Glossary: legal

48 terms in this category.

• Ballast Water Management Convention
  The 2004 IMO convention requiring ships to manage ballast water to prevent transfer of invasive aquatic species between regions.
• Ballast Water Record Book
  A mandatory log recording all ballast water uptake, treatment, exchange, and discharge operations under the BWM Convention.
• Bill of Lading
  A legal document issued by a carrier acknowledging receipt of cargo for shipment, serving as a receipt, title document, and contract of carriage.
• Bridge Log
  A watchkeeping record maintained on the bridge detailing courses steered, speed, weather conditions, and watch handovers.
• Call Sign
  An ITU-assigned alphanumeric identifier used to identify a vessel during radio communications.
• Certificate of Registry
  An official document issued by the flag state confirming the vessel's registration, nationality, and ownership details.
• Charter Party
  A contract between a shipowner and a charterer for the hire of a vessel or cargo space, setting out terms and conditions of the voyage.
• Classification Society
  A non-governmental organisation that establishes and verifies structural and mechanical standards for ship construction and maintenance.
• Deck Log
  The official daily record of the ship's position, weather, incidents, crew changes, and navigational events kept by deck officers.
• Demurrage
  A penalty charge payable by the charterer when a vessel is kept at the loading or discharging berth beyond the agreed laytime.
• Document of Compliance
  A certificate issued to a shipping company confirming its Safety Management System meets ISM Code requirements.
• Emission Control Area
  A sea area designated under MARPOL Annex VI where stricter limits on sulfur and NOx emissions from ships apply.
• Engine Log
  The official daily record maintained by the engine department of machinery performance, fuel consumption, and maintenance events.
• Equasis
  A free public database providing safety-related information on commercial vessels including inspection history, class, and owner details.
• Exclusive Economic Zone
  A sea zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline where it has sovereign rights over resources.
• Flag of Convenience
  Registration of a vessel in a country offering lower taxes or less strict regulations than the owner's home nation.
• Garbage Record Book
  A mandatory log recording all garbage disposal and incineration operations on board, required under MARPOL Annex V.
• Hague-Visby Rules
  The amended 1924 Hague Rules governing carrier liability for cargo under bills of lading, widely incorporated into national law.
• Hamburg Rules
  The 1978 UN convention on the carriage of goods by sea, placing greater liability on carriers than the Hague-Visby Rules.
• IMO Number
  A unique seven-digit identifier assigned to a ship for life, used to track its history regardless of flag, owner, or name changes.
• Innocent Passage
  The right of foreign ships to navigate through a coastal state's territorial sea continuously and without prejudice to its peace or security.
• International Association of Classification Societies
  A body of twelve major classification societies that collectively establish and promote uniform technical standards for ship construction and maintenance.
• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
  The main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the sea by ships from operational and accidental causes.
• International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
  The primary IMO convention setting minimum safety standards for ship construction, equipment, and operation.
• International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
  IMO rules prescribing conduct of vessels to prevent collisions, including lights, shapes, sound signals, and steering rules.
• International Safety Management Code
  IMO code requiring shipping companies to establish a Safety Management System to ensure safe ship operation and pollution prevention.
• International Ship and Port Facility Security Code
  IMO code mandating security plans, officers, and assessments for ships and port facilities to prevent terrorism and unlawful acts.
• Load Line Certificate
  A certificate assigned by the flag state or classification society specifying the minimum freeboard and maximum loading depth for each zone.
• Maritime Labour Convention 2006
  ILO convention establishing minimum working, living, and social security standards for seafarers worldwide.
• MARPOL Annex I
  The annex of MARPOL regulating prevention of pollution by oil, covering operational discharges and accidental spills from ships.
• MARPOL Annex II
  The annex of MARPOL controlling discharge of noxious liquid substances carried in bulk, applicable to chemical tankers.
• MARPOL Annex V
  The annex of MARPOL governing disposal of garbage from ships, prohibiting most plastics discharge into the sea.
• MARPOL Annex VI
  The annex of MARPOL setting limits on sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and other air pollutant emissions from ships.
• MMSI Number
  A nine-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity used to identify a ship's radio and AIS transmissions uniquely.
• Oil Record Book
  A mandatory log in which all oil-related operations including bilge pumping and bunkering must be recorded under MARPOL Annex I.
• Paris Memorandum of Understanding
  A regional port state control arrangement covering European and North Atlantic waters with 27 member maritime authorities.
• Port State Control
  Inspection regime where a coastal nation's surveyors inspect foreign vessels in its ports for compliance with international conventions.
• RightShip
  A third-party maritime risk-assessment platform providing GHG ratings and vetting inspections used by cargo owners to screen vessels.
• Rotterdam Rules
  The 2008 UN convention on contracts for international carriage of goods wholly or partly by sea, modernising earlier cargo liability regimes.
• Safety Management Certificate
  A certificate issued to a ship confirming its Safety Management System is operating in accordance with the ISM Code.
• SOLAS Chapter III
  The chapter of SOLAS covering life-saving appliance requirements including lifeboats, liferafts, immersion suits, and drills.
• SOLAS Chapter IX
  The chapter of SOLAS making the ISM Code mandatory for ships, requiring companies to hold a Document of Compliance.
• SOLAS Chapter V
  The chapter of SOLAS dealing with safety of navigation, requiring ECDIS, AIS, VDR, pilot ladders, and bridge watchkeeping standards.
• Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
  International convention setting minimum training, certification, and watchkeeping standards for merchant ship officers and crew.
• Territorial Waters
  The belt of coastal waters extending up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline over which a coastal state has full sovereignty.
• Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding
  A regional port state control arrangement covering the Asia-Pacific region, established in 1993 with 21 member authorities.
• Tonnage Certificate
  A statutory certificate stating a ship's gross and net tonnage calculated under the International Tonnage Convention 1969.
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
  The international treaty defining rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans, including maritime zones.