chief engineer of a vessel wherein every discharge or escape of oil is recorded. |
| OIL TANKER | A ship designed for the carriage of oil in bulk, her cargo space consisting of several or many tanks. Tankers load their cargo by gravity from the shore or by shore pumps and discharge using their own pumps. |
| OILER | An unlicensed member of the engine room staff who oils and greases bearings and moving parts of the main engine and auxiliaries. Most of this work is now done automatically and the oiler merely insures it operates correctly. |