Maritime Terms, Abbreviations and Acronyms

A short–sea vessel which transfers cargo between a central “hub” port and smaller “spoke” ports.

a cellular containership that holds about 500 to 1,000 TEUs

A product of oil or gas processing suitable for charging to (introduction into) an upgrading unit for further refining or transformation. In general, each stage of hydrocarbon processing regards the material, it receives for alteration as its feedstock and what it makes of that material as it product. A reformer, for instance, takes naphtha as its feedstock and yields reformat, its product. Reformate, in turn, serves as the feedstock for an aromatics extraction unit which isolates benzene, its product. The feedstock business deals in those partially refined petroleum streams (intermediates) and gas plant products processed by refinery units and basic petrochemical plants.

Raw material used in a processing plant. The most important feedstock for the European petrochemical industry is naphtha.

Far East Freight Conference

Association of European Adhesives Manufacturers, an affiliate of Cefic.

European Federation of Associations of Particle Board Manufacturers

Fertilliser charter party

Substance that adds inorganic or organic plant nutrients to soil and improves its ability to grow crops, trees, or other vegetation.

Fertilizers

Forty foot equivalent unit. This is an 40 X 8 X 8.5 feet dry cargo intermodal container used as a measurement of container volume. See also TEU, twenty-foot equivalent-unit. One FEU equals two TEU.

Free From Average or Free From Alongside

Fat Free Acid or Fire Fighting Appliances

Freight Future Agreement

Fresh Fruit Bunch. The initials stand for "fresh fruit bunch" and refer to the bunch as harvested from the oil palm. Each bunch weighs 10-20 kg and may contain 1500 or more individual fruits. Calculation of oil yield and losses in the oil mill is often referred to the fresh fruit bunch, as this is the material taken in for processing.

Fire Fighting Equipment

For further instructions

Fully fixed

Fully godd fair

First Half or Fore-hatch

Fridays & holidays excluded

Fridays & holidays included

Full interest admitted

Free Into Barge or Free Into Bunkers

See Unsaturated polyester resins

Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers

Fire Fighting

FiFi 1 is the lowest category, and the minimum requirements include two monitors, one to two fire pumps and water pumping capacity of 10,569 gpm. Additional firefighting equipment often includes water deluge spraying systems.

FiFi 2 rating requires two to four monitors, up to four fire pumps and total pumping capacity of 31,704 gpm. Additional firefighting equipment often includes water deluge spraying systems and high-expansion foam generators.

FiFi 3 vessels must have three to four monitors and two to four fire pumps capable of supplying a total 42,272 gpm. Additional firefighting equipment often includes water deluge spraying systems, high-expansion foam generators and foam monitors.

First In First Out

The semi–circular steel coupling device mounted on a tractor which engages and locks with a chassis semi–trailer.

An ornamental figure placed on the front of a ship, under the bowsprit. Originally a religious and/or protective emblem. The custom continued but for purely decorative purposes. Hence the term figurehead – a leader with no real power or function except to ‘look good’ or appeal to a certain group.

Free In Liner Out

Free in, liner terms discharge

Filtration refers to the separation of a component from another using a screening material or sieve such as paper, steel mesh or cloth. In the oils and fats industry, filtration is used to remove - a. bleaching earth and impurities from the bleached oil in refining; b. catalyst from the hydrogenated fat in hydrogenation; c. crystals from an oil slurry in fractionation, and d. the last trace of solids in a refined oil. This operation is referred to as ""polishing"" and gives a sparkling clear liquid.

The temperature where a natural material or fraction finishes boiling. This temperature also goes by the name, end point. Some folks use the phrase " full boiling point." This expression has fallen into disfavor, though. It implies complete evaporation of the material in question--a degree of perfection not ordinarily achieved, or even sought, in the industry's laboratories and commercial facilities.

Motor gasoline which meets the merchantability standards of a particular market. These specification fuels differ from blendstocks called gasoline which require the addition of other components to make it fit for retail sale in one country or another.

Ingredients added to gasoline blends in small amounts to adjust the mixture to motor fuel standards. Finishing components include toluene and MTBE.

Free In and Out

Free in and out, lashed and secured

Free In and Out Plus Stowed

Free In/Out Stowed, Lashed, Secured and Dunnaged. As per FIO, but includes cost of lashing securing and dunnaging cargo to Masters satisfaction

Free in and out, spout trimmed

Free In and Out Plus Stowed and Trimmed

Free In and Out Plus Trimmed

A vessel equipped for the primary function of fighting fires

The temperature at which an oil sample, when heated under prescribed conditions, will ignite for a period of at least five seconds.

A capacity measurement equal to one–fourth of a barrel.

