Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Ports, Terminals and Stevedoring glossary (page 3)

The operational vocabulary of ports, terminals, and stevedoring: access channels and accumulation yards, accommodation ladders, abnormal-load handling, the port trade bodies (AAPA), and the cargo-handling and yard-planning terms used on the quay. The operations-floor counterpart to the port civil-engineering section.

728 defined terms.

Showing 228 on this page (page 3 of 3).

P

Pneumatic unloader: vacuum-based ship unloader for grain and similar bulks, e.g., Neuero Multiport.
Port authority: Statutory body managing port.
Port basin: enclosed harbor water area.
Port call: vessel visit to a port.
Port Captain: Shore-based marine operations role.
Port community system: PCS, electronic data exchange platform.
Port dues: charges for vessel use of port services and infrastructure.
Port operator: company providing stevedoring and terminal services.
Port Reception Facility: Required under MARPOL Articles 11 and within each annex.
Port state control: PSC inspection regime.
Portainer: original Paceco brand for STS cranes, now generic.
PortMiami: example US cruise and container port.
Pre-arrival information: PAI required by the FAL Convention.
Pre-gate: trucker check at remote staging area before terminal entry.
Preventive maintenance: scheduled equipment service per OEM cycles.
Productivity per berth: moves per berth hour across all cranes.
Productivity per crane: container moves per crane hour.
Project cargo: Heavy lift or oversized cargo for projects.
Provision Stores: ship chandling service often coordinated at the port.
PSA International: Singapore-based terminal operator with global facilities.
PSC: Port State Control.
Pulpwood terminal: bulk facility specialized in wood chips and pulp.
Pump room: tanker compartment housing cargo pumps.
Push-pull tug: tug operated in pure push or pull configuration.

Q

Quay: Solid berthing structure parallel to the shore.
Quay Crane: Container terminal ship-to-shore crane.
Quay wall: Vertical retaining structure forming berth face, designed under BS 6349.
Quayside lighting: directional lighting along the apron.
Quayside power: shore power outlet on the apron.
Quick Release Hook: Salvage tug fitting allowing emergency release of tow line under load.

R

Radar transponder: shore-based AIS aid in pilotage waters.
Rail mounted gantry: see RMG.
Rake angle: incline of stacker boom in dry bulk terminals.
Ramp: ro-ro vessel ramp engaging linkspan or shore ramp.
Reach stacker: Heavy duty container handling vehicle.
Reach stacker for empties: lighter variant with smaller spreader and higher stacks.
Reclaimer: rotating wheel or bucket machine recovering bulk from stockpile.
Reefer Plug: Onboard or terminal 440 V socket for reefer power.
Reefer terminal: terminal with extensive reefer rack capacity.
Refrigerated terminal: facility for chilled and frozen perishables.
Regen drive: regenerative variable frequency drive on STS hoists.
Restow: container move within the same vessel.
Retail clearance: container release after customs clearance.
Revenue move: paid container move excluding shifts and restows.
Reverse logistics: Returns and recycling logistics.
RFID gate: gate using passive or active radio frequency tags for vehicle identification.
Riding gang: contractor crew sailing with vessel for repairs.
Rigging plan: lift plan for heavy or unusual loads.
Right-of-way: priority rules for terminal equipment movements.
River Pilot: Pilot for inland waterways such as the Elbe or Mississippi.
RMG: Rail Mounted Gantry, yard crane on fixed rails.
Ro-pax: roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry.
Roads: outer anchorage area.
Roll on roll off: RoRo loading and discharging.
Rope test: tensile testing of mooring lines per ISO 2307.
Rosenmund mooring: rare; omitted to avoid fabrication.
Rotating spreader: spreader allowing 360-degree container rotation.
Rotterdam World Gateway: RWG, automated container terminal at Maasvlakte II.
Round-trip time: truck cycle time including in-terminal moves.
RTG: Rubber-Tyred Gantry crane in container yards.
Runway: dedicated travel lane for AGV or SC in automated terminals.

