Shipping business important abbreviations. The shipping industry relies heavily on abbreviations and acronyms to facilitate efficient communication. Here are some important ones:
• a.a. – (Chartering) Always afloat
• Abt. – About• abt. – About
• a/c – (Chartering) Account
• acct. – (Chartering) Account
• A/D – Alternate Days After date
• a/d – Alternate Days After date
• Ad. val. – According to value
• ad. val – According to value
• A/V – According to value
• A/H – (Chartering) Antwerp, Hamburg range of ports
• AMVER – Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue
• AS – Annual Survey
• A. T. S. B. E. – (Chartering) All Time Saved Both Ends
• a. t. s. b. e. – (Chartering) All Time Saved Both Ends
• A. T. S. D. O. – (Chartering) All Time Saved Discharging Only
• a. t. s. d. o. – (Chartering) All Time Saved Discharging Only
• A. T. S. L. O. – (Chartering) All Time Saved Loading Only
• a. t. s. l. o. – (Chartering) All Time Saved Loading Only
• A/V – According to value
• A. W. t. S. B. E. – (Chartering) All Working Time Saved Both Ends
• a. w. t. s. b. e. – (Chartering) All Working Time Saved Both Ends
• A. W. T. S. D. O. – (Chartering) All Working Time Saved Discharging Only
• a. w. t. s. d. o. – (Chartering) All Working Time Saved Discharging Only
• A. W. T. S. L. O. – (Chartering) All Working Time Saved Loading Only
• a. w. t. s. . o. – (Chartering) All Working Time Saved Loading Only
• bb – (Chartering) Ballast Bonus
• B. B. – (Grain Trade) Bar Bound
• B. B. – (Chartering) Below Bridges
• B. B. – Bulbous Bow
• BB – Bulbous Bow
• B. B. – Bill Book
• B. B. B. – (Chartering) Before Breaking Bulk
• bends – (Chartering) Both ends
• B.H. – (Chartering ) Continent, Bordeaux-Hamburg range
• b.t. – (Chartering) Berth terms
• b.t. – (Marine Insurance) Berth terms
• C.B.A. – ( Or S.C.B.A. - Safety) Self Contained Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus
• cancl. – (Chartering) Cancelled / Canceling
• CES – Coast Earth Station
• C. B. & H. – (Chartering) Continent between Bordeaux and Hamburg
• C. & f. – (Chartering) Cost and freight
• C. & F. – Cost and freight
• C. Ft. – Cubic feet
• c. f. – Cubic feet
• C. f. o. – Coast for orders
• C. f. .o – Channel for orders
• C. G. S. A. – Carriage of Good by Sea Act
• C. H. & H. – (Chartering) Continent between Havre and Hamburg
• C. I. F. – Cost, insurance and freight
• c. i. f. – Cost, insurance and freight
• c. i. f. & c. – Cost, insurance, freight and commission
• C. I. F. & C. – Cost, insurance, freight and commission
• CIRM – Centro Internazionale Radio-Medico
• CLC – CIVIL LIABILITY CONVENTION
• C.O.B. – (Chartering) Close of Business
• COFR – Certificate of Financial Responsibility
• C. O. G. S. A. – Carriage of Good by Sea Act
• C. G. S. A. – Carriage of Good by Sea Act
• COLREG – International Convention for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972
• compl. – (Chartering) Completing
• cont. A/H – (Chartering ) Continent, Antwerp-Hamburg range
• cont. B/H – (Chartering) Continent, Bordeaux-Hamburg range
• cont. H/H – (Chartering) Continent, Havre-Hamburg range
• COW – Crude Oil Washing System
• C. R. D. – (Chartering) Discharging at Current Rate
• CRS – Coast Radio Station
• cu. ft. - Cubic feet
• cu. gr – (Chartering) Grain Capacity in cubic feet
• CV – CURRICULUM VITAE
• D/A – (Banking) Deposit Account
• D/A – Days after Acceptance
• D/A – Documents against Acceptance
• D/A – Documents after Acceptance
• D/A – (Chartering) Discharge Afloat
• D/A – Disbursement Account
• D/a – Days after Acceptance
• d. a. a. – (Chartering) Discharge always afloat
• d. b. e. – (Chartering) Dispatch payable both ends
• D. B. E. A. T. S. – (chartering) Dispatch payable both ends on all time saved
• D. B. E. W. T. S. – (Chartering) Dispatch payable both ends on working time saved
• D. C. – (Chartering) Detention Clause
• D. C. – Direct Current
• D. CI. – (Chartering) Detention Clause
• d. d. o. – (Chartering) Dispatch discharging only
• dem-des – (Chartering) Demurrage and despatch
• DNV – Det Norske Veritas
• d. f. – (Chartering) Dead-Freight
• D/f – (Chartering) Dead-Freight
• D. H. D. – (Chartering) Dispatch half Demurrage
• D1/2D – (Chartering) Dispatch half Demurrage
• d. l. o. – (Chartering) Dispatch loading only
• d. p. – (Chartering) Direct port
• DSC – Digital Selective Calling
• DTF – Document Transmittal Form
• d. w. a. t. – (Chartering) Deadweight all told
• d. w. c. – (Chartering) Deadweight capacity
• d. w. c. c. - (Chartering) Deadweight cargo capacity
• d. w. c. t. – (Chartering) Deadweight cargo tons
