Design: Sjursen Design 2009
Abbreviations in shipping
An abbreviation (from Latin brevis, meaning "short") is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase. In shipping there are many abbreviations. In the old days the need for keeping the length of communication offshore was imperative to save time. These abbreviations are still used more or less today.
Many thanks to Kjetil at Rimship for sharing his knowledge and abbreviations with us.
A
| AA | Always Afloat |
| AAAA | Always Afloat Always Accessible |
| AAPA | The American Association of Port Authorities |
| AARA | Amsterdam-Antwerpen-Rotterdam Area |
| ABS | American Bureau of Shipping |
| ABT | ABouT |
| ADCOM | ADress COMission |
| AFSPS | Arrival First Sea Pilot Station ( Norway) |
| AGW | All Going Well |
| A/H | Anchor Handling |
| AHT | AnchorHandling Tug |
| ALU | ALUminium |
| ANTHAM | ANTwerp-HAMburg range |
| APS | Arrival Pilot Station |
| ARAG | Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Gent range |
| ASPW | Any Safe Port in the World |
| ATDNSHINC | Any Time Day/Night Sundays and Holidays INCluded |
| ATUTC | Actually Time Used To Count |
| A/S | AlongSide |
B
| B | Bale (cargo capacity) |
| BAF | Bunker adjusting factor (freight) |
| Bb | Bareboat |
| BBB | Before Breaking Bulk |
| BDI | Both Dates Inclusive |
| BE | Both Ends ( Load and discharge ports) |
| BEG | BEGinning |
| BENDS | Both Ends ( Load and discharge ports) |
| BI | Both Inclusive |
| BIMCO | The Baltic and International Maritime Conference |
| BL | BaLe |
| B/N | Booking Note |
| BOB | Bunker On Board |
| Box | Everyday term for container (or boxed vessel) |
| Br | Breadth |
| BHP | Brake Horse Power |
| BMM | British Marine Mutual |
| Br.ld. | Break load |
| BRGDS | Best ReGarDS |
| BROB | Bunkers Remaining On Board |
| Brt | Gross tonnage |
| B S S 1/1 | Basis 1 port to 1 port |
| BT | Berth Terms |
| BV | Bureau Veritas |
| BWAD | Brackish Water Arrival Draft |
C
| CAF | Currency adjusting factor (freight) |
| CAP | Condition Assessment Programme |
| Cap | Capacity |
| CBFT | CuBic FeeT |
| C/C | sshinC/sshinC |
| ce Ta | Center Tank |
| CFT | Cubic FeeT |
| CFR | Cost and FReight |
| Chem | Chemical |
| CHOPT | CHarterer's OPTion |
| CIF | Costs Insurance and Freight |
| CIP | Commercial Interest Reference Rate |
| CIRR | Commercial Interest Reference Rate |
| CLC | Civil Liability Convention |
| COA | Contract Of Affreightment |
| COACP | Contract Of Affreightment Charter Party |
| COBLDN | Closing Of Business LoDoN |
| COGSA | Carriage of Goods by Sea Act |
| CONT | CONTainer |
| COW | Crude Oil Washing |
| C/P | CharterParty |
| CPT | Carriage Paid To |
| CPD | Charterers Pay Dues |
| CQD | Customary Quick Despatch |
| COD | Cash On Delivery |
| COP | Custom Of Port |
| CR | Current Rate |
| Cr | Crane |
| CROB | Cargo Remaining OnBoard |
| CST | CentiSToke |
| CUFT | CUbicFeeT |
| Cy | Cylinders |
| C/X | sshinC / ssheX |
D
| D/A | Disbursement Account |
| DAF | Delivered At Frontier |
| DAP | Days All Purposes (Total days for loading and disch.) |
| Dbl | Double |
| DBL SKIN | DouBLe SKINned |
| DC | Discharge Capacity |
| DDP/(U) | Delivered Duty Paid (Unpaid) |
| DELY | DELiverY |
| DEM | DEMurrage |
| DES | Delivered Ex Ship |
| DEQ | Delivered Ex Quay |
| DESP | DESPatch |
| DHDATSBE | Despatch Half Demurrage on All Time Saved Both Ends |
| DHDWTSBE | Detpatch Half Demurrage on Working Time Saved Both Ends |
| DK | DecK |
| DLOSP | Dropping Last Outwards Sea Pilot (Norway) |
| DNV | Det Norske Veritas |
| DO | Diesel Oil |
| DOLSP | Dropping Off Last Sea Pilot (Norway) |
| DOP | Dropping Outward Pilot |
| DOT | Department Of Transport |
| DP | Dynamic Positioning |
| DPT | DePTh |
| DSV | Diving System |