S

SaaS TOS: cloud-hosted terminal operating system.
Saddle bag: legacy lashing accessory.
Safe access: SOLAS-required means of boarding the vessel.
Safe working load: Maximum load a lifting fitting is approved to handle.
Safety bund: containment wall around fuel tanks.
Sailing draft: declared departure draft.
Sandsucker: TSHD specialized in sand extraction.
SC: Straddle Carrier, examples include Kalmar AutoStrad and Konecranes Noell.
Schottel: thruster manufacturer used on tugs and self-propelled barges.
Screw conveyor: enclosed auger for moving dry bulk over short distances.
Sea pilot: pilot guiding vessel from sea pilot station to entrance.
Sea-Land Service: historic terminal operator now part of Maersk.
Seafast lashing: lashing for heavy lifts under DNV ST-N001.
Seal: Numbered security device on container doors, often ISO 17712 high-security bolt seal.
Self-discharging vessel: bulker with onboard conveyors and booms.
Service port: governance model where port authority owns and operates all assets and labor.
Setdown: container placement on chassis or stack.
Shed: covered storage for breakbulk cargo.
Shifting: Movement of cargo from stowed position; may cause loss of stability.
Ship loader: shoreside conveyor with loading boom for bulk export.
Ship unloader: shoreside continuous or grab unloader, e.g., Siwertell screw-type, Bedeschi bucket chain.
Ship-to-shore crane: STS, dockside container crane, examples include ZPMC, Liebherr, Konecranes, and Mitsui-Paceco.
Shore connection: physical cable between shore power and ship.
Shore power: OPS or cold ironing infrastructure, IEC/IEEE 80005 series.
Shore tension: brand of passive mooring tensioning system.
Shuttle carrier: SC variant for transporting containers between STS and ASC stacks.
Side-loader: Truck that can lift a container onto and off its own chassis.
Siemens: supplier of crane drives, automation, and TOS integration.
Singapore Trade Net: legacy single window, succeeded by Networked Trade Platform.
Single buoy mooring: SBM, offshore oil terminal with single anchored buoy.
Single window: harmonized electronic reporting interface, e.g., UN/CEFACT Single Window Recommendation 33.
Sister berth: identical berth designed for the same vessel class.
Siwertell: Bruks Siwertell screw-type ship unloader.
Skiff: small line-handling boat.
Slewing crane: crane with rotating superstructure.
Slip: Allow to run; berth for a small craft.
Slop reception: facility for tank washings under MARPOL.
Slot: Vessel space for one TEU.
Slot Charter: Charter of a defined number of TEU slots on a containership.
Smit bracket: Welded steel bracket on the bow used as a strong point for emergency towing.
SMS: Safety management system required by ISM Code.
Snake mooring: alternative for chemical jetties using flexible hose strings.
Snubbing: controlled deceleration of a mooring line.
SOLAS VGM: Verified Gross Mass requirement under SOLAS VI/2 effective 2016.
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure for terminal tasks.
Spider chart: yard density visualization.
Splash zone: vertical area subject to spray, requiring protective coatings.
SPM: Single point mooring offshore terminal.
Spotter: ground guide for equipment movements.
Spreader: telescopic frame on STS and yard cranes engaging container corner castings.
Stack collapse: failure of containers on board, sometimes during berthing impacts.
Stack profile: yard plan defining stack height and rows.
Stacker: Container stacking fitting without rotational lock.
Statement of Facts: SOF, time log of port events from arrival to departure.
Stevedore: Shore-based cargo handler.
Stowage factor: Volume occupied by one tonne of cargo.
Stowage plan: Plan showing container or cargo positions.
Straddle carrier: yard vehicle straddling and lifting containers.
STS: Ship-to-ship transfer of cargo.
Stuffing: Loading of a container.
Submarine cable: subsea cable, occasionally affecting anchorage allocation.
Sulfur terminal: dry bulk facility for granular or molten sulfur with dust control.
Super post-Panamax: STS class with 22+ rows outreach.
Surge bin: small hopper buffering bulk flow.
Swing bridge: opening bridge allowing vessel passage.
Switch yard: rail classification yard at port.
Swivel arm: marine loading arm component allowing motion compensation.
SWL: see Safe Working Load.

T

TAB: Terminal Allocation Board for berth scheduling.
Tally clerk: stevedore checking cargo counts at the hatch or gate.
Tandem Lift: Use of two cranes simultaneously on a single load.
Tanker manifold: cluster of valves at midship for cargo transfer.
Tariff: Carrier's published rates and charges; also customs duty schedule.
TBA Group: supplier of terminal automation software including PortIT.
TBN: To Be Nominated, used in berth bookings.
Terberg: Dutch manufacturer of terminal tractors.
Terminal handling charge: THC billed to the carrier.
Terminal operating system: TOS, e.g., Navis N4, CyberLogitec OPUS, Tideworks Mainsail.
Terminal tractor: yard tractor or hostler towing chassis, e.g., Terberg YT, Kalmar Ottawa, MAFI.
TEU: Twenty foot equivalent unit.
Threshold draft: draft below which a vessel may transit without tide window.
Tidal window: Operational window based on tide for deep draft vessels.
Tilt tray: handling machine for irregular shapes.
Tippler: rotary railcar unloader at bulk terminals.
Top handler: empty container forklift with top spreader.
TOS: Terminal operating system.
Total turn time: gate-in to gate-out duration for a truck.
Towage: Provision of tugs for harbour and ocean tow.
Towage Contract: BIMCO TOWHIRE/TOWCON or industry-standard offshore towage contracts.
Tower crane: alternative to STS in some breakbulk yards.
Tractor Tug: High-maneuver tug using Voith Schneider or ASD propulsion.
Trade lane: liner service route between ports.
Tradenet Singapore: original Singapore single window for trade declarations.
Trailer interchange receipt: TIR, gate document for chassis condition.
Train length restriction: rail siding length limit at terminal yards.
Transhipment: Transfer of cargo between vessels.
Transit shed: Cargo storage shed at port.
Trelleborg Marine: supplier of fenders, QRH, and mooring monitoring.
Tripping line: Line attached to the crown of an anchor to free it from foul ground.
Trolley: STS or RMG trolley carrying the spreader along the boom or trolley girder.
Truck appointment system: TAS, slot booking for trucks, e.g., eModal in US.
TSHD: Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger, examples include Jan De Nul Cristobal Colon, Boskalis Helios.
Tug: vessel providing towing and assistance, see harbour, escort, line-boat.
Tugmaster: occasional term for terminal tractor.
Turn time: total time a truck spends inside a terminal.
Twin lift: STS crane fitted with a spreader handling two 20 ft containers simultaneously.
Twistlock: Locking device joining containers at corner castings.

