The maritime industry has its own language—a rich vocabulary shaped by centuries of seafaring tradition and modern logistics terminology. This glossary covers essential terms you’ll encounter throughout The Helm Report and in the broader maritime world.
Vessel & Navigation Terms
Beam — The width of a vessel at its widest point.
Berth — A designated location in a port where a vessel can dock.
Bow — The front of a ship.
Bridge — The command center of a vessel where navigation and ship operations are controlled.
Deadweight Tonnage (DWT) — The total weight a vessel can carry, including cargo, fuel, crew, and provisions.
Draft — The depth of water a ship needs to float; the distance from the waterline to the bottom of the hull.
Gross Tonnage (GT) — A measure of a ship’s total internal volume, used for regulatory and fee purposes.
Helm — The wheel or mechanism used to steer a ship.
Hull — The main body of a ship.
Keel — The central structural element running along the bottom of a ship.
Knot — A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour (approximately 1.15 mph or 1.85 km/h).
Port (direction) — The left side of a vessel when facing forward.
Starboard — The right side of a vessel when facing forward.
Stern — The rear of a ship.
Waterline — The line where the hull meets the surface of the water.
Cargo & Shipping Terms
Bill of Lading (B/L) — A legal document issued by a carrier that serves as a receipt for shipped goods, a contract of carriage, and a document of title.
Breakbulk — Cargo that is too large or heavy for standard containers, loaded individually.
Bunker — Fuel used to power ships. “Bunkering” is the process of refueling.
Charter Party — A contract between a shipowner and a charterer for the hire of a vessel.
Demurrage — Charges incurred when cargo or containers are held beyond the agreed free time at a port or terminal.
Drayage — Short-distance transport of cargo, typically between a port and a nearby warehouse.
Feeder Vessel — A smaller ship that transports containers between a regional port and a major hub port.
Freight Rate — The price charged to transport cargo by sea.
Lashing — Securing cargo on a vessel to prevent movement during transit.
Manifest — A detailed list of all cargo carried on a vessel.
Reefer — A refrigerated container or vessel for temperature-sensitive cargo.
Stevedore — A person or company that loads and unloads ships.
TEU — Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, the standard measure for container capacity based on a 20-foot container.
Transshipment — Transferring cargo from one vessel to another at an intermediate port.
Port & Terminal Terms
Bollard — A short post on a wharf used to secure mooring lines.
Container Yard (CY) — The area within a terminal where containers are stored.
Dry Dock — A narrow basin that can be drained to allow ship maintenance and repair below the waterline.
Fender — A cushioning device between a vessel and the dock to prevent damage.
Gantry Crane — A large crane mounted on a structure that spans the quay, used for loading and unloading containers.
Jetty — A structure extending into the water for mooring vessels.
Pilot — A licensed navigator who boards vessels to guide them safely through harbors and channels.
Quay — A solid wharf for loading and unloading ships.
Tug — A powerful boat that assists larger vessels with docking, undocking, and navigation in confined waters.
Wharf — A structure alongside which vessels can berth to load and unload.
Industry & Regulatory Terms
Cabotage — Laws restricting maritime transport between ports within the same country to domestic-flagged vessels.
Classification Society — An organization (like Lloyd’s Register, DNV, or Bureau Veritas) that sets and maintains technical standards for ship construction and operation.
Flag State — The country where a ship is registered, whose laws and regulations govern the vessel.
IMO — The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for maritime safety and environmental protection.
Jones Act — U.S. federal law requiring goods shipped between U.S. ports to be carried on American-built, American-owned, and American-crewed vessels.
MARPOL — The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, the main international convention for preventing marine pollution.
P&I Club — Protection and Indemnity Club, a mutual insurance association providing liability coverage for shipowners.
SOLAS — Safety of Life at Sea, the most important international treaty concerning maritime safety.
UNCLOS — United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, defining the rights and responsibilities of nations regarding the world’s oceans.