Security, Defence, Technology and Specialised Sectors

Cruise, offshore energy and auxiliary/specialised fleets glossary

Vessels outside conventional cargo trades: cruise hotel operations, offshore wind logistics (WTIV, SOV, CTV), offshore oil and gas units (FPSO, FLNG, FSRU, drillship, PSV, AHTS) under the MODU Code, cable-lay and ROV spreads, deep-sea mining under the ISA Mining Code, towage by bollard pull and propulsion type, mega-yachts under the REG Yacht Code, dynamic positioning (DP1 to DP3), icebreakers under the Polar Code, and marine renewable energy.

180 defined terms.

A

Accommodation Barge: Non-propelled offshore lodging unit for workers.
Accommodation Vessel: Self-propelled offshore lodging ship.
Active Heave Compensation (AHC): Crane/winch system compensating vessel heave during subsea lifts.
AHTS (Anchor Handling Tug Supply): Offshore tug for rig anchor handling and supply.
All-Electric FPSO: FPSO with electrified utilities for emissions reduction.
Amphibious Drillship: Generic term for shallow-water drilling vessel.
Anchor Pattern (Mooring): Designed array of anchors for moored MODU.
Aquaculture Service Vessel: Vessel supporting offshore fish farms.
Arctic Class (IACS Polar Class): PC1-PC7 polar class designations.
Asphalt Carrier: Specialized tanker for bitumen products.
Autonomous Ferry: Trial passenger vessel with high autonomy degree.
AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle): Untethered submersible carrying sensors.

B

Backhoe Dredger: Hydraulic-excavator-mounted dredger.
Barge (Deck Cargo): Non-propelled platform for project cargo.
Bollard pull: Tug pulling force in tonnes.
Bulk Wood Carrier: Specialized log/wood-chip carrier.
Bunker Tanker: Small tanker delivering fuel to ships.
Buoy Tender: USCG/CG vessel maintaining ATON.

C

Cable layer: Specialized vessel for laying submarine cables.
Cable Repair Ship: Vessel performing subsea cable repairs.
Carousel (Cable Lay): Large rotating storage for cable on a CLV.
Catamaran CTV: Twin-hulled crew transfer vessel.
Christmas Tree (XT): Subsea wellhead assembly.
Class I DP (DP1): Single fault loss may cause position loss (no redundancy).
Class II DP (DP2): Single fault in active components does not cause position loss.
Class III DP (DP3): Single fault including fire in compartment does not cause position loss.
CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association): Cruise industry association.
Coastal Tug: Harbor or short-sea towage tug.
Combination Carrier (Oil/Bulk/Ore, OBO): Versatile carrier; rare in modern fleet.
Container feeder: Smaller box ship 1,000-3,000 TEU.
Cradle (Subsea): Lifting frame for subsea modules.
Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV): Offshore wind crew boat.
Cruise ship: Passenger cruise vessel.
Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD): Dredger with rotating cutter at suction inlet.

D

Deck Cargo Barge: Non-propelled deck barge.
Deep-Sea Mining Vessel: Vessel for polymetallic nodule collection (developmental).
Deepwater Drillship: Dynamically positioned drillship for ultra-deepwater wells.
Derrick Barge: Crane barge for heavy lifts.
Diamond Mining Vessel: Specialized vessel for offshore diamond extraction.
Diving Support Vessel (DSV): Vessel with saturation-diving capability.
DP1/DP2/DP3 (IMO MSC/Circ.645 + IMO MSC.1/Circ.1580): Dynamic positioning equipment classes.
Dredge Hopper: Cargo hold of a trailing-suction hopper dredger.
Drift Net (Fishing): Largely banned fishing gear; relevant to fleet types.
Drillship: Mobile offshore drilling unit shaped as a ship.
Dynamic Positioning (DP): Computer-controlled station-keeping via thrusters.

E

EER (Escape, Evacuation, Rescue) Vessel: Offshore safety standby vessel.
Escort Tug: High-performance tug providing braking/steering escort to laden tankers.
Expedition Cruise Ship: Small cruise ship designed for remote destinations.
Extended Well Test (EWT) Vessel: Vessel temporarily producing/testing an offshore well.

