American Shipbrokers Association

A docking line going at approximately a right angle from the boat to the dock, preventing movement away from the dock.

A card marked in degrees and having sightings on it that is used to take bearings relative to the ship, rather than magnetic bearings as taken with a compass.

The highest operating pressure the system or component is designed to withstand.

The vertical absorption of a liquid into a porous material by capillary forces.

A device used to keep a person afloat. Also called a life preserver, life vest, PFD or personal floatation device.

Is the weight of a given volume of gas, usually expressed in lb / cu ft at SPT condition.

An ornamental carved and painted figure on the stem of the vessel.

Carefully (watch what you're doing).

Change direction so as to point closer to where the wind is coming from. The opposite of falling off.

An item such as a nail, screw, rivet or other device used to fasten objects together.

A colorless odorless very poisonous gas formed by the incomplete burning of carbon. Found in some ambient air conditions.

Letters, numbers, and other symbols placed on cargo packages to facilitate identification. Also known as marks.

The transaction or interchange that occurs at the time a container is received by a rail terminal or water port from another carrier.

Order given to a boat's crew when going alongside under oars. Denotes that boat has sufficient way, and that oars are to be placed inside the boat.

A carrier giving a customer illegal preference to attract cargo. This can take the form of a money refund (rebate); using lower figures than actual for the assessment of freight charges (undercubing); misdeclaration of the commodity shipped to allow the a ...

(1) Term describing the status of seamen, corresponding to rank in the case of officers. (2) A method of measuring a yacht's expected performance relative to another yacht while racing. Over the years many formulas have been experimented with, in order to ...

Pounds.

The distance a boat can move around its anchor. Swinging room is important because if other boats or objects are within a boat's swinging circle they may collide.

A Customs document permitting the holder to temporarily carry or send merchandise into certain foreign countries (for display, demonstration or similar purposes) without paying duties or posting bonds. Any of various Customs documents required for crossin ...