Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Cargo Science, Commodities and Cargo Care glossary

The behavior and stowage care of cargoes carried by sea: abrasive and self-heating commodities, IMSBC group classification and transportable moisture limit, IBC Code noxious liquids and IMDG packaged dangerous goods, cargo inhibitors and stabilizers, ventilation and sweat, and the acute marine pollutant designation. Grounds each commodity in its carriage requirement, coating compatibility, and segregation rule.

483 defined terms.

Showing 250 on this page (page 1 of 2).

A

Abrasive Cargo: Cargo such as bauxite or iron ore that wears holds, hatch coamings, and grab teeth during handling.
Absorbed Moisture: Water held within the cargo matrix rather than on its surface, relevant to grain and concentrates.
Acetone: IBC Code noxious liquid (Chapter 17), flammable solvent carried in chemical tankers.
Acetylene: Class 2.1 flammable gas, generally not shipped in bulk by sea due to instability above modest pressures.
Acid Cargoes: Corrosive liquid bulks (sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric) requiring resistant tank coatings and segregation.
Activated Alumina: Bulk desiccant cargo, hygroscopic, IMSBC Group C when properly trimmed.
Active Cargo: Cargo that undergoes chemical or biological change in transit (self-heating coal, fermenting grain).
Acute Marine Pollutant: IMDG designation for goods harmful to the marine environment, marked with the "fish and tree" symbol.
Additives, Cargo: Inhibitors or stabilizers (e.g., TBC in styrene) added before loading to prevent reaction.
Adsorbed Moisture: Surface moisture on cargo particles, relevant to TML and caking behavior.
Aeration: Forced air movement through cargo to control temperature, gas, or moisture.
Aflatoxin: Mold-produced toxin in peanuts, corn, and oilseeds; cause for cargo rejection at discharge.
Aggregate, Mineral: Crushed stone, sand, and gravel carried as Group C bulk under IMSBC.
Agribulk: Trade term for agricultural dry bulk (grains, oilseeds, meals, sugar).
Air Bag, Dunnage: Inflatable bag used to fill voids between containerized or breakbulk cargo.
Air Draft Limitation: Vertical clearance constraint affecting container stack height on certain trades.
Air Exchange Rate: Number of hold-air changes per hour by ventilators; key to ventilation design.
Aircraft Engines, Project Cargo: High-value out-of-gauge units typically carried under cradle with custom lashing.
Alfalfa Pellets: Self-heating Group B cargo under IMSBC; risk of fire on long voyages.
Alkylates: Refinery blending stock; carried in clean petroleum product (CPP) tankers.
Alumina: Bulk cargo (Group C in lumpy form, Group A as fine hydrate); feedstock for aluminum smelters.
Aluminum Ingots: Steel-strapped bundles, breakbulk; slip-prone, require chocking and wire lashings.
Aluminum Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA): Free-flowing fine powder, low angle of repose, dust hazard.
Ambient Reefer Setting: Container setpoint matching outside air, used in transit of non-perishables.
Ammonia, Anhydrous: Carried refrigerated (-33 C) on fully refrigerated LPG/ammonia carriers; toxic.
Ammonium Nitrate: IMDG Class 5.1 oxidizer (UN 1942), or 9 (UN 2071) for fertilizer grade; strict segregation from fuels.
Ammonium Nitrate Based Fertilizer (ANBF): IMSBC schedules for Type A and Type B; self-sustaining decomposition risk.
Angle of Repose: Maximum slope (degrees from horizontal) a granular cargo holds without sliding; <=30 degrees triggers IMSBC trimming and shifting checks.
Annex I Cargo (MARPOL): Oil and oily mixtures.
Annex II Cargo (MARPOL): Noxious liquid substances in bulk (Categories X, Y, Z, OS).
Anti-Caking Agent: Additive to keep fertilizers and salt free-flowing.
Anti-Static Additive: Additive in jet fuel to dissipate charge during loading.
API Gravity: American Petroleum Institute density scale; higher API = lighter crude.
Apparent Quantity: Cargo volume measured at observed temperature before correction.
Apparent Weight in Air: Measured weight uncorrected for buoyancy; used in petroleum custody transfer.
Apples, Controlled Atmosphere: Stored at ~1 C with 2% O2 / 1-3% CO2 to extend shelf life.
Argon: Carried as cryogenic liquid in specialized ISO tanks; inert atmosphere uses.
Aromatics: Benzene, toluene, xylene; carried in chemical and product tankers.
Arrival Survey: Independent inspection of cargo condition and quantity on discharge.
Asphalt (Bitumen): Heated liquid cargo carried at ~150-180 C in insulated tankers.
Atmosphere Monitoring: Sampling hold or tank gases for O2, CH4, CO, H2S.
Auto Ignition Temperature: Minimum temperature at which a substance ignites without external flame.