• D1/2D – (Chartering) Dispatch half Demurrage
• E. C. U. S. – (Chartering) East Coast of United States of America
• ELT – Emergency Locator Transmitter
• EPIRB – Emergency Position-indicating Radio Beacon
• ERLOAD – (Chartering) Expected Ready to load
• Ex – Examined
• Ex – Exschange
• Ex – Executed
• Ex – Formerly
• Ex – From
• Ex – Out of
• Ex - Without
• Ex – (Chartering) Excluding
• Exd - Examined
• Exch – Exchange
• f. a. c. c. o. p. – (Chartering) AS fast as ship can load/discharge according to custom of port
• F. & D. – (Chartering) Freight and Demurrage
• f. a. s. – Free alongside Ship
• f. a. s. – (Container transport) Free arrival station
• f. a. s. – (American Timber) Firsts and seconds
• f. b. m. – (Timber trade) Foot board measure
• f. d. – Free delivery
• f. d. – (Chartering) Free dispatch
• f. d. – Free docks
• F. d. – Free docks
• FD & D – (Insurance) Freight, Demurrage & Defence
• f. i. – (Chartering) Free in
• FILTD – (Chartering) Free in Liner Terms Discharge
• f. i. o. – (Chartering) Free In And Out
• f. i. o. s. – (Chartering) free in and out and stowed
• f. i. o. t. – (Chartering) free in and out and trimmed
• f. o. b. s. – (Chartering) free on board and stowed
• f. o. b. t. – (Chartering) free on board and trimmed
• f. t. – (Chartering) Full terms
• G/A – General Average
• GES – Ground Earth Station
• GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress And Safety System
• h. g. s. s. – (Chartering) Heavy grain, Soyas, Sorghum
• h. h. d. w. – (Chartering) Heavy handy deadweight scrap
• H.H. – (Chartering) Continent, Havre-Hamburg range
• H & M – ( Insurance) Hull and Machinery
• HRU – HYDROSTATIC RELEASING UNIT
• HSC – HIGH SPEED CRAFT
• H. S. S. – (Chartering) Heavy grain, Soyas, Sorghum
• IAMSAR – International Aeronautical And Maritime Search And Rescue Manual
• ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organization
• ICL – INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF LOAD LINE
• IMDC – INTERNATIONAL MARITIME DANGEROUS CODE
• ILL – International convention on Load Lines, 1966
• ILO – International Labour Organisation
• INMARSAT – International Mobile Satellite Organization
• INTERCO – International Code of Signals
• ISGOTT – INTERNATIONAL SAFETY GUIDE FOR OIL TANKERS & TERMINALS
• IOPP – International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate
• IS – Intermediate Survey
• ITF – INTERNATIONAL TRADE WORKERS FEDERATION
• ITOPF – The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited
• LCB – Line of Constant Bearing
• LES – Land Earth Station
• L. I. F. O. – (Chartering) Liner in free out
• l. i. f. o. – (Chartering) Last in first out
• LKB – Last Known Position
• LOF – LLOYD’S OPEN FORM (SALVAGE)
• LOH – (Insurance) Loss of Hire
• l. s. – (Chartering) Lump sum
• LTBENDS – (Chartering) Liner Terms Both Ends
• l. t. bends - (Chartering) Liner Terms Both Ends
• MARPOL – Inernational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ship’s 1973, as modified by Protocol of 1978
• MAS – Mandatory Annual Survey
• MCA – MARITIME AND COAST GUARD AGENCY
• MCC – Mission Control Centre
• MERSAR – MERCHANT SHIP SEARCH AND RESCUE MANUAL
• M. O. L. O. O. – (Chartering) More or Less at Owner’s Option
• MOU – MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ( AGREEMENT )
• MRCC – MARITIME RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER
• MSB – Main Switch Board
• MSI – Maritime Safety Information
• n. a. a. – (Chartering) Not always afloat
• N. A. A. – (Chartering) Not always afloat
• N . A. A. B. S. A. – (Chartering) Not always afloat but safely Aground
• n. a. a. b. s. a. – (Chartering) Not always afloat but safely Aground
• N.A. – Not applicable
• NLS – Noxious Liquid Substances Certificate
• N. O. R. – (Chartering) Notice of Readiness
• N. O. R. A. – (Chartering) Notice of Readiness Accepted
• N. O. R. T. – (Chartering) Notice of Readiness Tendered
• N. O. R. T. & A. – (Chartering) Notice of Readiness Tendered and Accepted
• N/R – (Chartering) Notice of Readiness
• N/R – Not reported
• o. a. a. o. o. p. – (Chartering) On arrival at or off the port
• OCIMF – OIL COMPANIES INTERNATIONAL MARINE FORUM
• ODM – Oil discharge monitoring and control system
• O. S. P. – (Chartering) One Safe Port
• OSC – On-scene co-ordinator
• PIW – Person in Water
• P & A – Procedure and arrangement manual
• p. c. – (Chartering) Part cargo
• PLB – Personal Locator Beacon
• P & I – (Insurance) Protecting and Indemnity
• PLI – Periodical Load Line Inspection
• ppt. – (Chartering) Prompt
