A

MARITIME ABBREVIATIONS

aaaa

always afloat always accessible

abs

American Bureau of Shipping

abt

about

acct or a/c

account 

acot

Advisory Committee of Offshore Technology

addr

address (commission)

agw

all going well

ah

antwerp-hamburg range

aht

Anchor Handling Tug

aid

Agency for International Development

aims

American Institute of merchant Shipping

anfood

animal food (type of cargo)

aphos

african phosphate c/p

aps

Arriving Pilot Station

ara

antwerp-rotterdam- amsterdam

arag

Antwerp - Rotterdam - Amsterdam - Gent

asf

Asian Shipowners' Forum

aux

auxiliary

awb

air waybill

awes

Association of Western European Shipbuilders

B

b

Beam

b/l

bill of lading

b/n

booking note

b/s

bill of sale

b4

Before

ba 

buenos aires

baf

bunker adjustment factor

bbb

before breaking bulk

bc 

Bulk Carrier

be

both ends

bends

both ends

bfi

Baltic Freight Index

bgd

bagged

bhp

brake horse power

biac

Business and Industry Advisory Committee

bifa

British International Freight Association

biffex

Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange

bimco

Baltic and International Maritime Council

bisco

British Iron and Steel COrporation

bl

bale

blk

bulk

blt

Built

boc

Bulk Oil Carrier

bod

board of directors

bof

Best Offer

br

Bulgarian Register

br

brazil

brg

Bridge

brkrs

brokers

brl

barrel

bs

Bahamas

bsc

British Shippers Council

bsea

black sea

bsi

British Standards Institution

btms

bottoms (parcels)

bv

Bureau Veritas

C

c&f

Cost and Freight

c.i.s.

commonwealth independent states (ex soviet republics)

cabaf

currency and bunker adjustment factor

caf

currency adjustment factor

can

canada

cancl

cancelling

casa

casablanca

cbm

cubic metres

cbs

Cyprus Bereau of Shipping

cc

cargo capacity

cc

Cement Carrier

ccc

customs cooperation council

cf

cubic feet

cfr

Cost and FReight

cfs

container freight station

cgo

cargo

chopt

charterers option

chrts

charterers

cif

cost insurance freight

cif

Cost Insurance and Freight

cip

Carriage and Insurance Paid to

cmi

Committee maritime international 

cmpl

Completed

cob

Clean On Board

cob

cargo on board

cob

closing of business

cod

cash on delivery

cogsa

carriage of goods by sea act

comb

Combinable

coms

commissions

Cont

Container Ship

cont

Continent

cop 

custom of the port

core7

c/p for iron ore transportation

cp

charter party

cpt

Carriage Paid To

cpt

captain

cqd

customary quick despatch

crns

cranes

csc

container safety convention

csh

Cargo Ship

ct

Chemical Tanker

ct

combined transport

ctl

constructive total loss

cuft

cubic feet

cyl

Cylinders

D

d

Depth

d.o.

Diesel Oil

da

disbursement accounts

daf

Delivered At Frontier

dap

days all purposes

dap

dia-ammonium sulphate

dd

dry dock

ddp

delivered duty paid

ddu 

Delivered Duty Unpaid

ddu

Delivered DUty paid

de

Deemed / Earned (freight)

dely

delivery

dems

Demurrage

deq

Delivered Ex Quay

des

Delivered Ex Ship

df or d.f.

dead freight

dims

dimensions

disp

Displacement

doc

document of compliance (ism)

dolsp

dropping outward last sea pilot

dop

Dropping Out Pilot

dpa

designated person ashore (ism)

drft

draft

drgr

Dredge - r

drx

hellenic drachma (currency)

dur

duration

dw

Dead Weight

dwcc

dead weight- cargo capacity

dwt

deadweight

E

ec

east coast

ecgb

east coast Great Britain

ecsa

east coast south america

ecuk

east coast United Kingdom

ecus

east coast United States

efta

european free trade association

egy

Egypt

eiu

even if used

epirb

emergency position indicating radio beacon

er

Engine Room

eta

estimated time of arrival

etc

expected time of commencement (or completion)

etd

estimated time of departure

ets

estimated time of sailing

euc (euro)

european currency units

excl

excluding

exw

Ex Works

F

f.o.