B

Back-to-Back Stowage: Two opposing-direction unit loads placed flush to share lateral support.
Bag Cargo: Goods in jute, woven polypropylene, or paper sacks; e.g., rice, cement, fertilizer.
Bagged Sugar: Hygroscopic breakbulk; requires kraft separation and dry hold.
Bale capacity: Cargo volume measured to the inside of frames and below beams.
Bale Cargo: Pressed bales of cotton, wool, pulp, rags, scrap textiles.
Bananas: Reefer cargo at 13.3 C, 90% RH; ethylene-sensitive.
Bar Bundles: Steel rebar in tied bundles; breakbulk with steel banding.
Barley: Grain cargo under IMSBC and the International Grain Code.
Barytes (Barite): Heavy mineral, IMSBC Group A (can liquefy); drilling-mud feedstock.
Base Oils: Lube oil feedstock carried in product tankers, parcel tankers.
Bauxite: Aluminum ore, IMSBC schedule revised after the Bulk Jupiter (2015) loss; some fines classed Group A.
Beans, Dried: Hygroscopic Group C grain-like cargo.
Beef, Frozen: Reefer cargo at -18 C or colder.
Bellmouth: Suction inlet in a tank, important to strip dry of parcels.
Benzene: IBC Category Y, toxic aromatic; vapor monitoring required.
Billet, Steel: Long semifinished bar carried as breakbulk; lashed across the holds.
Biodiesel (FAME): Fatty acid methyl ester; carried in dedicated or well-cleaned product tanks.
Biofouling Cargo: Used drilling equipment or rigs requiring biosecurity cleaning.
Bird Seed: Mixed grain cargo, oily and dusty.
Bitumen: See Asphalt; cools to solid if heating fails.
Black Oil Tanker: Tanker carrying residuals and crude.
Black Products: Heavy refined oils such as fuel oil, bunker, asphalt.
Block stowage: Carrying cargo of one shipper or destination in a contiguous block.
Blower Hatch Cover: Hatch with built-in trunked ventilation outlets.
Boilerplate, Steel: Heavy steel plates; require even bedding to avoid set damage.
Bonded Cargo: Goods stowed under customs seal pending duty payment.
Boric Acid: Group C IMSBC bulk; mildly toxic powder.
Bottom Stow: Cargo placed at tank-top level, generally heavier or wet-tolerant.
Box Hold: Hold designed with vertical sides for container compatibility.
Brass Scrap: Heavy non-ferrous scrap, breakbulk in skips or bulk.
Breakbulk: Cargo loaded as individual items or units, not in containers and not in bulk.
Brewers Grain, Spent: Wet, prone to mold and self-heating.
Broken Stowage: Lost cubic capacity due to irregular cargo shapes and voids between units.
Bulk Cargo Shipping Name (BCSN): Standard naming convention required by IMSBC.
Bulk Carrier: Single-deck ship for unpackaged dry bulk.
Butadiene: IBC chemical; carried in chemical and gas tankers; polymerization risk.
Butane: LPG component; carried fully pressurized, semi-refrigerated, or fully refrigerated.