F

Factory Trawler: Stern trawler with onboard processing.
Fall-Pipe Vessel: Rock-dumping vessel installing protection over subsea infrastructure.
Fast Crew Boat: High-speed personnel transfer for oil and gas.
FATA (Floating Accommodation and Treatment Asset): Offshore accommodation unit (illustrative).
Field Support Vessel (FSV): Multi-purpose offshore support vessel.
Fishery Patrol Vessel: Constabulary vessel enforcing fishery laws.
Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG): Floating LNG production unit.
Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO): Oil/gas production unit.
Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO): Storage-only floating unit.
Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU): LNG regasification vessel.
Floating Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (FWTIV): Vessel installing floating wind units.
Foiling Ferry: Hydrofoil ferry; emerging passenger segment.
FPSO Turret Mooring: Internal/external rotating mooring system.
FSU (Floating Storage Unit): Generic floating storage.
Fuel Cell Cruise Vessel: Emerging hydrogen-fuel-cell passenger ship.

G

Gas Carrier (LPG/LNG/LEG): Specialized liquefied-gas carriers.
Geotechnical Survey Vessel: Vessel performing seabed soil testing.
Grab Dredger: Crane-grab-based dredger.
Green Cruise Ship: LNG/dual-fuel or hybrid cruise vessel.
Gulf Standby Vessel: ERRV class in UK/Norwegian sectors.

H

Harbor Tug: Tug for berthing and port maneuvers.
Heavy-Lift Vessel (HLV): Project-cargo ship with high-capacity cranes.
Heavy-Transport Ship (Float-On/Float-Off): Semi-submersible heavy transporter (e.g., Dockwise).
High-Speed Craft (HSC): 2000 HSC Code vessel.
Hopper Dredger: TSHD/THSD trailing-suction hopper dredger.
Hotel Operations (Cruise): Non-marine onboard functions (F&B, entertainment).
Hovercraft Ferry: Air-cushion vehicle passenger service.
Hydrographic Survey Vessel: Vessel for bathymetric/geophysical survey.

I

IACS Polar Class (PC1 to PC7): Polar capability categorization.
IBC Code: International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk.
Icebreaker: Vessel designed to navigate ice-covered waters.
IGC Code: International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk.
IGF Code: International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-Flashpoint Fuels.
IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association): Industry body for offshore contractors and DP standards.
IMCA M 103: Guidelines for DP vessel design and operation.
IMCA M 117: DP operator training and certification.
IMCA M 182: International guidance for bulk transfer operations.
IMR Vessel (Inspection, Maintenance, Repair): Subsea IMR vessel for installed assets.
Inland Waterway Vessel: River/canal cargo or passenger craft.
International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC): Industry body for cable protection.
Inundated Berthing Pier: Specialized berth for SOV/CTV operations.
ISA (International Seabed Authority): Authority over deep-seabed mining in the Area.
ISA Mining Code: Draft regulations for exploitation in the Area.

J

Jack-Up Rig: MODU with retractable legs deployed to seabed.
Jones Act Vessel: US-built/flag/crewed vessel for cabotage trades.

K

K-Class FPSO: Internal industry shorthand for design generations.
Kingpin Tug: Pusher tug coupled to ITB barge.

L

Live-Fish Carrier (Well Boat): Aquaculture transfer vessel.
Lloyd's Register Polar Class Notations: PC1 to PC7 designations.
LNG Bunkering Vessel: Ship transferring LNG fuel to LNG-powered ships.
LNG Carrier: Vessel carrying liquefied natural gas at -162°C.
LNG Membrane Containment: GTT Mark III/NO96 cargo containment systems.
LNG Moss-Type Containment: Spherical Moss tanks.
LR Yacht Notation: Lloyd's Register large-yacht class notations.

M

Marine Renewable Energy Vessel: Generic class for tidal/wave installation.
Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (Service): Autonomous workboat/ferry service.
MARPOL Annex VI (Cruise): Cruise-relevant air-emissions regulation.
Mega-Yacht: Yacht typically over 80 m.
MODU Code: IMO code for mobile offshore drilling units.
MoorMaster (Cavotec): Vacuum-based automated mooring system.
Multipurpose Support Vessel (MPSV): Versatile offshore support ship.

N

NAS (Nautical Survey): Hydrographic survey vessel terminology.
Nautilus Minerals (Historic): Pioneer deep-sea mining venture (defunct).
Naval Architect Class Notation: Cross-cutting; many specialized notations apply (e.g., Tug Salvage).
Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS): Major offshore activity region.

O

Ocean Liner: Traditional transoceanic passenger ship.
OCV (Offshore Construction Vessel): Heavy-lift/subsea-construction vessel.
Offshore Combat (Cruise): Misuse-tag; no such term, not included.
Offshore Substation Installation Vessel: Vessel installing wind-farm substations.
Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV): Generic offshore support vessel.
Offshore Wind Operation and Maintenance: O&M service operations.
OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel): Constabulary patrol ship for EEZ/SAR.
OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion): Renewable concept using ocean temperature gradients.