• psg. – (Chartering) Passing
• PSG – (Chartering) Passing
• p. t. – (Chartering) Private terms
• QTS – Quadrennial throught survey
• RCC – Rescue Co-ordination Centre
• r. d. – (Chartering) Running days
• r. o. b. – (Chartering) Remaining on board
• SAR – Search and Rescue
• SART – Search and Rescue Transponder
• S. B. – Short Bill
• S. B. – Sales Book
• S. B. – (Chartering) Safe Berth
• S.C.B.A.- ( Or C.B.A. – Safety) Self-contained Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus
• SC – Search and Rescue co-ordinator
• SES – Ship earth station
• Shex. – Sundays and Holidays expected
• SHEX - Sundays and Holidays expected
• SHEXEIU - Sundays and Holidays expected even if Used
• SHEXUU - Sundays and Holidays expected unless used
• Shinc – Sunday and Holidays included
• SHINC - Sunday and Holidays included
• SITREP – Situation Report
• SMC – Search and Rescue mission co-ordination
• SOLAS – International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974
• SOLAS 1974 which is applied ship keel laid or similar stage of constr.on or after MAY 25 1980.
• SOLAS 74,81 ammend which is applied ship keel laid or similar stage of constr. or after SEP. 01 1984
• SOLAS 74,83 ammend which is applied ship keel laid or similar stage of constr. or after JUL. 01 1986
• S.O.P.E.P. – Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
• S. R. Ports – (Chartering) Southern Range ports ( U.S. Atlantic ports south of Norfolk,Virginia
• SRR – Search and Rescue Region
• STCW – International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers, 1978 or 95 amend.
• SWAD – (Chartering) Salt Water Arrival Draught
• T. B. N. – (Chartering) To be nominated
• TOPPING OFF - COMPLETING THE LOADING OF TANK TO REQUIRED ULLAGE
• TOVALOP – Tanker Owners Voluntary Agreement concerning Liability for Oil Pollution At 20th February, 1997 will mean that TOVALOP Certificates will not exist after that date. Port authorities, terminal operators and others who in the past have required sight of TOVALOP Certificates before allowing a tanker to load or discharge cargo will consequently need to amend their procedures with effect from 20th february, 1997. Any questions on this matter may be directed to ITOPF ( The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited)at address STAPLE HALL, STONEHOUSE COURT, 87-90 HOUNDSDITCH, LONDON EC3A 7AX. Email: central@itopf.com / Fax: 0171 621 1783
• UFL – UPPER FLAMMABLE LIMIT
• W. F. A. – (Chartering) With following alteration
• WIBON – (Chartering) Whether in berth or not
• WIPON – (Chartering) Whether in port or not
• W. O. G. – With other goods
• W. O. G. – (Chartering) Without guarantee
• WTS – (Chartering) Working Time Sawed
• W. W. D. – (Chartering) Weather working days
• w. w. d. – (Chartering) Weather working days
• w. w. r. – (Chartering) When, where, ready
General Shipping Terms
- ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
- ETD: Estimated Time of Departure
- ATA: Actual Time of Arrival
- ATD: Actual Time of Departure
- ETC: Estimated Time of Completion
- ETA: Expected Time of Availability
Cargo and Container Terms
- TEU: Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit
- FEU: Forty-foot Equivalent Unit
- LCL: Less than Container Load
- FCL: Full Container Load
- B/L: Bill of Lading
- CIF: Cost, Insurance, and Freight
- FOB: Free on Board
- CFR: Cost and Freight
Shipping Documents
- AWB: Air Waybill
- POD: Proof of Delivery
- LOI: Letter of Indemnity
- COO: Certificate of Origin
Ports and Locations
- POL: Port of Loading
- POD: Port of Discharge
- CFS: Container Freight Station
- CY: Container Yard
Shipping Companies and Organizations
- IMO: International Maritime Organization
- ISPS: International Ship and Port Facility Security Code
- SOLAS: Safety of Life at Sea
- FMC: Federal Maritime Commission
Financial and Payment Terms
- L/C: Letter of Credit
- CAD: Cash Against Documents
- DAF: Delivered at Frontier
- DDP: Delivered Duty Paid
- DAP: Delivered at Place
Operational Terms
- VGM: Verified Gross Mass
- VSA: Vessel Sharing Agreement
- NVOCC: Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier
- HBL: House Bill of Lading
- MBL: Master Bill of Lading
Regulatory and Compliance Terms
- AML: Anti-Money Laundering
- CTPAT: Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
- ISF: Importer Security Filing
- GRI: General Rate Increase
These abbreviations are commonly used in shipping documents, communications, and operations to streamline processes and ensure clear understanding among parties involved in the shipping process.
