LOGISTICS TERMS

STACKABLE FLAT

FLAT RACK WHICH, WHEN EMPTY, MAY BE INTERLOCKED WITH OTHER SIMILAR EMPTY FLAT RACKS INTO A STACK WHICH HAS THE SAME DIMENSIONS AS A SINGLE STANDARD SHIPPING CONTAINER, ENABLING THEM TO BE TRANSPORTED IN THE SAME WAY. FLATS WHICH ARE STACKABLE IN THIS WAY ARE KNOWN AS COLLAPSIBLE FLAT RACKS WHEN THEY HAVE CORNER POSTS WHICH ARE COLLAPSED WHEN NOT IN USE, AND FOLDING FLAT RACKS WHEN THEY HAVE ENDS WHICH ARE FOLDED DOWN. BOTH TYPES ARE DESIGNED FOR THE CARRIAGE OF CARGOES OF AWKWARD SIZE.

STEM
FORWARD-MOST PART OF A SHIP AT THE POINT WHERE THE SHIP'S SIDES MEET AT THE BOWS.

STERN
THE REAR OF THE SHIP. ALSO KNOWN AS THE AFTER END.

STEVEDORE
PERSON RUNNING A BUSINESS WHOSE FUNCTIONS ARE TO LOAD, STOW AND DISCHARGE SHIPS, OFTEN USED SYNONYMOUSLY WITH DOCKER.

STOWAGE
THE PLACING OF GOODS IN A SHIP IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ENSURE, FIRST, THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF THE SHIP NOT ONLY ON A SEA OR OCEAN PASSAGE BUT ALSO IN BETWEEN PORTS WHEN PARTS OF THE CARGO HAVE BEEN LOADED OR DISCHARGED, AS THE CASE MAY BE; SECONDLY, THE SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONSIGNMENTS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE DAMAGED OR CONTAMINATED BY BEING IN PROXIMITY TO GOODS WITH WHICH THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE; THIRDLY, THE ABILITY TO UNLOAD GOODS AT THEIR PORT OF DISCHARGE WITHOUT HAVING TO MOVE GOODS DESTINED FOR OTHER PORTS. TO STOW GOODS IS TO ARRANGE OR POSITION THEM IN A SHIP FOR THEIR CARRIAGE TO THE PORT OF DISCHARGE.

STOWAGE FACTOR
RATIO OF A CARGO'S CUBIC MEASUREMENT TO ITS WEIGHT, EXPRESSED IN CUBIC FEET TO THE TON OR CUBIC METRES TO THE TONNE. THE STOWAGE FACTOR IS USED TO CONJUNCTION WITH A SHIP'S GRAIN CAPACITY OR BALE CAPACITY, DEPENDING ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE CARGO, TO DETERMINE THE TOTAL QUANTITY OF CARGO WHICH CAN BE LOADED.

STOWAGE PLAN
PLAN, IN THE FORM OF A LONGITUDINAL CROSS-SECTION OF A SHIP, WHICH SHOWS WHERE IN THE SHIP ALL THE CONSIGNMENTS ARE STOWED. IT IS FREQUENTY COLOUR-CODED TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENT PORTS OF DISCHARGE. THE STOWAGE PLAN IS OFTEN SENT TO THE STEVEDORES AT EACH OF THE DISCHARGE PORTS TO ASSIST THEM IN PLANNING THE UNLOADING.

STRADDLE CARRIER
WHEELED VEHICLE DESIGNED TO LIFT AND CARRY SHIPPING CONTAINERS WITHIN ITS OWN FRAMEWORK. IT IS USED FOR MOVING, AND SOMETIMES STACKING, CONTAINERS AT A CONTAINER TERMINAL.

STRIP (TO)
TO UNLOAD A SHIPPING CONTAINER. ALSO KNOWN AS TO DESTUFF.

STUFF (TO)
TO LOAD A SHIPPING CONTAINER.

TACKLE
COLLECTION OF WIRES AND ROPES USED WITH A SHIP'S DERRICK TO LIFT GOODS. ALSO USED TO DESCRIBE THE METHOD OF RIGGING A DERRICK CONSISTING OF TWO BLOCKS WITH A ROPE OR WIRE PASSING THROUGH THEM IN A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION.

TANK CONTAINER
SHIPPING CONTAINER DESIGNED FOR THE CARRIAGE OF LIQUIDS. IT CONSISTS OF A CYLINDRICAL TANK MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL SURROUNDED BY A FRAMEWORK WHICH GIVES IT THE SAME OVERALL DIMENSIONS AS THOSE OF A STANDARD DRY CARGO CONTAINER, ENABLING IT TO BE CARRIED AND HANDLED IN THE SAME WAY. PRODUCTS CARRIED IN TANK CONTAINERS RANGE FROM POTABLE SPIRITS, SUCH AS WHISKY, TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS.

