Glossary of maritime terminology

Lading is the act of loading cargo onto a vessel.

If a vessel is laid-up, it is not actively in service. The ship will be out of commission for a number of reasons varying from needing work done to ensure seaworthiness, waiting for classification, being refurbished, or even waiting for work in a market slump.

Also known as Lakers, a lake freighter is a ship that plies its trade in the North American Great Lakes. They are usually bulk carriers and transport ore and grains.

Lashing is the term given to the act of securing cargo for transportation on a ship. The point is to minimize the potential for the cargo to move when it is in transit. Everything from wires, ropes, cables, nets and straps are used to lash cargo down and they will be fastened to the shipping container and tensioned to prevent any unnecessary movement.

In maritime terminology, a lashing system is something used to secure cargo for transportation on a ship. The point is to minimize the potential for the cargo to move when it is in transit. Everything from wires, ropes, cables, nets and straps are used in a lashing system to secure cargo and they will be fastened to the shipping container and tensioned to prevent any unnecessary movement. 

A launch service is a company that runs a water-taxi service to ships at anchor from vessel to port.

The launching appliance on a ship is the apparatus that enables the safe and speedy transfer of a rescue boat or lifeboat from the vessel to the water. In shipping terms, there are two main types of launching methods: free-fall and davit-type. As the name suggests, a davit launch uses a davit to lower the boat into the water with the hooks and lines being released by the boat upon reaching the water. Launching appliances are part of the group of life saving appliances.

In maritime terms, Length Overall (LOA) is the total length of a vessel from the bow to the stern, measured parallel to the waterline. This is important information to have while docking the ship!

Less than Container Load (LCL) is used to refer to a shipping container which is filled by multiple orders to make up one full container.

A life jacket, also referred to as a personal flotation device (PFD), life preserver or life vest is a sleeveless jacket that is designed to enable the wearer to float when they are in water. Life jackets automatically force the wearer into a position whereby they are facing upwards - this keeps the nose and mouth out of the water, helping to lower the risk of drowning - something that is especially important if the wearer is unconscious when they fall into the water.

A life preserver, also referred to as a personal flotation device (PFD), life jacket or life vest is a sleeveless jacket that is designed to enable the wearer to float when they are in water. Life preservers automatically force the wearer into a position whereby they are facing upwards - this keeps the nose and mouth out of the water, helping to lower the risk of drowning - something that is especially important if the wearer is unconscious when they fall into the water.

A life raft, is generally speaking, a small inflatable and rigid craft that is carried onboard a larger vessel. Life rafts are an essential piece of safety equipment and are used in the event of an emergency occurring on the ship. They differ from lifeboats in that the latter can, as well as being inflatable, can also be made of fiberglass or wood. They are used as a rescue boat but not typically seen as a long-term survival craft

A life ring, also called a lifebuoy, is a life saving appliance that is thrown to a person who has fallen overboard or into water to provide them with buoyancy while they are waiting to be rescued. Some of the more modern life rings are equipped with lights that activate when the ring oy hits the water, to make rescue at night or in poor weather conditions easier.

Regulations for life saving appliances (LSA) on a ship are stipulated by the IMO’s LSA Code. The type, number and capacity of these appliances vary from vessel to vessel, depending on its size, type of voyage and activity (i.e. cruise ship or oil tanker.)

Life saving appliances include everything from personal life saving equipment such as life jackets, lifebuoys, immersion suits, anti-exposure suits and thermal protective aids to survival craft such as lifeboats, rescue boats and life rafts. Also included are visual aids like hand flares, parachute flares and buoyant smoke signals.

Public address systems, general alarms, evacuation systems, line throwing appliances and launching and embarkation appliances also fall under the category of life saving appliance.

A life vest, also referred to as a personal flotation device (PFD), life preserver or life jacket is a sleeveless jacket that is designed to enable the wearer to float when they are in water. Life vests automatically force the wearer into a position whereby they are facing upwards - this keeps the nose and mouth out of the water, helping to lower the risk of drowning - something that is especially important if the wearer is unconscious when they fall into the water.

A lifeboat is a specially designed and constructed boat that is used in rescue operations. Lifeboats are often double ended and can cope with rough seas and brutal weather conditions.

All ships conduct a Lifeboat Drill, also known as Muster Drills - an onboard exercise to ensure that all crew (as well as any passengers) know how to evacuate the vessel in the event of an emergency. International law stipulates that the Master of every ship must make sure that officers, crew and passengers are familiar with the procedure of lowering the lifeboats and evacuating the vessel, and the emergency use of the lifeboats. 

A lifebuoy, also referred to as a life ring, is a life saving appliance that is thrown to a person who has fallen overboard or into water to provide them with buoyancy while they are waiting to be rescued. Some of the more modern lifebuoys are equipped with lights that activate when the buoy hits the water, to make rescue at night or in poor weather conditions easier.

A lift on / lift off Vessel, lo-lo Vessel, or lift on / load off ship is a container ship which, instead of using the port’s container crane (otherwise known as the ship-to-shore crane or container handling gantry crane) uses their own crane. This enables them to undertake cargo operations without assistance from the port. 

