GLOSSARY OF MARITIME SHIPPING TERMS

Aboard- on or in a vessel

Abreast- when a vessel runs alongside of another vessel

Adrift- a vessel floating with the wind and tide

Aground- a vessel that is touching bottom and is unable to move

Aircraft Carrier- Carries airplanes, allows planes to takeoff from and land on the ship. see the gallery

Anchor-  a heavy object attached to a vessel by a cable or rope and cast overboard to keep the vessel in place either by its weight or its flukes, which grip the bottom

Beam- the width of the vessel at its widest point

Boom- a large spear extending from a mast to hold or extend the foot of a sail

Bow- the forward end of the vessel

Bulk Carrier- Carries bulk goods, often grains.

Bulkhead-  wall

Bulwarks- the raised portion of the sides of a vessel around the main deck to prevent crew, cargo, and passegers from being washed overboard

Cable Layer Ship- Ship which lays cable on the ocean floor

Capsize- to upset or overturn

Car Carrier- Transports cars

Cargo Ship- Any ship which transports cargo

Cleat- a fitting of wood or metal with two horns used for securing lines

Channel- a broad straight, especially one that connects two seas. for example: the English Channel

Chemical Tanker- Transports tanks of chemicals

Container Ship- Ship that transports containers

Corvette- Small, maneuverable, lightly armed war ship

Coxswain- person in charge while on a lifeboat

Crane Support Ships- Ships with cranes attached; help other ships load and unload cargo

Crest- the top of a wave

Cruise Ship- Ship people go on for vacations

Dead Reckoning- the practice of estimating a vessel's position by considering courses and distances made after departure from a known position

Derelict- a vessel abandoned or forsaken on the high seas

Dock- a platform, landing area that ships can pull up to to load and unload cargo.

Draft- the depth of water required to float a vessel

Dredges- Retrieves minerals and other materials from the bottom of the ocean

Drilling Vessels- Vessels which can drill for oil while at sea.  see the gallery

Drogue- a type of sea anchor used to stabilize a vessel in dangerous seas

Fathom- a measurement of depth, one fathom is equal to six feet

Ferries- Transports cars short distances

Fire Boats- Boats that help put out fires on ships

Fish Catching Vessels- Vessels which Lay down nets to collect fish

Flare- a pyrotechnic device used for attracting attention or indicating distress

Flounder- to fill with water and sink at sea

Galley- the area on a vessel containing the cooking facilities

Gangway- a passage along either side of the ship's upper deck; an opening on the side of a ship where passengers may board

Hatch- a door in the roof or floor, often above a cargo hold

Headway- a vessel's forward movement

Heave- to pull on

Helm- the steering mechanism of a vessel

Hoist- to raise up

Hold- the lower interior part of a ship where cargo is held

Hydrographic Survey- Testing done on the nature of waves.

Ice Breaker- Designed to break up ice for travel in Polar Regions

Jettison- throwing cargo and other materials overboard to lighten a vessel and help it remain afloat

Junk- Chinese sailing vessel

Keel- the continuous section of a vessel running from the bow (front) to the stern (back) on which the vessel is built, the backbone of the vessel

Knot- a measurement of speed equal to one nautical mile (6,080 ft. per hour), one knot is equal to one and one seventh miles per hour and it is the length of one minute of longitude at the equator

Leeward- the side of the vessel opposite the side where the wind is blowing

Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier- Vessels that transport fuel in the form of liquefied natural gas.  In order to keep the gas in liquid form, the tanks are kept at a temperature of -260 degrees farenheight.  LNGs are required to have the gas surrounded by at least two tanks in case the first one breaks.  They aren't allowed in many ports because of their large size and the huge fire hazard they pose.

Lumber Carriers- Carries large amounts of lumber

Marry- to tie two lines together

Nautical Mile- the standard unit of measurement for maritime navigation which equals 6,080 feet and represents one minute of latitude

Ocean Liner- Passenger ship, crosses oceans; was supplanted by airlines

Oceanographic Research- Ship for the purpose of marine research.  Often studies marine life, tides, waves, plant life, weather at sea.

Ocean Mining Vessels- Vessels with the ability to mine for resources from the sea

Offshore Supply Boats- Supplies transportation services to offshore drilling rigs

Oil Tanker- Transports oil in large tanks

Panamax- Ship with maximum dimensions for fitting through the Panama Canal.  1000ft. long, 110ft. wide, 85 ft. deep

Pilot Boats- Helps ships navigate in and out of harbors

Port Side- the left side of a vessel when facing forward

Quay- a dock parallel to the shoreline and accommodating vessels on one side only

Refrigerated Ship- Ship with cargo that must be refrigerated.  Usually foodstuffs, fruit, fish,

Rolling- the motion of a ship swinging from side to side caused by the pressure of the waves on the side if the ship

Roll-on Roll-off-  Transports wheeled cargo.  see the gallery

Seaway- the navigable portion of the sea

Seaworthy- able to withstand the dangers of the sea

Sheer- the curvature of a ship's deck from bow to stern

Sounding- the act of measuring depth of water by using a lead line or a fathometer

Starboard- the right side of a vessel when facing forward

Stern- the back end of a vessel

Sternway- the backward motion of a vessel when it is carried or propelled backward

Submarine- Designed to travel mainly underwater.  see gallery

Swell- a wave

Tender- Services another type of air or sea vessel

Tugboat- Pulls other boats

Veer- to change the direction of a vessel in reference to the wind

Windward- the side of the vessel towards which the wind is blowing

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