Large strong rope used for towing purposes and for securing or mooring ships. Hawsers are now mostly made of steel.

The traffic routes of both cargo and passenger vessels which are regularly engaged on the high seas or on long voyages.

A small line used to haul up the foot of a course.

The upper spoke of a steering wheel when the rudder is amidships, usually marked in some fashion (top spoke of neutral steering wheel).

A large ship designed to be used for the carnage of ore. Because of the high density of ore, ore carriers have a relatively high center of gravity to prevent them being still when at sea, that is, rolling heavily with possible stress to the hull.

To join two pieces of timber at their ends by shaving them down and placing them over-lapping.

A groove in a block or dead-eye.

The after sail of a ship or bark. It is a fore-and-aft sail, setting with a boom and gaff.

Comes from the Arabic "Emir" or "Amir" which means "First commander" and "Al-bahr which means "the sea". Emir-al-barh evolved into Admiral.

The entire crew.

Flat-bottomed boat designed to carry cargo on inland waterways,usually without engines or crew accommodations. Barges can be lashed together and either pushed or pulled by tugs, carrying cargo of 60,000 tons or more. Small barges for carrying cargo betwee ...

The familiar term for the men in the starboard watch.

To list a vessel so that a large part of her bottom is above water. This is done to remove weed and marine growth, to examine the bottom, to repair it and to put on preservative or anti-fouling.

The end of a line.

A phrase referring to the side of a ship. Goods delivered "alongside" are to be placed on the dock or barge within reach of the transport ship's tackle so that they can be loaded.

To haul a shipment back over part of a route it has traveled.

Heavy substances loaded by a vessel to improve stability, trimming, sea-keeping and to increase the immersion at the propeller. Sea water ballast is commonly' loaded in most vessels in ballast tanks, positioned in compartments right at the bottom and in s ...

To Order B/L: See Negotiable B/L.

A bag filled with oil and triced over the side for making a slick in a rough sea (to keep seas from breaking).

Not properly trimmed or ballasted (not on even keel; listing).