Loading, leaving and underway

Conventional cargo stowage

Useful terms:

dunnage - any material (e.g. wooden planks) which is placed at the bottom of the cargo hold to raise the cargo; serves to keep cargo dry or prevent shifting
DBB - deals, boards and battens
lockups - are parts of the holds for cargoes of special value (they can be locked against pilfering)
broken stowage - cargo space which cannot be utilised due to the type and nature of cargo loaded or structural interferences in the cargo hold
battening down - closing the hatch watertight
hatch coaming - raised plates stiffened and constructed around a hatch or rectangular opening in deck
hatchway beams - beams made of steel that are laid thwartships
tarpaulins - a waterproof canvases used for covering hatches and for protecting against weather
shore gang - consists of a gang foreman, a hatchwayman, winchman, stevedores.
tally clerk - a person that checks each part of the cargo
shifting boards - boards used to stop grain from shifting
homogeneous cargo - any full cargo of equal stowage factor
cargo plan - a plan which marks and indicates the locations of various cargoes stowed on board; the plan may be on simple outline of the ship's cargo spaces
leakage - entrance or escaping of a fluid through a hole
drainage - process of draining, to make gradually dry or empty
moisture - dampness, slight wetness
contamination - the act of making something impure or unsuitable by contact with something unclean, bad, etc.
taint - to impregnate with a tinge, assume the characteristics of another cargo stowed in the same hold
chafe - to wear away or abrade by rubbing
vermin - noxious, objectionable, or disgusting animals collectively, especially those of small size that appear commonly and are difficult to control, as flies, cockroaches, mice, rats
wastage - loss by use, wear, decay, evaporation or leakage
pilferage - petty theft
package - cargo packaged as a single unit
parcel - departed part of cargo, especially oil, which is all of one nature or is for one consignee or port
consignment - a shipment of cargo to consignee; the act of shipping goods to another
shipment - goods sent for shipment by sea
shipload - a full load for a ship

Loading a vessel

Basic terms:

damage to cargo - cargo contamination, deterioration or loss
deterioration - decay, degradation
negligence clause - clause in a voyage charter party which attempts to relieve the shipowner or carrier of liability for losses caused by the negligence of his servants or agents
decay - to become decomposed; rot
measurement - extent, size, etc., ascertained by measuring
stowage - 1. space where goods can be stowed; or 2. the act of stowing goods
dunnaging - placing material (e.g. wooden planks) at the bottom of the cargo hold to raise the cargo; serves to keep cargo dry or prevent shifting
handling - the manual or mechanical method or process by which something is moved, carried, transported, etc.
stevedore - a person who loads and unloads cargo from a ship
safety of the ship - points to be remembered to ensure safety of the crew, cargo, and marine environment
stable and seaworthy ship - a vessel is seaworthy if the vessel and all of its parts and equipment are reasonably fit for their intended purpose (and it is operated by a crew reasonably)
compartment - any one of the spaces created when a ship is divided by watertight bulkheads and doors
shifting - to move from one place, position, direction, etc., to another
sweating - the process of exuding moisture, as green plants piled in a heap
broaching of cargo - submitting cargo
trim - indicates the difference between the forward and after draughts of a ship; when a ship is said to "trim by stern", the after end of the ship is deeper and when "trim by head", the ship is deeper in the forward end
draught marks - figures welded on the bow, midship and stern of each side of a ship's shell plating to indicate draught; the distance is read from the lower edge of each number; draught measured at the bow is called forward draught and at the stern is called aft draught
heel - a "temporary" inclination of a ship, caused by outside forces such as winds, waves, or during a ship's turn.
list - a "permanent" inclination of a ship, caused by one of the following conditions
load lines - the lines which are marked and painted amidships on each side of a ship to indicate the maximum permissible draughts of loading adjusted for various seasons and zones; also known as Plimsoll marks

Examples of use:

Damage to cargo caused by improper packaging can be offset by insurance.
The master and the officers of all vessels require a good working knowledge of the various kinds of cargo they are likely to carry: their peculiar characteristics, liability to damage, decay, or deterioration, their measurement, and the usual methods of packing, loading and discharging, stowage, dunnaging, etc.
The actual handling of the cargo in loading and discharging is done by stevedores.
The Master is responsible for the safety of the ship and cargo, and he must supervise the work of the stevedores for the general safety.
The increase in trim by the stern assumed by a vessel when running at high speed over that existing when she is at rest.
Whatever may be the position of the subdivision load line marks, a ship shall in no case be loaded so as to submerge the load line mark appropriate to the season and locality as determined in accordance with the International Convention on Load Lines in force.