C

Cake Formation (Caking): Cargo solidifying into lumps from moisture, pressure, or heat (e.g., urea).
Calcined Petroleum Coke: Heavy carbon cargo, dusty; Group B in IMSBC.
Calcium Chloride: Hygroscopic mineral, dries air or used as desiccant.
Calcium Hypochlorite: IMDG Class 5.1, self-heating; multiple ship fires linked to misdeclared loads.
Capesize: Bulker >150,000 DWT too large for Suez/Panama traditionally.
Cargo Care: Discipline of preserving cargo condition through ventilation, temperature, lashing, and monitoring.
Cargo Hold Cleaning Grades: Industry levels Grain Clean, Hospital Clean, Normal Clean, Load on Top, Shovel Clean.
Cargo Hose: Flexible line for liquid transfer; rated for specific cargo and pressure.
Cargo Manifold: Crossover piping on tanker deck where shore connections are made.
Cargo Pump Room: Compartment for cargo pumps on tankers; gas-hazardous zone.
Cargo Sweat: Condensation forming on cargo when warm humid air contacts cold cargo surface.
Cargo Tank Atmosphere: Composition (inert, gaseous, gas-free) in tanker cargo tanks.
Cargo Worthy (CW): Container condition certified for international cargo.
Caustic Soda Solution: IBC Category Y; corrosive, common chemical tanker cargo.
Cement Clinker: Lumpy IMSBC Group C, abrasive.
Cement, Bulk: Powdery Group C cargo; loaded by pneumatic systems; very dusty.
Cereal Grains: Wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn; covered by International Grain Code.
Chemical tanker: IMO Type 1/2/3 chemical tanker per IBC Code.
Chips, Wood: IMSBC Group B self-heating cargo, releases CO and depletes O2.
Chocking: Wedging cargo with timber, dunnage, or air bags to prevent shift.
Chrome Ore: Heavy mineral Group A or C per moisture content.
Citrus, Reefer: Oranges 4 C, lemons 12 C, grapefruit 13 C typical carriage.
Class 1 Explosives: IMDG Class 1 with compatibility groups A-S.
Class 2 Gases: 2.1 flammable, 2.2 non-flammable non-toxic, 2.3 toxic.
Class 3 Flammable Liquids: Flashpoint at or below 60 C.
Class 4 Flammable Solids: 4.1 flammable solids, 4.2 spontaneously combustible, 4.3 dangerous when wet.
Class 5 Oxidizers: 5.1 oxidizers, 5.2 organic peroxides.
Class 6 Toxic/Infectious: 6.1 toxic substances, 6.2 infectious substances.
Class 7 Radioactive: Special carriage rules; INF Code for high-level loads.
Class 8 Corrosives: Acids and alkalis; subdivided into packing groups I, II, III.
Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods: Includes asbestos, lithium batteries, environmental hazards.
Clean Petroleum Products (CPP): Gasoline, naphtha, jet, kero, gasoil.
CO2 Smothering: Fixed fire-fighting system in cargo holds and machinery spaces.
Coal Cargo Care: Ventilation by surface only after methane check; monitor CO, CH4, O2, temperature.
Coal, Bituminous: IMSBC Group A and B (self-heating, may emit methane).
Coal, Brown (Lignite): High self-heating risk; specific schedules.
Coated Coil, Steel: Galvanized or painted coil; surface damage easily claimed.
Coffee, Green Beans: Hygroscopic; bagged in jute; ventilation-sensitive.
Coil Skid: Wooden or steel cradle to chock steel coils on deck or in hold.
Coke, Petroleum (Petcoke): Group B self-heating; dust hazard.
Cold Chain Integrity: Maintaining unbroken refrigeration from packer to consumer.
Cold Treatment: Quarantine protocol holding fruit at low temperature for set days to kill pests.
Combination Carrier (OBO): Ore-Bulk-Oil carrier; rare today.
Commingled Cargo: Two parcels of identical specification carried in the same tank.
Compatibility (Chemical): Chart-based check (USCG, IMO MEPC.2/Circ) for adjacent tank loading.
Compatibility Groups (Class 1): Letters A-S defining stowage and segregation of explosives.
Concentrate, Mineral: Fine processed ore (lead, zinc, copper) Group A under IMSBC; TML control mandatory.
Condensate: Light hydrocarbon liquid recovered from gas wells; very high vapor pressure.
Container Lashing Bar: Steel bar tensioned at base and top fittings to secure stacks.
Container Lashing Plan (CSM): Cargo Securing Manual section showing approved lashing pattern.
Container Reefer Plug: 440 V 3-phase 32 A socket on ship for refrigerated containers.
Contamination Claim: Damage claim where cargo specification fails due to foreign matter or prior cargo residues.
Controlled Atmosphere (CA): Active management of O2/CO2/N2 ratios inside reefer to slow respiration.
Cool-Down (LNG): Gradual chilling of cargo tanks before loading liquefied gas.
Copper Cathode: 1 m square plates, breakbulk, heavy; abrasive on slings.
Copper Concentrate: Group A IMSBC; TML strictly enforced.
Corn (Maize): International Grain Code cargo; hold cleanliness Grain Clean.
Corrosion-Inhibited Steel: Coils wrapped with VCI paper to resist sweat damage.
Cotton, Baled: Class 4.1 if non-treated; risk of self-heating with oily contamination.
Crude Oil: Annex I cargo; varies by API, sulfur, H2S, pour point.
Crude Oil Washing (COW): SOLAS-required tank washing using crude during discharge on relevant tankers.
CTU Code: IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units.
Cubic Capacity: Volume measurement of a hold or container in cubic meters.
Cubic Meter Cargo (CBM): Volume basis for freight rates on light cargo.
Custody Transfer: Quantity measurement event when cargo title passes ship/shore.

