Maritime Terms, Abbreviations and Acronyms

A large single deck cargo vessel with full width hatches and boxed holds for the carriage of unitised dry cargo such as forest products and containers. Many are fitted with a gantry crane

A marine insurance policy that applies to all shipments made by an exporter over a period of time rather than to one shipment only.

The water area of the open coast seaward of the ordinary low-water mark, or seaward of inland wa- ters.

A description of the substance sold in certain petroleum products transactions. Buyer and seller agree to price, delivery range and other particulars, but only to general specifications for the material. The seller covers the deal with any availability falling within the limits accepted by the trade.

A container fitted with a solid removable roof, or with a tarpaulin roof so the container can be loaded or unloaded from the top.

A comparison of a carrier’s operating expense with its net sales. The most general measure of operating efficiency.

Flexibility in the quantity of a stem, usually expressed as a small percentage of the stern's nominal size. This provision makes it easier to find suitable ships to lift crude and products.

Overseas Private Investment Corporation, an agency of the U.S. government which helps U.S. busi- nesses invest overseas.

Outside Port Limits

Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation

Option

The highest level of cube utilization that can be achieved when loading cargo into a container.

Owner's risk

Owner's risk of breakage

Owner's risk of chafing

Owner's risk of damage

A bill of lading term to provide surrender of the original bill of lading before freight is released; usually associated with a shipment covered under a letter of credit.

Owner's risk of detoriation

A single deck cargo ship fitted with two longitudinal bulkheads. Ore is carried in the centreline holds only

A bulk carrier arranged for the alternative (but not simultaneous) carriage of oil products

An ore carrier arranged for the alternative (but not simultaneous) carriage of crude oil

Ship with separate cargo holds for ore cargoes. When the ship is carrying oil, the ore holds may also be filled with oil, in order to utilize the deadweight capacity to the fullest

Owner's risk of fire/freezing

Origin Rail Freight Station: Same as CFS at origin except an ORFS is operated by the rail carrier participating in the shipment.

Based on a carbon structure but also containing other elements eg hydrogen, oxygen

Organic chemicals are based on carbon compounds and form the backbone of the petrochemicals industry, while inorganic chemicals are non-carbon chemicals, such as chlorine, alkalis or hydrogen peroxide. Every chemical is either organic or inorganic.

Refers to the careful tasting and odour assessment procedures carried out by experienced personnel. An important test on all fully refined oils which should be bland in odour and taste. Both the senses are involved in organoleptic testing when freshly produced.

Location where shipment begins its movement.

A document which requires proper signatures for consummating carriage of contract. Must be marked as “original” by the issuing carrier.

Owner's risk of leakage

Owner's risk of shifting

Orthoxylene is an isomer of mixed xylene. It is primarily used in plasticizers (primarily in flexible polyvinyl chloride - PVC - material), medicines and dyes.

Owner's risk of becoming wet

Over short and damage

One safe berth

Olefin Steering Committee (a sub-group of LOSG). LOSG is a sector group of the Association of Petrochemicals Producers in Europe (APPE). For more information, click here.

Open shelterdecker

Open shelter deck or closed shelter deck (vessel)

Open Shelter Deck

On-Scene Incident Commander

One safe port

Official selling price. See posted price.

Oxygenated Solvent Producers Association, a sector group of the Association of Petrochemicals Producers in Europe (APPE). For more information, click here.

One safe port or berth

Oil Spill Removal Organization

On Scene Security

Ore Sea Transport or Ordinary spring tides

Offshore supply vessel

Overtime or On truck or railway or Open top (container)

Offshore Terminal Forum

A vessel used for an undefined activity. Not designed for operation in open sea

Capable of causing injury to the inner ear and/or the auditory nerve.

Transaction or interchange that occurs at the time a container leaves a rail or water terminal.

As measured at vessel discharge. The industry uses this term as a description of the oil unloaded at a buyer's terminal. It indicates that measurements taken at the delivery of a parcel will determine the quality or quantity, or both, of a parcel changing hands. Common phrases incorporating this term include "outturn barrels", "outturn quantity", "outturn quality", and "outturn Q and Q".

The most common method of punishment aboard ship was flogging. The unfortunate sailor was tied to a grating, a mast or over the barrel of a deck cannon.

Quantity of cargo loaded in excess of minimum agreed

To sail downwind directly at another ship thus "stealing" or diverting the wind from his sails.

Over the side or out of the ship

To charge more than the proper amount according to the published rates.

To prevent the buntline ropes from chaffing the sails, crew were sent aloft to haul them over the sails. This was called overhauling.

The fraction which leaves through the top of a distillation column as a gas.

Cargo more than eight feet high which thus cannot fit into a standard container.

A term stated on the bills of lading offering lower shipping rates to importers east of the Rockies, provided merchandise from the Far East comes in through the West Coast ports. OCP rates were es- tablished by U.S. West Coast steamship companies in conjunction with western railroads so that cargo originating or destined for the American Midwest and East would be competitive with all–water rates via the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf ports. Applies to eastern Canada.

If a ship holds a tack course too long, it has overreached its turning point and the distance it must travel to reach it's next tack point is increased.

Old English for capsize or founder.

Offshore Vessel Inspection Database

Offshore Vessel Inspection Questionnaire

Offshore Vessel Management and Self Assessment

Owners

Otherwise

Standard Carrier Abbreviation Code identifying an individual common carrier. A three letter carrier code followed by a suffix identifies the carrier’s equipment. A suffix of “U” is a container and “C” is a chassis.

Oily Water Separator

Owners

Process in which the unsaturated fatty acids of oils and fats react with oxygen, resulting in rancidity. Oils and fats in contact with oxygen present in the atmosphere will cause chemical changes in the product which will downgrade the quality. Oxidation proceeds more rapidly as the temperature increases, so advisable to carry out each operation at the lowest practicable temperature. The rate of oxidation is greatly increased by the catalytic action of copper or copper alloys, even when trace amounts are present. Copper and copper alloys must be excluded from the transportation systems. Other metals, such as iron, also have catalytic effects, although less than those of copper. Oxidation is reduced by limiting air contact.

Resistance to change when exposed to air. Motor gasoline should have this property. Otherwise it will form gum when stored.

Deteriorated oil due to attack by atmospheric oxygen which has occurred either during processing or during subsequent storage and transport. The chemical change is gradual and progressive but the effect on quality can be very great. Commonly assayed by peroxide value for primary oxidation and anisidine value for secondary products, both types of oxidation can also be measured directly in an ultra-violet spectrophotometer.

A chemical which supplies its own oxygen and which helps other combustible material burn more readily.

Substance causing oxidation by accepting electrons

Oxygen-containing molecules such as alcohols or ethers used either for volume or octane, or both, in motor gasoline blending. Common examples of such compounds include ethanol, tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA), and methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE).

A vessel designed for re-oxygenating waterways where waters have low levels of oxygen through pollution

Procedures and Arrangements (manual)

Private & Confidential

Private & Confidential

Perpendicular

Policy proof of interest

Particular average

Part cargo, parcel cargo. Goods which do not represent the entire cargo for a particular ship but whose quantity is sufficient to be carried on charter terms.

Purchase enquiry

Pro Forma

Persian Gulf

Partial Loss

Partial loss

Promissory note

Pier/ocean

Pier/Pier

Public sale

Particular average

Pacific Coast

Itemized list of commodities with marks/numbers but no cost values indicated.

Pacific Australia Direct