| DYNPOS | Dynamic Positioning |
E
| E0 | Unattended engine room |
| EC | East Coast |
| EIU | Even If Used |
| ETA | Expected Time of Arrival |
| ETC | Expected Time of Completion |
| ETD | Expected Time of Departure |
| Eth | Ethylene |
| ETS | Expected Time of Sailing |
| EXCL | EXCLusive |
| EXW | EX Works |
F
| FA | Free Alongside |
| FAC | Fast As Can |
| FAS | Free Alongside Ship |
| FCA | Free CArrier |
| FD | Free Despatch |
| FDD | Freight Demurrage Deadfreight |
| F.DESP (FD) | Free DESPatch |
| F.DIS | Free DIScharge |
| FDEDANRSAOCLONL | Freight Deemed Earned Discountless & Non-Refundable Ship and Or Cargo Lost Or Not Lost |
| FHEX | Friday Holidays EXcluded. (Muslim Countries) |
| FHINC | Friday Holidays INCluded. (Muslim Countries) |
| FiFI | Fire Fighting |
| FIO | Free In and Out |
| FIOST | Free In and Out Stowed and Trimmed |
| FIOT | Free In and Out Trimmed |
| FIT | Free In Trimmed |
| FIW | Free in Wagon |
| FM | FroM |
| FMC | Federal Maritime Commission |
| FMS | FathoMS |
| F/N | Fixing Note |
| FO | For Orders |
| FO (IFO) | Fuel Oil |
| FOB | Free On Board |
| FOG | For Our Guidance |
| FOR | Free On Rail |
| FOQ | Free On Quay |
| FOT | Free On Truck |
| FOW | First Open Water |
| FOW | Free On Wharf |
| Fr. wa. | Fresh water |
| Free Ex Ins | FREE of any EXtra INSurance (Owners) |
| FPSO | Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit |
| FTD | FiTted |
| FWAD | Fresh water Arrival Draft |
| FWDD | Fresh Water Departure Draft |
| FYG | For Your Guidance |
| FYI | For Your Information |
G
| G | Grain (cargo capacity) |
| GA | General Average |
| GASBEND | Good And Safe (Port) Both ENDs |
| GD/GD | GDynia/GDansk |
| GENS | GENeralS or general cargo |
| GEOROT | GEOgraphical ROTation |
| GL | Germanischer Lloyd |
| GLESS | GearLESS |
| GO | Gas Oil |
| GNS | German North Sea |
| GR | GRain |
| GMDSS | Global Maritime Distress Safety System |
| GRD | GeaRed |
| GTEE | GuaranTEE |
H
| HA | HAtch |
| HDLTSBENDS | Half Despatch Lay Time Saved Both Ends |
| HBF | Harmless Bulk Fertilizer |
| HDWTS | Half Demurrage Weather Time Saved |
| HELDK | HELicopter DecK |
| HHDW | Handy Heavy d.w. (scrap) |
| HMS | Heavy Metal Scraps |
| HO | Cargo HOld |
| HR | HouR |
| HRS | HouRS |
| HV | HeaVy |
| HVFL | HeaVy Fuel |
| HW | High Water |
I
| IFO | Intermediate Fuel Oil |
| IMDG | International Maritime Dangerous Code |
| IU | If Used |
| IMO | International Maritime Organisation |
| ISM(C) | International Safety Management Code |
| IUHTAUTC | If Used, Half Time ActUally To Count |
| I.W.L. | Institute Warranty Limits |
K
| KMC | cargo refrigerating system |
| KN | KNots |
| KTM | Keel To top of Mast |
L
| LASH | Light Aboard SHip |
| LAT | LATitude |
| LAYCAN | LAYday CANcelling date |
| LC | Loading Capacity |
| LCR | Lowest Current Rate |
| LDN | LaDeN |
| LGT | LenGThened |
| LNG | Liquefied Natural Gas |
| LOA | Lenght Over All |
| LOF | Lloyd’s Open Form |
| Lo Ho | Lower Hold |
| LOI | Letter Of Indemnity. |
| LOLO | Lift On Lift Off ship |
| LOW | Last Open Water |
| LPG | Liquefied Petroleum Gas |
| LPS | LumPSum |
| LR | Lloyds Register of Shipping |
| LR | Large Range |
| L.S. | LumpSum |
| LSD | Lashed Secured Dunnage |
| L.T. | Liner Terms |
| LT (LTONS) | Long TONS |
| LW | Low Water |
M
| MB | Merchant Broker |
| MDO (DO) | Marine Diesel Oil |
| MDWT | Metric DeadWeight tons |
| MIN/MAX | Minimum/Maximum (cargo quantity) |
| MO | Managing Owner |
| MODU | Mobile Offshore Drilling Units |
| MOLCHOP | More Or Less CHarterers OPtion |
| MOLOO | More Or Less Owners (Masters) Option |
| MON | MONitors (fire) |
| MOT | Ministry Of Transpory |
| MOT | Monthly OverTime |
| MR | Medium Range |
| m/r | Mates receipt |
| MT | Metric Tonnes |
