Glossary: F

19 terms.

• Fender
  A cushioning device of rubber, foam, or rope placed between a vessel and a berth or another vessel to prevent damage.
• Fire Drill
  A mandatory shipboard exercise practising the crew's response to a fire emergency, required at least monthly under SOLAS.
• Fire Safety Systems Code
  IMO code detailing international requirements for fire detection, suppression, and firefighting equipment on SOLAS ships.
• Fitter
  A skilled engine room rating who performs mechanical repairs and maintenance on machinery, pipework, and deck equipment.
• Fix
  A confirmed vessel position established by two or more simultaneous position lines from observed bearings, ranges, or electronic navaids.
• Fixed Pitch Propeller
  A propeller with blades cast at a fixed angle to the hub; speed and direction are changed by varying engine rpm and rotation.
• Flag of Convenience
  Registration of a vessel in a country offering lower taxes or less strict regulations than the owner's home nation.
• Flag State Inspection
  An official inspection of a vessel carried out by or on behalf of the flag administration to verify compliance with its regulations.
• Fleet Broadband
  An Inmarsat satellite broadband service providing high-speed voice and data communications on mobile maritime terminals.
• Fleet Manager
  A senior shore-side executive responsible for the commercial, operational, and crewing management of a group of vessels.
• Floating Dock
  A pontoon structure that can be submerged to receive a vessel then raised to lift it clear of the water for repair work.
• Floating Production Storage and Offloading
  A floating vessel used by the offshore oil and gas industry for production, processing, storage, and offloading of hydrocarbons.
• Floating Storage and Offloading
  A stationary floating vessel used to store crude oil or petroleum products at offshore fields pending transfer to shuttle tankers.
• Forty-foot Equivalent Unit
  Standard unit of cargo capacity equivalent to one 40-foot ISO shipping container, equal to two TEU.
• Four-Stroke Engine
  An internal combustion engine requiring four piston strokes per cycle, widely used as medium-speed auxiliary and propulsion engines.
• Fourth Engineer
  The most junior watchkeeping engineer officer, gaining experience under supervision of senior engineers.
• Free Surface Effect
  The virtual reduction in GM caused by a liquid surface in a partially filled tank that moves as the ship heels, reducing stability.
• Freeboard
  The vertical distance from the waterline to the main deck edge, indicating reserve buoyancy and load line compliance.
• Fresh Water Generator
  A distillation unit using main engine jacket water waste heat to evaporate and condense seawater into fresh water at sea.