A suggestion from a prospective buyer or seller feeling his way toward a possible deal. Firm indications carry more weight than the initial indications casually given in routine conversation. But they do not constitute an offer. They show distinct interest but do not carry any specific obligations.

Implies excellence. From the 16th century on until steam powered ships took over, British naval ships were rated as to the number of heavy cannon they carried. A ship of 100 or more guns was a First Rate line-of-battle ship. Second rates carried 90 to 98 guns; Third Rates, 64 to 89 guns; Fourth Rates, 50 to 60 guns. Frigates carrying 48 to 20 guns were fifth and sixth rated.

A refrigerated cargo vessel for the carriage of fish at a single temperature

A vessel fitted out with a factory for refrigerating, processing and possibly canning. The catch is from other vessels

A vessel for the support of fish farming activities

A non propelled barge for the storage of live fish

A vessel for the protection of fish stocks and fishing vessels

A vessel for research into fish stocks and conservation. The vessel may catch fish for scientific purposes

A vessel for supporting fishing activities

A vessel for catching fish whose method is other than trawling. Includes long liners, purse seiners etc

A vessel used for fishing. Not designed for operation in open sea

Free stowed liner out

Free in, stowed, lashed, secured and dunnaged /liner out

Free In Trimmed OR Free of income tax

A Bill of Lading was signed by the ship’s master acknowledging receipt of specified goods and the promise to deliver them to their destination in the same condition. Upon delivery, the goods were checked against the bill to see if all was in order. If so, they fit the bill.

Free in Wagon

When a shipowner and charterer make a deal, they say they have "fixed" a ship. They have settled all of the issues including the price, to employ the vessel.

Costs that do not vary with the level of activity. Some fixed costs continue even if no cargo is carried. Terminal leases, rent and property taxes are fixed costs.

The oil trade speaks of prices quoted in absolute figures, like $157 per ton and 44.875 cents per gallon, as fixed prices these numbers, and the transactions (called fixed-price deals) which use them, do not move with any price business in recent years.

Chartering a Vessel

Agreement of contract for transportation

Flag of the country where a ship is registered.

A process used when extracting oil from seeds. The cooked seeds are usually passed through pairs of rolls which break them down and flatten them to a uniform thickness suitable for efficient solvent extraction.

The distance a flame will travel from the aerosol container when exposed to an ignition source

A liquid that has a flash point of 60.5°C (141°F) or lower.

Feeder lighter aboard ship

The lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off sufficient vapour to form a flammable mixture near the surface of the liquid.

The temperature at which a hydrocarbon releases vapors in sufficient quantity to permit combustion.

ISO 15267 - Method to determine whether a sample of oil or fat at a given temperature will flash when a test flame is applied to the sample under specified conditions.

Tank cleaning: The flashpoint is the lowest temperature at which a product gives off sufficient gas to form a flammable gas mixture that can be ignited. The pre-cleaning temperature must be well below the flashpoint. If this is not possible, avoid any ignition source.

see DISTILLATION UNIT

A rail car without a roof and walls.

A container with no sides and frame members at the front and rear. Container can be loaded from the sides and top.

Cargo to be presented stacked and secured as an integral unit.

The degree to which a processing unit can make a desired product from various feed stocks. The term applies particularly to steam crackers. Some such plants can produce ethylene from a range of hydrocarbon streams spanning ethane to vacuum gasoil. Other units have less flexibility.

Flag

A submersible unit constructed and fitted out to dry dock ships whilst afloat.

A price tied to some sensitive reference quotation. The oil business took this approach when market volatility made fixed-price deals too risky. In the late 1980's the majority of crude and products deals which involve any substantial time exposure use market-linked prices. One grade of crude floats with published quotes for another. Feedstock floats with finished products. Fuel sold in supply regions float with price levels at consumption points. Physical material floats with price levels at consumption points. Physical materials floats with futures exchange reports. And so forth.

Flocculants are products used in waste treatment to separate unwanted components from water and sludge.

These are legal terms in maritime law. Flotsam is any part of the wreckage of a ship or her cargo that is lost by accident and found floating on the surface of the water. Jetsam are goods or equipment deliberately thrown overboard to make the ship more stable in high winds or heavy seas. The term flotsam and jetsam shore-side means odds and ends of no great value.

Full liner terms; forklift truck

A coking unit (coker) which makes coke in powdery, free-flowing form.

Rate of material flow. Some refiners use this word when discussing the fluidity or viscosity of petroleum products, particularly heavy ones.

Rate of materials flow faster or at lower temperatures.

Following

Follows

A large sail used only for sailing downwind and requiring rather little attention.

To come through a battle with flying colours means a ship has come through relatively unscathed and with her colours (flag) flying.

Fine-measurement or From

Federal Maritime Commission (USA)

Fathoms