Light displacement tonnage is maritime terminology referring to the sum weight of a vessel’s hull, equipment, machinery, and spares. If a ship is purchased to be scrapped, this is usually the grounds on which a price is determined.

Lighter is a general name given to broad boats with flat bottoms which are used to transport cargo between a vessel and the shore. Lighters usually undertake short haul journeys, usually to assist in loading and unloading operations. 

A Lighter Aboard Ship (LASH) is a vessel which transports barges (known as lighters). Lighters are mostly unpowered barges and they need to be transported between inland waterways that are separated by sea. Because the lighter cannot relocate under its own steam (it is normally pushed or towed when in harbor or on a river or canal) it needs to be carried by a larger vessel. 

Lighterage is the fee charged for transporting cargo by a lighter or a barge.

A lightship or light ship - also called a lightvessel or light vessel - is a ship fitted out with a beacon on a mast that functions in the same way as a lighthouse: To act as a warning and to help other boats and vessels at night or in overcast and unfavorable conditions safely navigate their passage. Lightships are commonly used in waters that are too deep for a lighthouse to be constructed.

Lima stands for the letter L in the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, which is most often referred to as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet or simply the Phonetic Alphabet. This is the most commonly used group of code words used to clearly communicate the letters of the Roman alphabet, particularly over the radio and is essential in helping seafarers give and receive messages, orders and instructions clearly and correctly.

On a ship, the line thrower, line throwing device, or line throwing apparatus, is used to cast (throw) cables and ropes (lines) to other vessels or to someone on shore to enable rescue operations.

On a ship, the line throwing device, line throwing apparatus or line thrower, is used to cast (throw) cables and ropes (lines) to other vessels or to someone on shore to enable rescue operations.

A liner is not just a passenger ship - it can also be a ship that transports cargo. The term liner is given to a vessel which operates regular routes between advertised and scheduled ports.

List is the word used to describe it when a vessel is almost permanently leaning to one side due to an incorrect distribution of weight onboard i.e. the vessel is Listing.

LNG stands for Liquefied Natural Gas. It is natural gas that has been cooled until it is in liquid form. This makes it easier and safer to store or transport it.

An LNG carrier is a vessel that carries Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Their cargo tanks are heavily insulated and made of special aluminum alloy which enables them to carry LNG at a temperature of -2,850F / -1601C.

LOA stands for Length Overall. It is the total length of a vessel from the bow to the stern measured parallel to the waterline. This is important information to have while docking the ship!

Also called the Plimsoll line, the load line is a physical marking on a ship's hull which indicates the maximum depth to which that vessel can sink when loaded with cargo. 

The loaded leg is a freight term referring to the portion of a vessel's voyage in which the ship is carrying cargo.

A freight term, the loading computer on a vessel is a calculation tool which enables the ship's cargo officer to plan and control cargo and ballasting operations a lot more efficiently. Some loading computers simply make these calculations but others can also provide advice on loading and stowage, water ballast distribution and  exchange, damage stability and grounding scenarios.

Log can mean three things in Maritime Terms: 1) it is an instrument that is used to measure the speed and distance a boat has traveled 2) the act of recording the details of a vessel’s voyage in a book like a journal or diary entry and 3) the actual book itself - i.e. the Captain’s Log.

Loll, or angle of loll, is a maritime term referring to the state of a ship being unstable when it is upright meaning it will be heeling even to port (left) or starboard (right.) This can be caused by anything from the vessel being top heavy to an excess of water flooding below deck.

A lolo Vessel, lift on / lift off vessel, lo-lo vessel, or lift on / load off ship is a container ship which, instead of using the port’s container crane (otherwise known as the ship-to-shore crane or container handling gantry crane) uses their own crane. This enables them to undertake cargo operations without assistance from the port. 

A Longshoreman is also called a Dock Worker or a Stevedore. Longshoremen are land-based and load and unload cargo from vessels in ports. They also undertake administrative tasks relevant to this work.

In shipping terms, a lookout is a crew member whose duty and responsibility it is to keep watch for approaching vessels or dangerous objects. On a sailing yacht they may be stationed in the crow’s nest, located at the top of one of the main masts. On a merchant ship, ferry or liner (for example) the Lookout will be on the bridge or forecastle.

LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It is a fuel that is made from petrol and contains a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gasses most normally propane butane and propylene.

An LPG Carrier is a vessel that has been designed to transport Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

LSA stands for life saving appliances. Regulations for life saving appliances on a ship are stipulated by the IMO’s LSA Code. The type, number and capacity of these appliances vary from vessel to vessel, depending on its size, type of voyage and activity (i.e. cruise ship or oil tanker.)

Life saving appliances include everything from personal life saving equipment such as lifejackets, lifebuoys, immersion suits, anti-exposure suits and thermal protective aids to survival craft such as lifeboats, rescue boats and life rafts. Also included are visual aids like hand flares, parachute flares and buoyant smoke signals. Public address systems, general alarms, evacuation systems, line throwing appliances and launching and embarkation appliances also fall under the category of life saving appliance.