TARE
WEIGHT OF WRAPPING OF PACKING. THIS IS ADDED TO THE NET WEIGHT OF A CARGO TO DETERMINE ITS GROSS WEIGHT. IN THE CASE OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS, THE TARE REPRESENTS THE WEIGHT OF THE CONTAINER WITHOUT ITS CONTENTS.

THROUGH BILL OF LADING
COVERING SHIPMENTS FROM OR TO PORTS INVOLVING TRANSPORT BY MORE THAN ONE STEAMSHIP LINE, E.G. CARGO SHIPPED FROM BANGKOK TO U.S.A. PORTS VIA HONG KONG FOR TRANSHIPMENT INTO A VESSEL, LOADING FOR U.S.A.

TIER LIMIT OR TIER LIMITATION
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LEVELS OF A COMMODITY WHICH MAY BE STOWED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER WITHOUT SUFFERING DAMAGE FROM COMPRESSION.

TONNAGE (1)
QUANTITY OF CARGO, NORMALLY EXPRESSED AS A NUMBER OF TONNES OR TONS.

TONNAGE (2)
CUBIC CAPACITY OF A SHIP.

TONNAGE (3)
CARGO CAPACITY OF ALL THE SHIPS OF A COUNTRY OR OF A PARTICULAR TRADE, DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT IN WHICH IT IS USED.

TONNAGE MARK
MARK PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF A SHELTER-DECK SHIP WHICH, DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT IS SUBMERGED OR NOT, DETERMINES WHETHER THE SHIP'S LARGER OR SMALLER REGISTER TONNAGE APPLIES WHEN PORT DUES ARE ASSESSED FOR A PARTICULAR VOYAGE.

TONNAGE OPENING
PERMANENT OPENING IN THE SHELTER-DECK OF A SHIP WHICH IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT HER REGISTERED TONNAGE WOULD NOT INCLUDE THE SHELTER-DECK SPACE ALTHOUGH THIS SPACE IS CAPABLE OF CARRYING CARGO.

TOP OFF (TO)
TO FILL A SHIP WHICH IS ALREADY PARTLY LOADED WITH CARGO. THIS OPERATION OCCURS WHEN THERE IS A DRAUGHT LIMITATION AT THE FIRST LOAD PORT OR BETWEEN THERE AND THE OPEN SEA. THE SHIP LOADS A QUANTITY OF CARGO CORRESPONDING TO THE PERMISSIBLE DRAUGHT, THEN FILLS UP AT THE SECOND PORT WHERE THERE IS NO RESTRICTION.

TOP STOW CARGO
GOODS WHICH ARE STOWED ON TOP OF ALL OTHERS IN A SHIP'S HOLD BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIVELY LOW DENSITY AND THE PROBABILITY THAT THEY WOULD BE DAMAGED IF OVERSTOWED. BY DEFINITION, GOODS PLACED AT THE TOP OF THE CARGO BECAUSE THEY ARE FOR DISCHARGE AT THE NEXT PORT OF CALL ARE ALSO TERMED TOP STOW CARGO.

TOTAL DEADWEIGHT
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SHIP'S LOADED AND LIGHT DISPLACEMENTS, CONSISTING OF THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF CARGO, FUEL, FRESH WATER, STORES AND CREW WHICH A SHIP CAN CARRY WHEN IMMERSED TO A PARTICULAR LOAD LINE, NORMALLY HER SUMMER LOAD LINE. THE DEADWEIGHT IS EXPRESSED IN TONS OR TONNES. ALSO REFERRED TO AS DEADWEIGHT OR DEADWEIGHT ALL TOLD.

TRACTOR
SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE USED FOR TOWING TRAILERS. IN PORTS, TRACTOR MAY BE USED TO MOVE ROAD TRAILERS ONTO AND OFF ROLL-ON / ROLL-OFF SHIPS.

TRANSHIPMENT
TRANSFER OF GOODS FROM ONE VESSEL TO ANOTHER. THIS TRANSFER MAY BE DIRECT OR IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO DISCHARGE THE GOODS ONTO THE QUAY PRIOR TO LOADING THEM ONTO THE SECOND VESSEL, OR ONTO A VEHICLE SHOULD THE SECOND VESSEL BE LOADING AT A DIFFERENT BERTH. ALTERNATIVE SPELLINGS ARE TRANSHIPMENT AND TRANS-SHIPMENT.