D

Damaged Cargo Survey: Formal inspection establishing nature, cause, and extent of damage.
Damp Cargo: Cargo loaded with moisture above safe level for storage.
Dangerous Cargo Manifest (DCM): Required document listing IMDG cargoes onboard.
Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD): Shipper's certified document under IMDG.
Dangerous Goods List (DGL): Main IMDG table by UN number with packing/segregation columns.
Deadfreight: Compensation payable for cargo short-shipped under a charterparty.
Deadweight Cargo Capacity (DWCC): Maximum cargo weight ship can carry, after fuel, water, stores.
Declared Cargo: Cargo properly named per IMDG/IMSBC; opposite of misdeclared.
Deepwell Pump: Submerged pump for chemical and product tankers.
Deflagration: Subsonic combustion wave; relevant to dust and vapor explosions.
Dehumidification: Removing moisture from cargo hold air using refrigerant or desiccant units.
Denatured Alcohol: Ethanol with additives; flammable liquid Class 3.
Density at 15 C: Reference density used in petroleum volume corrections.
Desiccant: Silica gel, clay, or molecular sieve placed in container/hold to absorb moisture.
Devanning: Unloading cargo from a container.
Dew Point: Temperature at which water vapor condenses; key to ventilation decisions.
Diatomaceous Earth: Light dusty mineral cargo, Group C in IMSBC.
Direct Reduced Iron (DRI): IMSBC Schedules A, B, C; reactive with water and air.
Dirty Petroleum Products (DPP): Fuel oil, crude, slops.
Discharge Survey: Quantity and condition check at port of discharge.
Distillates: Mid-range refined products (gasoil, jet, kerosene).
Dolomite: Calcium magnesium carbonate; bulk mineral Group C.
Draft survey: Cargo weight determination by hydrostatic calculation.
Drainage Wells: Bilge wells in dry-cargo holds, gathering water and condensate.
Drum Cargo: 200 L steel/plastic drums; breakbulk or palletized.
Dry Bulk Cargo: Unpackaged solid bulk, governed by IMSBC.
Dry Powder Cargo: Cement, fly ash, alumina; loaded by air conveyor or chute.
Dunnage: Disposable wood, mats, or air bags used to protect, separate, and chock cargo.
Dust Explosion: Combustion of suspended fine combustible dust (grain, coal, sulfur).

E

Edible Oil: Vegetable oils carried in chemical tankers; FOSFA cleanliness standards apply.
Effective Volume (Reefer): Internal cubic capacity minus return-air bulkhead.
Electrolytic Tin Plate (ETP): Thin coated steel coil; very sensitive to sweat.
Emergency Schedules (EmS): IMDG fire and spill response codes (e.g., F-A, S-A).
End Wall Lashing: Securing containers to vessel structure at bay ends.
End-on Stowage: Long cargo aligned fore-and-aft.
Engine Block, Project Cargo: Heavy castings on flatracks or breakbulk cradles.
Ethanol: Class 3 flammable; carried in product or chemical tankers; needs dry tanks.
Ethylene: Cargo on ethylene carriers at -104 C and slightly pressurized.
Ethylene Dichloride: IBC Category X; toxic chlorinated solvent.
Ethylene Glycol: IBC Category Y; common chemical tanker cargo.
Ethylene Oxide: IBC Category Y; very reactive, special design ships.
Ethylene Scrubber: Filter in reefer to remove ripening hormone for sensitive produce.
Evaporation, Cargo: Loss of light ends from volatile liquids in transit.
Expanded Polystyrene, Bulk: Lightweight Group C; large stowage factor.
Explosive Articles vs Substances: IMDG distinction within Class 1.
Export Cargo Shipping Instruction (ECSI): Shipper instructions to forwarder/line.

