Abbreviation/Acronym |
Name |
Explanation |
Aframax |
|
Tankers generally 80,000-119,000 DWT |
Ballast |
|
Seawater taken into a vessels tanks
in order to submerge the vessel to proper trim. |
BIMCO |
Baltic and International Maritime Council |
Trade organisation representing
shipowners, shipbrokers and agents, and other members |
Bulk Cargo |
|
Usually a homogeneous cargo stowed in
bulk, and not enclosed in any container. |
Deadweight, DWT |
Deadweight Tonnage |
The lifting or carrying capacity of a
ship when fully loaded. The deadweight is the difference, in tonnes, between the
displacement and the lightweight. It includes cargo, bunkers, water (potable, boiler,
ballast), stores, passengers and crew. |
DEPA |
Danish Environmental Protection Agency |
Government agency under the Ministry of
Environment |
DNV |
Det Norske Veritas |
One of several Classification Societies -
The professional organisations which class and certify the strength and seaworthiness of
vessel construction. Class and certification issued to each vessel may be required for
insurance purposes. DNV and Lloyds Register of Shipping are two well known classification
societies in the world today. |
T |
Draught |
The depth of a ship in the water. This
distance is measured from the bottom of the ship to the surface of the water. The moulded
draught T is the distance, in m, measured vertically on the midship transverse section,
from the moulded base line to the summer load line. |
DT |
Displacement Tonnage |
Expressed in tonnes it is the weight the
water displaced by the vessel which in turn is the weight of the vessel at that time. |
Gas free |
Gas free (for hot work) |
Gas Free Certificate - A certificate
issued by a chemist after sampling the air in a tanker's cargo tanks after the cargo has
been pumped out. |
GT |
Gross Tonnage |
The internal capacity of a vessel
measured in units of 100 cubic feet. |
ILO |
International Labour Organisation |
The UN agency seeking the promotion of
social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights |
IMO |
International Maritime Organisation |
The United Nations' agency responsible
for improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from ships. |
LDT |
Light displacement tonnes or Lightweight |
The lightweight is the displacement, in
t, without cargo, fuel, lubricating oil, ballast water, fresh water and feed water,
consumable stores and passengers and crew and their effects, but including liquids in
piping. |
MARAD |
Maritime Administration |
US Department of Transportation Authority
|
MARPOL |
|
International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating
thereto (MARPOL 73/78). |
MEPC |
Marine Environment Protection Committee |
IMO's senior technical body on marine
pollution related matters. |
Panamax. |
|
The maximum size ship that can fit
through the Panama Canal in terms of width, length and draught generally about 80,000 DWT |
Suezmax |
|
The maximum size ship that can sail
through the Suez canal generally considered to be between 150-200,000 DWT depending on
ships dimensions and draught. |
TEU |
Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit |
Standard unit for counting containers of
various capacities and for describing the capacities of container ships or terminals. One
20 Foot ISO container equals 1 TEU. |
ULCC |
Ultra Large Crude Carrier |
Tanker of 320,000 DWT & above |
VLCC |
Very Large Crude Carrier |
Tanker of 160,000-320,000 DWT |