Online Dictionary of Shipping Terms

A
AA - Always afloat
AAAA - Always afloat, always accessible
ABT - About
ABS - American Bureau of Shipping
ADCOMM - Address commission
AFRA - Average freight rate assessments
AG - Arabian Gulf (used when vessels are proceeding to Arabian ports) (See PG)
APS - Arrived pilot station
ARA - Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam
ATDNS - Any time day or night Shinc

B
BBB - Before breaking bulk
BENDS - Both ends
BFC - Baltimore Form C Berth Grain Charter Party
BHP - Brake horse power
BIMCO - Baltic & International Maritime Council, Copenhagen
B/L - Bill of lading
B/N - Booking note
BNA - British North America
BOFFERS OR BO - (Asking) best offers

C
CA - Central America (i.e. WCCA, or ECCA depending which side)
C AND F - Coast and freight
CHOPT - Charterers´ option
CIF - Coast, insurance and freight
COGSA - Carriage of Goods by Sea Act
COP - Custom of port
C/P OR CP - Charter Party
CQD - Customary quick despatch

D
CA - Central America (i.e. WCCA, or ECCA depending which side)
C AND F - Coast and freight
CHOPT - Charterers´ option
CIF - Coast, insurance and freight
COGSA - Carriage of Goods by Sea Act
COP - Custom of port
C/P OR CP - Charter Party
CQD - Customary quick despatch

E
EIU - Even if used
ETA - Estimated time of arrival
ETC - Estimated time of completion
ETD - Estimated time of departure
ETR - Estimated time of readiness

F
FAC - Fast as can
FAS - Free alongside
FC - Full cargo
FCC - First class charterers (a commonly used, meaningless phrase, which should be avoided. Better to say, if you need to keep the name undisclosed: local charterers or a similar phrase).
FD - Free discharge
FDD - Freight, demurrage and defense (a type of insurance for legal expenses available from a P & I club)
FEU - Forty foot container equivalent units
FHEX - Fridays and Holidays excepted (i.e. excluded)
FIO - Free in and out
FIOS - Free in and out and free stowed
FIOT - Free in and out and free trimmed
FL - Free load
FOB - Free on board
FONASBA - Federation of National Associations of Shipbrokers and Agents, located in Rotterdam
FOW - First open water
FW - Fresh water
FWAD - Fresh water arrival draft
FWDD - Fresh water departure draft

G
AA - Always afloat
GL - Gross load
GLESS - Gearless describes a ship which lacks the equipment (gear) that could load and discharge its own cargo.
GO - Gas oil (a type of fuel similar to, but usually more expensive than marine diesel oil)
GRT - Gross registered ton(s) (nage)

H
HHDW - Heavy handy deadweight (scrap)
HSS - Heavy grains, soybeans & sorghums

I
IFO - Intermediate fuel oil
ILOHC - In lieu of hold cleaning
IMO - International Maritime Organization (formerly IMCO)
INCOT - Including overtime
ITF - International Transport Workers Federation
IWL - Institute Warranty Limits

L
BP - Length between perpendiculars
L/C - Letter of Credit; or laydays/cancelling
LD - Load
LDD - Loaded
LGM - Lawful general merchandise
LOA - Length overall
LOT - Load on top
LT - Long ton (of 2240 pounds)
LTS - Laytime saved

M
MARAD - Maritime Administration (branch of U.S. Dept. of Transportation concerned with shipping)
MARPOL - The International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from ships 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978
MBT - Motor blocks & turnings (types of scrap)
MDO - Marine diesel oil
MED - Mediterranean (sea)
MOA - Memorandum of Agreement (Contract form used for the purchase and sale of ships)
MOLOO - More or less, quantity in owners´ option
MT - Metric ton (of 2204.6223 pounds or 1000 kilograms)

N
MARAD - Maritime Administration (branch of U.S. Dept. of Transportation concerned with shipping)
MARPOL - The International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from ships 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978
MBT - Motor blocks & turnings (types of scrap)
MDO - Marine diesel oil
MED - Mediterranean (sea)
MOA - Memorandum of Agreement (Contract form used for the purchase and sale of ships)
MOLOO - More or less, quantity in owners´ option
MT - Metric ton (of 2204.6223 pounds or 1000 kilograms)

O
OBO - An ore/bulk/oil carrying vessel
OBQ - Onboard quantity
OT - Overtime

P
PANDI - Protection and Indemnity (insurance)
PC - Part cargo
PG - Persian Gulf (used when vessels are proceeding to Iranian ports) (see AG)

R
RD - Round (trip)
ROB - Remaining on board
RO/RO - Roll on roll off

S
SA - South America
SB - Safe berth
SBT - Segregated ballast tank
SHEX - Sundays and Holidays excepted (i.e. excluded)
SSHEX - Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays excepted
SHINC - Sundays and Holidays included
SSHINC - Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays included
SMA - Society of Maritime arbitrators, Inc.
SOLAS - Safety of Life at Sea Convention
SP - Safe port
ST - Short ton (of 2000 pounds)
SW - Salt water
SWAD - Salt water arrival draft
SWDD - Salt water departure draft

T
TA - Transatlantic
TARV - Transatlantic round voyage
TNB - To be named (or nominated)
TC - Time charter
TEU - Twenty foot container equivalent units
TIP - Taking inward pilot (contract this to APS, arrival pilot station)
TP - Transpacific
TPI - Tons per inch (immersion)
TTL - Total

U
UK - United Kingdom
UKAH - UK/Continent, Antwerp/Hamburg range
UKBH - UK/Continent, Bordeaux/Hamburg range
UKC - UK/Continent
UKHH - UK/Continent, Havre/Hamburg range
UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade & Development
USAC - U.S.Atlantic Coast
USG - United States Gulf (a U.S. port on the Gulf of Mexico)
USNH - United States North of (cape) Hatteras
UU - Unless used

V
VOY - Voyage

W
WCSA - West Coast of South America
WIBON - Whether in berth or not
WIFPON - Whether in free pratique or not
WENCHON - Whether entered Custom House or not
WCCON - Whether cleared customs or not
W/M - Weight or measurement
WP - Weather permitting
WRI - War risk insurance
WW - Weather working, or world-wide
WWR - When where ready