| MTONS | Metric Tonnes |
N
| NAABSA | Not Always Afloat But Safely Aground |
| NCB | National Cargo Bureau |
| NCS | Norwegian Continental Shelf |
| n.E. | not East of |
| NIS | Norwegian International Shipsregister |
| NK | Nippon Kaiji Kyokai |
| n.N. | not North of |
| NMD | Norwegian Maritime Directorate |
| NOKUS - company | NOrsk Kontrollert Utenlandsk Selskap i lavskatteland, Norwegian controlled foreign company in lowtax country |
| NOR | Notice Of Readiness |
| n.S | not South of |
| n.W | not West of |
O
| o.a. | Over All |
| OA | Over Aged |
| OBO | Oil Bulk Ore |
| OILREC | OIL RECovery |
| ONW | ONWards |
| OO | Owners Option |
| OP | OPerator |
| OPA 90 | The US Oil Pollution Act of 1990 |
| OSH | Open SHelter deck |
| OT | On Truck |
| OW | OWners |
P
| P & I | Protection & Indemnity |
| P.P. | PerPendicular |
| Pax | Passenger Vessel |
| PDPR | Per Day Pro-Rata |
| P/E | Purchase Enquiry |
| PGH | Per Geard Hatch |
| PHPD | Per Hatch Per Day |
| POT (able) | POTable water |
| PPT | PromPT |
| PSV | Plattform Supply Vessel |
| PU | PUmps |
| PWH | Per Workable Hatch |
| PWWD | Per Weather Working day |
R
| REEF | Refrigerated |
| RGDS | ReGarDS |
| RGE | RanGE |
| RNR | Rate Not Reported |
| ROB | Remaining On Board |
| ROC | Reference Our Cable....(date) |
| RORO | Roll On Roll Off ship |
| ROTLX | Reference Our TeLeX ...(date) |
| RPM | Revs. Per Minute |
| RYC | Reference Your Cable...(date) |
| RYTLX | Reference Your TeLeX...(date) |
S
| S.THR. | Side Thruster |
| SBM | Soya Bean Meal |
| SATSHEX | SATurdays, Sundays, Holidays Excepted |
| SATSHINC | SATurdays, Sundays, Holidays INCluded |
| SBS | Safe Berth |
| SBT | Segregated Ballast Tanks |
| SELFDISCH | SelfDischarger |
| SF | Superficial Feet |
| SHEX | Sundays, Holidays EXcepted |
| SHINC | Sundays, Holidays Included |
| SID | Single Deck |
| SLPTA | SLop TAnks |
| SOF | Statement Of Facts |
| SOM | Swedish Official Measure |
| SP | Safe Ports |
| SPB | St. PetersBurg |
| S/R B/L | Signing and Releasing Bill(s) of Lading |
| SS and C | Same Sea and Country coast |
| SSHEX | Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays EXcepted |
| SSHINC | Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays INCluded |
| ST | Short Tons |
| STEM | Subject To Enough Merchandise |
| SWAD | Salt Water Arrival Draft |
| SWDD | Salt Water Departure Draft |
T
| TA | TAnks |
| TBN | To Be Named |
| TBR | To Be Renamed |
| TC | (T/C)Time Charter |
| TCT | Time Charter Trip |
| TCP | Time Charter Party |
| TEU | Standard 20' container |
| THC | TerminalHandling Cost |
| THR | THRuster |
| TIP | Taking Inward Pilot |
| TL | Total Loss |
| TOBENA | To Be Named |
| TOP | Taking Outward Pilot |
| TS | TonS |
| TTL | ToTaL |
U
| UKCS | United Kingdom Continental Shelf |
| ULCC | Ultra Large Crude Carrier |
| USC | Unless Sooner Commenced |
| UU | Unless Used |
| UUIWCTAUTC | Unless Used In Which Case Time Actually Used To Count |
V
| VEG | VEGetable oil |
| VLCC | Very Large Crude Carrier |
| VPD | Vessel Pay Dues |
| VSL | VeSseL |
W
| WA | WAter |
| WC | West Coast |
| WCCON | Whether Custom Cleared Or Not |
| WIBON | Whether In Berth Or Not |
| WIFPON | Whether In Free Praqtique Or Not |
| WIPON | Whether In Port Or Not |
| WITA | WIng TAnk |
| WLTOHC | WaterLine-TO-HatchCoaming (distance) |
| WOG | WithOut Guarantee |
| Working Copy | Copy of Charter Party - not being signed and may contain unchecked errors |
| WP | Weather Permitting |
| WRD | Wide Range Destillate |
| WRIC | Wire Rods in Coils |
| WWD | Weather Working Days |
| WWR | When, Where Ready |
| WWWW | Wibon Wccon Wifpon Wipon |
X
| X/C | ssheX / sshinC |
| X/X | ssheX / ssheX |
Y
| YAR | York Antwerp Rule |
| YC | Your Cable |
Z
| ZUTC | GMT |