Fuel Oil

fac

fast as can

fas

free alongside ship

fas

Free Alongside

fb

Ferry Boat

fca

Free CArrier

fcc

first class charterers

fcl

Full Container Load

fcr

Floating Crane

fd

free despatch

fd&d

freight deadfreight & demurrage

fdd

freight demurrage defence (p&i)

fdeocl

freight deemed earned on completion loading

ferts

fertilizers

feu

Forty Feet Equivalent Units

fgi

for guidance and information

fhex

fridays holidays excluded

fhex

fridays holidays excluded

fhinc

fridays holidays included

filo

free in liner out

fio

free in out 

fios

free in out stowed

fiost

free in out spout trimmed

fiot

free in out trimming

fish

Fishing Boat

flg

flag

flo-flo

FLoat On - FLoat Off

flt

full liner terms

fmc

federal maritime commission

fms

fathoms

fob

free on board

fob

free on board

fob

Free On Board

foq

free on quay

for

free on rail

fot

free on truck

fpa

free of particular average

fpt

fore peak tank

fr

freight

fr

France

frght

freight

fso

fleet safety officer (ism)

ftc

Free Transferable currency

fui

for your information

fw

fresh water

fwa

fresh water allowance

fwad

fresh water arrival draft

fwd

fresh water draft

fwd

forward

fxd

fixed

fyg

for your guidance

G

ga

general average

ga

Go Ahead (telex operator)

gatt

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

gc

Gas Carrier

gcn

gencon

gd

good

geo

geographical (rotation)

gib

Gibraltar

gl

Germanischer Lloyd

gmdss

global maritime distress and safety system

gmt

greenwich mean time

gr

grain

Gr

Greece (Hellas)

gr

greece

grd

geared

grls

gearless

grt

gross register tons

gspb

Good Safe Port Berth

gtee

guarantee

H

h.s.a.

hellenic shipbrokers association

ha

hatch

hd

half despatch

hdwts

half despatch working time saved

hf

Hydrofoil

hfo

heavy fuel oil

hh

holds hatches

hh or hoha

holds / hatches

hhs

heavy handy scrap

hk

hong kong

hl or h/l

Heavy Lift

ho

hold

hoha

holds hatches

hond

Honduras

hrs

Hellenic Register of Shipping

hrs

hours

hsa

Hellenic Shipbrokers Association

hss

heavy grain,soya,sorghum

hss

High-speed Sea Service

I

i/o

instead of

icc

international chamber of commerce 

ics

international chamber of shipping

ics

institute of chartered shipbrokers

ifo

intermediate fuel oil

igs

inert Gas System

ihp

Indicated Horse Power

ilohc

in lieu of holds cleaning

ilow

in lieu of weight

imco

intergovernmental maritime commission

imdg code

international maritime dangerous goods code

imo

international maritime organization

incl

Including

inclad

including address

inco terms

international commercial terms

isf

international safety federation

ism

bla bla bla

iso

bla bla bla

iwl

institute warranties limits

J

jpn

japan

K

kr

Korean Register of Shipping

L

l

Length

l.b.h.

length / breadth/ height

l.m.c.

Lloyd's machinery certificate

l.t.

Long Tons

l/c 

lay can

l/c

letter of credit

l/d

loading / discharging

la

los angeles (usa)

lash

Lighter Aboard SHip

lash

Lighter Aboard Ship

lat

latitude

lbp

Length Between Perpeticulars

lc or l/c

letter of credit

ldg

loading

lgc

Liquefied Gas Carrier

lhar

london, hull, antwerp, rotterdam range

lifo

liner in free out

lo/lo

Lift On / Lift Off

loa

Length Over All

loi

Letter Of Indemnity

long

longitude

lpg

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

lpgc

liquefied petroleum gas carrier

lr

Lloyds Register

ls

Light Ship

lsc

Live Stock Carrier

Lubs

Lubricants

M

m.

metres

m.e.

Main Engine

m/s

motor ship

m/v

motor vessel

m/y

Motor Yacht

mald

Maldives Islands

mdc

marina di carrara

mdo

marine diesel oil

me or m.e

main engine

med

mediterranean

mga

master's general account

mgo

marine gas oil

mic

man in charge

mid

middle

min/max

minimum/maximum

mip

marine insurance policy

miss

mississippi river

mm

minimum/maximum

moa

memorandum of agreement (S&P)

mol

more or less

molchopt

more or less at charterers' option

moloo

more or less at owners' option

mop

muriate of potash

mos

months

mou paris

memorandum of understanding (paris)

mpp

multi purpose (type of ship)

mrble

marble

mt

metric tons

mtc

moment to alter trim once centimeter

mti

moment to alter trim one inch

mv or m/v

motor vessel

N

na or n/a

not applicaple - not acceptable -not available

naa

not always afloat

naabsa

not always afloat but safely aground

ncb

national cargo bureau

ncr

non conformance report (ism)

ncv

no commercial value

ng

Nigeria

nhp

nominal horse power

nk

nippon kaiji Kyokai

No

Number

nola

North Lakes

NOR

Notice of Readiness

norgrain

voyage c/p for carriage of grains (usa-can)

nr or n.r.

northern range (from norfolk to portland in usec)

nrt

net register tons

nsf

Norwegian Sales Fort

ny

new york

nype

new york produce exchange charter party

nype

New York Produce Exchange (charter party)