Leaving the dock

Basic terms:

Dock Pilot - the person responsible for avoiding other shipping and making allowance for the transverse thrust of the screw and wind
River Pilot - is responsible for guiding ships along the rivers who must think of the tides and currents as well (and his local knowledge of these is of great importance)
tug - a small boat designed for towing vessels such as barge; has great manoeuvrability and engine power; also known as a tugboat
transverse thrust - a sideways force that is also generated by the action of the propeller and is commonly known as 'paddle wheel effect'
effect of the screw - effect of the propeller
singling up - when all the lines are released except for a single line from the ship to the pier is still attached in each mooring line position
mooring ropes - lines fixed to deck fittings on the vessel at one end and to fittings such as bollards, rings, and cleats on the other end
skipper - another name for master of a ship
handling of ships - the art of proper control of a ship while underway, especially in harbours, around docks and piers
buoy - floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents
dolphin - wooden, steel or cement structure firmly fixed to sea bed for mooring of vessel
slack water - the state of the tide when it is turning, especially at low tide
stemming the tide - to slow or stop the increase
dockside - the area immediately adjacent to a dock
stem of the ship - the foremost rigid structure which the plating of both sides of a ship's hull is being attached as the hull tapers towards both fore and aft ends
stern of the ship - the after end of a ship; based on the different cross sectional shape, a ship may be described as having a counter stern, cruiser spoon stern, full cruiser stern, transom stern, etc.
bow - opposite of stern

Examples of use:

Before a Pilot (Dock or Sea Pilot) takes a ship through the basins he will want to know how she steers, the working of her engines and how much power she develops when going astern, her draught.
Thrust of a screw propeller produces a local strain on that part of the ship to which the thrust block foundation is attached.
The Fore and Aft Mooring parties will single up lines to Masters orders and Pilots advice.
You take a mooring rope forward and behind the mooring cleat to reduce the potential for the boat to swing back and forth.
The yachts are moored on swing moored on swing moorings, attached to a buoy in the harbour, not moored alongside a jetty.
The availability of aids to berthing and leaving, such as buoys and dolphins, also have an effect on the choice of methods to be used.
The area is swept by strong tidal currents making this site a slack water
The procedures for getting away from the dockside differ according to whether the ship is stem on to the tide or stern to the tide.

Underway

Basic terms:

underway - not at anchor or attached to the shore or aground; commonly used to mean moving through water
alongside - close to the side of a ship, wharf or jetty
watch-keeping duties - the assignment of sailors to specific roles on a ship to operate it continuously
lookout - to continue to watch carefully in order to avoid danger
steering - controlling the direction of a vessel
passage plan - a comprehensive, berth to berth guide, developed and used by a vessel's bridge team to determine the most favourable route
pilotage waters - those areas in which a ship is usually required to use the services of a maritime pilot
drills - trainings, exercises
chart room - a room on a ship where charts can be consulted
relieve a watch - to take over the duties or watch of someone
traffic separation scheme - or TSS is a maritime traffic-management route-system ruled by the International Maritime Organization or IMO
traffic report - traffic information and delays in your area
weather & visibility report - a report containing information about the weather and visual range
navigational aids report - reports on markers which aid in navigation
helmsman - a person who steers a maritime vessel

Examples of use:

The procedures when underway mostly involve the watch-keeping duties of the officers and ratings.
The commercial quays are built in deep water and permit the mooring alongside of the largest vessels.
One might as well attempt to steer a boat carried along by currents of water in the absence of oars, sails and wind, as to steer a balloon carried along by currents of air.
Production of a passage plan prior to departure is a legal requirement.
Federal pilotage waters include all navigable waters of the United States out to the outer limits of the Territorial Sea (the 3 mile limit).
A vessel shall not use an inshore traffic zone when she can safely use the appropriate traffic lane within the adjacent traffic separation scheme.
The helmsman brought the ship about.