F

FAK (Freight All Kinds): Mixed container rate.
FAME: See Biodiesel.
Fatty Acid Distillate: Vegoil byproduct, IBC Category Y.
Feed Pellets, Fish: Self-heating Group B; oily and odor-tainting.
Ferro-Alloys: Heavy metal alloys (FeSi, FeMn, FeCr) carried as bulk; FeSi can emit phosphine and arsine when wet.
Ferrosilicon (FeSi): IMSBC Group B with toxic/flammable gas evolution if wet; 25-30% and 90% grades.
Fertilizers, Bulk: Urea, DAP, MAP, MOP, sulphate of potash; IMSBC schedules vary.
FFA (Free Fatty Acid): Quality parameter for vegetable oils.
Flammable Range: Concentration band between LEL and UEL where vapor ignites.
Flashpoint: Temperature at which a liquid releases enough vapor to ignite; key to IMDG/MARPOL.
Flax Seed (Linseed): Oily Group B cargo; self-heating risk.
Flexitank: Bladder fitted in standard container to carry bulk liquids.
Floating Roof Tank: Shore tank with internal floating roof; reduces vapor loss.
Fluorspar: Heavy mineral, IMSBC; Group A if fine.
Fly Ash: Coal combustion residue; bulk powder, dust-prone.
Foam System (Tanker): Deck foam for fighting cargo fires.
FOSFA: Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Associations; sets vegoil shipping cleanliness rules.
Free-Flow Damage: Loss caused by liquid cargo moving freely in a partially filled tank.
Free-Flowing Cargo: Granular cargo that levels under its own weight (sand, grain).
Freight Ton: Larger of weight ton (1,000 kg) or measurement ton (1 m3) for billing.
Frozen Fish: -18 C carriage, often -25 C for sashimi grade tuna.
Fuel Oil 380 cSt: Heavy bunker grade; cargo on dirty product tankers.
Fumigation In Transit (FIT): Treating cargo with gas under IMO MSC.1/Circ.1264 procedures.
Furfural: IBC Category Y; toxic chemical cargo.

G

Gas carrier: Vessel for liquefied gases such as LNG, LPG, ethane, or ethylene.
Gas Detector: Portable or fixed instrument for O2, LEL, CO, H2S.
Gas-free certificate: Certificate before hot work in tanks.
Gasoil: Marine gasoil (MGO) per ISO 8217 DMA.
Gasoline: High-vapor-pressure Class 3 cargo; static-electricity precautions.
Gauge, Cargo Tank: Manual UTI tape, fixed radar, or float; gives ullage or innage.
General Cargo: Mixed packaged or breakbulk goods.
Glycerine: IBC Category Y; oleochemical cargo.
Glycol Cargo: MEG, DEG, TEG; widely traded chemicals.
Grab: Mechanical clamshell for loading/unloading bulk; sizes 8-50 m3.
Grade, Cargo: Quality classification (e.g., HSFO 380, JET A-1).
Grain Code (International): SOLAS Chapter VI Part C; mandatory stability/stowage rules for grain.
Grain Cubic Capacity: Hold volume to inside of plating; used for free-flowing grain.
Grain, Bulk: IMSBC reference to International Grain Code.
Granular Cargo: Particulate bulk like sand, salt, sugar.
Group A (IMSBC): Cargoes that may liquefy if shipped above their TML.
Group B (IMSBC): Cargoes with chemical hazards (self-heating, gas emission, oxidation).
Group C (IMSBC): Cargoes not liable to liquefy nor possessing chemical hazards.
Gypsum: Calcium sulfate; bulk Group C.
Gyration Test: Lab method (Modified Proctor/Fagerberg) for TML.

H

H2S Scavenger: Chemical added to crude or fuel oil to reduce hydrogen sulfide vapor.
Hardwood Logs: Heavy logs; deck cargo lashed under Timber Code.
Hatch Coaming: Vertical rim of hatch opening; sealing surface for hatch covers.
Hatch Cover, Folding: MacGregor-style cover for bulker holds.
Hatch Tape: Sealing tape applied over hatch joins, sometimes pressure tested.
Hay, Baled: Self-heating Class 4.1 IMDG when not properly cured.
Heat-Sensitive Cargo: Cargo that degrades with temperature (chocolate, pharmaceuticals).
Heater Coils, Cargo Tank: Steam coils to keep heated cargoes pumpable.
Heavy fuel oil (HFO): Residual marine fuel, RMG 380, ISO 8217.
Heavy Lift Cargo: Single piece above ship's gear capacity.
Heavy Naphtha: Refined product feedstock for reforming.
High cube container: Container 9 feet 6 inches tall.
High Density Cargo: Heavy bulks with small stowage factors (iron ore 0.3-0.4 m3/t).
Hold Atmosphere Monitoring (Coal): O2 >=17%, CO trended, methane below 20% LEL.
Hopper, Bulk: Funnel-shaped device on dock or in hold for loading/discharging bulk.
Hot-Rolled Coil (HRC): Heavy steel coil, breakbulk.