O

oa

over aged

obc

Ore Bulk Carrier

obct

Ore Bulk Container

obo

Oil Bulk Ore

oc

Ore Carrier

od

outside diameter

onw

onwards

ooc

Ore Oil Carrier

opt

option

osd

Open Shelter Decker

osd

open shelter decker

ows

owners

P

p&c

Private & Confidential

p&i

protection and indemnity (club)

p.p.i.

policy proof of interest

p/f

proforma

p/l

partial loss

p/n

promissory note

pa

particular average

pan

Panama

pandi

p&i

pass

Passenger Ship

pb

permanent bunkers

pc

Product Carrier

pcc

Pure Car Carrier

pd

Per Day

pd

port dues

ph

per hatch

phil

Philippines

phos

phosphate

pls

please

plts

palletes

pmo

passing muscat outbound

pmt

Per Metric Ton

pod

paid on delivery

pod

port of delivery

posn

position

ppse

propose

ppt

prompt

pr

Polski Rejestr Statkow

prt

port

psa

Passenger Ship Association

psc

port state control

pt

Product Tanker

pton

Per Ton

pts

spanish pesetas (currency)

pus

past us (commissions)

pus

past us (coms)

pv

Peru

pwh

per workable hatch

Q

qar

quality assurance representative (ism)

qt

Qatar

qte

quote

R

r

Are

r/v

round voyage

rd

running days

rdc

running down clause

rdly

redelivery

rdr

radar

redely

redelivery

ref

Refrigerator Ship

reg

regarding

rep

representative

req

require

rge

range

ri (rina)

Registro Italiano

rnd

round (voyage)

rnge

range

RoRo

Roll on Roll off

rqrd

required

rt

Radio Telephone

rt

radio telephone

ryt

re your telex / telegram / telephone

S

s&p brkr

sale and purchase broker

s.s.

Special Survey

s/n

shipping note

s/p

Submersible Pontoon

s/r

Signing / Releasing (bills of lading)

s/s

Steamship

saoclonl

Ship And Or Cargo Lost Or Not Lost

SatCom

Satellite Communication

SatNav

Satellite Navigation

satshex

saturdays sundays holidays excluded

sb

safe berth

sbm

soya bean meal

se

south east

shex

Sundays Holidays Excluded

shinc

sundays holidays included

sid

single decker

smc

safety management certificate (ism)

smm

safety management manual (ism)

smp

soya bean meal pallets

sms

safety management system (ism)

Sob

shipped on board

soc

Shipper owned container

Sof

Statement of Facts

solas

Safety Of Life At Sea

sop

sulphate of potash

sopep

shipboard oil pollution emergency plan (ism

sp

safe port

sp

Spain

spn

spain

spore

Singapore

spt

spot

sr

Soviet Register

src

Slops Receiving Station

sshex

Saturdays Sundays Holidays Excluded

ssv

Support Supply Vessel

ssw

sawn soft wood

st

Side Tank

stbd

Starboard

stc

Said To Contain

stcw code

SEAFARERS' training certification and watch-keeping

stcw convention

international convention on standards of training certification and watch-keeping for seafarers

stds

standards

stem

subject to existence of merchandise

stg

Salvage Tug

stl

steel

sub

subject to

swd

salt water draft

swl

Safe Working Load

syna

synacomex

T

t/l

total loss

tc

time charter

tct

time charter trip

teu

Twenty Feet Equivalent Units

tg

Tug

tnge

tonnage

tns

tons

tpc

tons per centimetre

tpi

tons per inch

tr

Trawler

ts

tons

tsh

Tanker Ship

tsp

triple super phosphate

tss 

tailshaft survey

ttl

total

tw

tween decker

tween

tweendecker

U

u

You

uce

unforseen circumstances excepted

uk

united kingdom

uk/cont

united kingdom / continent range

ulcc

Ultra Large Crude Carrier

unqt

unquote

up river

upper ports of river parana (argentina)

usa

United States of America

usd

united states dollars

usec

united states east coast

usg

United States Gulf

usnh

united states, north of cape hateras

uswc

united states west coast

uu

Unless Used

V

Vaoclonl

Vessel And Or Cargo Lost Or Not Lost

vlcc

Very Large Crude Carrier

vol.

volume

W

wb

Water Ballast

wc

west coast

wci

West Coast India

wci

west coast italy

wcsa

west coast south america

weccon

whether entered customs clearance or not

wechon

whether entered customs house or not

wibon

weather in berth or not

wiccon

weather in cargo clearance or not

wifpon

weather in free pratique or not

wipon

weather in port or not

wlthc

Water Line to Top of Hatch Coming

wog

Without Guarantee

wp

Weather Permitting

wr

War Risks

wr

without responsibility

ww

world wide

wwd

Winches Working Day

wwd

Weather Working Days

wwr

when where ready

wwww

wipon / wifpon / wiccon / wibon

X

Y

yu

Yugoslavia

Z

z.t.

Zone Time