P

Passenger Vessel SOLAS Chapter II-2/13: Safe-return-to-port regulation post 2010.
Pipe-Lay Vessel (PLV): Vessel installing offshore pipelines.
Polar Code: Adopted under SOLAS XIV and MARPOL; complements Article 234 jurisdiction.
Polar Service Temperature (PST): Design temperature for polar operations.
Posidonia Forum (Cruise): Industry event (illustrative).
PSV (Platform Supply Vessel): Offshore vessel resupplying platforms/rigs.

Q

Q-Flex LNG carrier: 210,000 m3 Qatari LNG carrier.
Q-Max LNG carrier: 266,000 m3 LNG carrier (Mozah class).

R

Reefer Vessel: Refrigerated cargo ship.
REG Yacht Code (LY3/PYC): Red Ensign Group large yacht codes.
Research Vessel: Oceanographic/fisheries research ship.
Riser Tower (FPSO): Vertical riser support structure.
Rock Dumping Vessel: Fall-pipe vessel installing rock cover.
ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle): Tethered underwater robot.

S

Salvage Tug: High-powered tug for casualty response.
Saturation Diving System: System enabling extended deep-water diving from a DSV.
Scientific Drilling Vessel (e.g., JOIDES Resolution): Research drillship.
Sea-Going Tug: Long-haul ocean tug.
Self-Elevating Unit: Jack-up rig category.
Semi-Submersible Heavy-Lift Vessel: Float-on/float-off transport ship.
Semi-Submersible MODU: Pontoon-and-column floating drilling rig.
Service Operation Vessel (SOV): Wind farm service vessel.
Ship Recycling Yard: Specialized facility (cross-cutting, used by all ship types).
Shuttle Tanker: DP tanker exporting FPSO crude to shore.
Side-Stone Dumping Vessel: Side-discharge rock placement vessel.
Smart Cruise Ship: Heavily digitalized cruise vessel.
SOSREP: UK Secretary of State Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention.
Specialized Service Provider (Offshore): Specialty company classifications.
Spread mooring: Multi-line mooring pattern for moored offshore units.
SSCV (Semi-Submersible Crane Vessel): Heavy-lift offshore crane vessel.
Standby Vessel (ERRV): Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel.
Stinger (Pipe-Lay): Curved support guiding pipe overboard.
Subsea 7 (Type): Illustrative subsea EPCI contractor.
Subsea Cable Protection (ICPC): Best practice for cable protection.
Supply Vessel (Offshore): Synonym for PSV/OSV.
Surfer Vessel (West Africa): Fast crew boat type used in West Africa.

T

Tidal Energy Vessel: Specialist vessel installing/maintaining tidal turbines.
Tractor Tug: High-maneuver tug using Voith Schneider or ASD propulsion.
Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD): Self-propelled dredger with trailing arm.
Tug-Barge (ATB/ITB): Articulated/integrated tug-barge unit.
Tweendecker: General-cargo ship with intermediate decks.
Twin-Screw Tug: Conventional twin-propeller tug.

U

Ultra-Deepwater Drillship: Drillship rated for water depths beyond 7,500 ft.
Ultra-Large Crude Carrier (ULCC): Tanker over 320,000 DWT.
Underwater Construction Vessel (UCV): Subsea construction vessel.

V

VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier): Tanker between 200,000 and 320,000 DWT.
Voith-Schneider propeller (VSP): Cycloidal vertical-axis propeller.

W

Walk-to-Work Gangway: Motion-compensated gangway on SOV.
Well-Boat (Aquaculture): Live-fish carrier with circulation systems.
Well-stimulation vessel: Offshore vessel for well stimulation.
Wind Farm Service Vessel (WFSV): SOV/CTV category for offshore wind.
Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV): Jack-up vessel installing wind turbines.
Wreck Removal Vessel: Heavy-lift unit deployed for wreck removal under Nairobi Convention.

X

XT (Christmas Tree) Installation Vessel: Subsea XT installation vessel.

Y

Yacht Code (REG LY3/PYC): Red Ensign Group large-yacht code.
Yard Tug: Shipyard maneuvering tug.

Z

Zero-Emission Ferry: Battery-electric short-route ferry.
Zumwalt-Class (Auxiliary Crossover): Mentioned only where logistics/auxiliary references apply.

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