TRANSPORTER CRANE
TYPE OF CRANE USED FOR HANDLING SHIPPING CONTAINERS. TYPICALLY, IT IS A ROPE-HOISTING, ROPE-TRAVERSING CRANE WHICH OPERATES BY LIFTING THE CONTAINER (HOISTING) AND MOVING IT ALONG A TROLLEY (TRAVERSING) BEFORE LOWERING IT INTO POSITION. THE CRANE MOVES ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE QUAY ON RAILS. IT IS EQUIPPED WITH A SPREADER BEAM WHICH ATTACHES TO THE CORNER CASTINGS OF THE CONTAINER TO ENABLE IT TO BE LIFTED.

TUG
SMALL, POWERFUL VESSEL USED FOR TOWING OR PUSHING SHIPS IN PORTS, TOWING OR PUSHING BARGES ALONG RIVERS OR TOWING, FOR EXAMPLE, OIL RIGS OUT TO SEA.

TWEEN DECK
DECK WHICH SEPERATES THE HOLD OF A SHIP INTO TWO, MAKING AN UPPER HOLD AND A LOWER HOLD. ITS PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE TWO SEPARATE LEVELS OF STOWAGE FOR THE CARGO, GIVING EASE OF ACCESS AND HELPING TO AVOID COMPRESSION OF CARGO CAUSED BY DIRECT OVER-STOWAGE.


TWENTY FOOT EQUIVALENT UNIT (T.E.U.)
UNIT OF MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENT TO ONE TWENTY FOOT SHIPPING CONTAINER, NORMALLY ABBREVIATED TO T.E.U. THUS ONE FORTY FOOT CONTAINER IS EQUAL TO TWO T.E.U.'S. THIS MEASUREMENT IS USED TO QUANTIFY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONTAINER CAPACITY OF A SHIP, THE NUMBER OF CONTAINERS CARRIED ON A PARTICULAR VOYAGE OR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, IT MAY BE THE UNIT ON WHICH FREIGHT IS PAYABLE.

VENTILATED CONTAINER
SHIPPING CONTAINER WHICH RESEMBLES A GENERAL PURPOSE CONTAINER BUT WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS VENTILATION FOR CARGOES REQUIRING IT, IN PARTICULAR COFFEE. THIS IS ACHIEVED BY A SERIES OF HOLES ALONG THE TOP AND BOTTOM SIDE RAILS OF THE CONTAINER WHICH PROVIDE VENTILATION THROUGHOUT.

VENTILATION
THE INTRODUCTION OF FRESH AIR INTO THE HOLD OF A SHIP. THE PURPOSE IS TO WARM OR COOL THE CARGO SO AS TO PREVENT LARGE DIFFERENCES OCCURRING BETWEEN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CARGO AND THAT OF THE SHIP'S ENVIRONMENT WHICH WOULD GIVE RISE TO CONDENSATION. VENTILATION IS EFFECTED BY MEANS OF VENTILATORS OF VARIOUS TYPES ATTACHED TO THE DECK OF A SHIP, OR IN FINE WEATHER BY OPENING THE HATCHES, OR BY A MECHANICAL SYSTEM WHICH FORCES AIR INTO THE HOLD. VENTILATION IS ALSO USED IN CERTAIN TYPES OF SHIPPING CONTAINER.

VENTILATOR
DUCT ATTACHED TO THE DECK OF A SHIP WHICH ALLOWS FRESH AIR TO ENTER THE HOLD. VENTILATORS ARE OF VARIOUS TYPES, THE MOST COMMON OF WHICH IS THE COWL TYPE WHICH CAN BE SWIVELLED TO VARY THE RATE OF AIR FLOW INTO AS WELLAS OUT OF THE HOLD.

WEIGHT CARGO
CARGO ONE TONNE OF WHICH MEASURES ONHE CUBIC METRE OR LESS. FREIGHT ON A WEIGHT CARGO IS GENERALLY PAYABLE ON THE WEIGHT, THAT IS, PER TONNE OR PER TON. ALSO REFERRED TO AS DEADWEIGHT CARGO.

WEIGHT / MEASUREMENT RATIO
RATIO OF A CARGO'S WEIGHT TO ITS CUBIC MEASUREMENT, EXPRESSED IN CUBIC FEET TO THE TON OR CUBIC METRES TO THE TONNE. THIS RATIO CAN BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SHIP'S BALE CAPACITY OR GRAIN CAPACITY, DEPENDING ON THE PARTICULAR CARGO, TO DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM QUANTITY OF CARGO WHICH CAN BE LOADED IN A SHIP.

WHARF
STRUCTURE BUILT ALONGSIDE THE WATER WHERE SHIPS BERTH FOR LOADING OR DISCHARGING GOODS. THE PERSON WHO OWNS OR OPERATES A WHARF IS KNOWN AS A WHARFINGER. THE CHARGE PAYABLE BY CARGO INTERESTS FOR THE USE OF A WHARF ARE CALLED WHARFAFE OR WHARFAGE CHARGES.