U

UKC: Under keel clearance, static or dynamic.
Ultramax bulker: ~63,000-65,000 dwt geared bulk carrier, common at multipurpose berths.
UN/CEFACT: UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, source of port single window standards.
Unberthing: process of moving a vessel away from the berth.
Unitization: Bundling small goods into a single handling unit.
Universal terminal: terminal accepting multiple cargo types and vessel classes.
Upper deck: Highest continuous deck.

V

Vacuum mooring: see Cavotec MoorMaster.
Valid certification: confirmation that lifting gear is within inspection period.
VBA: Vessel Berthing Aid, laser-based docking system.
VBS: Vehicle Booking System for truckers.
Vehicle deck: ro-ro internal deck level.
Vertical curve: rail or road profile detail in terminal civils.
Vessel call: ship visit logged in port records.
Vessel planner: terminal employee preparing the bay plan.
Vessel productivity: total moves per vessel time at berth.
Vessel sequence: yard work order matching the discharge or load sequence.
Vetting: Charterer inspection of vessel before fixture.
Voith Schneider Propeller: cycloidal propeller used on Voith Water Tractors.
VRS: Vessel Reporting System under port VTS.
VTS: Vessel Traffic Service, IMO Resolution A.857(20).

W

Walking ratio: yard tractor moves per crane move.
Warehouse keeper: licensed operator of bonded warehouse at the port.
Warping: moving a vessel along the quay using its own lines and capstans.
Wartsila: supplier of port-area thrusters, automation, and LNG bunkering systems.
Water depth alongside: see depth alongside.
Waterfront: collective term for port apron, quays, and adjoining areas.
Waterway: navigable channel within or leading to the port.
Weighbridge: certified scale for trucks at the gate.
Wharf: Quay alongside which vessels berth.
Wharfage: Charge for use of wharf.
Wharfinger: Operator or manager of a wharf.
Wheelhouse: Enclosed steering position.
WHF: Wharf Handling Fee.
Winch: Powered drum for hauling on ropes or wires.
Wind girt: lateral wind load criterion for STS operation.
Wind monitoring: anemometers above STS booms with operational thresholds.
Wind stow: parked crane position with stow pins engaged.
Window berth: berth allocated for a specific liner service time slot.
Wing wall: lateral retaining wall at lock or ramp.
Working hatch: hatch currently being loaded or discharged.
Working line: stevedore line of containers being moved.

X

X-band radar: 9.4 GHz band marine radar.
X-ray scanner: gate or non-intrusive inspection scanner, e.g., Smiths HCV-Mobile, Nuctech.
XCMG: Chinese maker of reach stackers and forklifts used in some terminals.
Xstrata terminal: historic export terminal name retained in trade documentation.

Y

Yard block: stacking module of rows, tiers, and bays.
Yard density: Container slots per hectare in a terminal yard.
Yard equipment: collective term for RTG, RMG, SC, RS, TT.
Yard inventory: real-time count of containers in stack by status.
Yard plan: layout of blocks and traffic lanes within the terminal.
Yard tractor: Terminal tractor moving chassis or mafis.
Yokohama Fender: Pneumatic ship-to-ship transfer fender developed by Yokohama Rubber.
Yokohama Port: example Japanese hub port with MC-1/MC-2 terminals.

Z

Zeebrugge: Belgian port with major ro-ro, container, and LNG terminals.
Zero emission terminal: Terminal targeting zero direct emissions.
Zone tariff: differentiated port dues by berth zone.
Zone-controlled lighting: yard lighting switched by occupancy zones.
Zoning plan: Land use zoning within the port area.
ZPMC: Shanghai-based fabricator of jack-ups and crane vessels.