SHIPTALK: A GLOSSARY OF SHIPPING AND MARITIME TERMS

FENDER PILES: The wooden or plastic pilings on the outer edge of the wharf function like the fenders on a car. They are there to absorb the shock of a ship as it docks at the wharf and to protect the structural pilings that actually support the wharf. Fender piles are also called sacrifice piles since they are designed to be discarded after they are broken.
MARINE SURVEYOR: Person who inspects a ship hull or its cargo for damage or quality.

FENDER PILES: The wooden or plastic pilings on the outer edge of the wharf function like the fenders on a car. They are there to absorb the shock of a ship as it docks at the wharf and to protect the structural pilings that actually support the wharf. Fender piles are also called sacrifice piles since they are designed to be discarded after they are broken.
MARINE SURVEYOR: Person who inspects a ship hull or its cargo for damage or quality.
MASTER: The officer in charge of the ship. "Captain" is a courtesy title often given to a master.
GANTRY CRANE: Track-mounted, shoreside crane utilized in the loading and unloading of breakbulk cargo, containers and heavy lift cargo.
JIT: The abbreviation for "just in time," which is a way to minimize warehousing costs by having cargo shipped to arrive just in time for its use. This inventory control method depends on extremely reliable transportation.
HOME PORT: Port from which a cruise ship loads passengers and begins its itinerary, and to which it returns to disembark passengers upon conclusion of voyage. Sometimes referred to as "embarkation port" and "turn around port."
MARITIME: (adjective) Located on or near the sea. Commerce or navigation by sea. The maritime industry includes people working for transportation (ship, rail, truck and towboat/barge) companies, freight forwarders and customs brokers; stevedoring companies; labor unions; chandlers; warehouses; ship building and repair firms; importers/exporters; pilot associations, etc.
GROSS TONNAGE: The sum of container, breakbulk and bulk tonnage
MEAN LOW WATER (MLW): Lowest average level water reaches on an outgoing tide.
MEAN HIGH WATER (MHW): Highest average level water reaches on an outgoing tide.
MANIFEST: The ship captain’s list of individual goods that make up the ship’s cargo.