|
A (Alpha) |
 Diver below (when stationary); I am undergoing a speed trial
|
| A.S. (A.s.) |
Alongside
|
| AA |
Always afloat |
| AAAA |
Always Afloat, Always Accessible |
| AALA |
American Association for Laboratory Accrediation |
| AASO |
Assosiation of American Ship Owners |
| AB |
Able seamen |
| AB (ABS) |
American Bureau of Shipping - American (US) Ship Classification Society. Under the provisions of the US Load-Line Act - it has the authority to assign load lines to vessels registered in the US and other countries. |
| Abandoned Well |
An oil well where production has ceased. |
| ABS |
American Bureau of Shipping- American classification society. |
| Accommodation Unit/Floatel |
Normally a semisubmersible or jackup (See Jackup), equipped with cabins, catering facilities and office space for up to 800 persons. The installation is normally used for the accommodation and catering for personnel constructing or operating a fixed production platform. An accommodation unit may also be equipped with workshops and/or storage facilities. |
| ACFN |
American Committee for Flags of Necessity |
| ACGFO |
Any Commercial Grade of Fuel Oil |
| Acid Gas |
Gas with pollutants causing a low pH-value. Creates corrosion problems. |
| Acidizing |
Te injection of hydrochloric acid into the production zone in order to stimulate greater yield. The acid corrodes the sedimentary partitions, thereby increasing permeability. |
| ACOT |
Advisory Committee on Offshore Technology |
| ACP |
Area Contingency Plan |
| ACS |
American Chemicals Society |
| AD |
Air Draft - correctly used, air draft refers to the distance from the vessel's waterline to the top of the highest mast in an unladen condition. Important to determine whether the vessel can pass under fixed bridges. (Airdraft is also used to refer to the distance from the vessel's light waterline to the top of the hatch coming. This dimension must be known to determine whether the vessel will fit under the fixed shore loading or discharging appliance.) |
| ADB |
African/Asian Development Bank |
| ADEC |
Alaska Departement of Environmental Conservation |
| ADR |
Alternative Dispute Resolution - a relatively new innovation whose use has increased in the last decade in response to a general rise in litigation in many jurisdictions and the thereby escalating cost associated therewith, as well as the increased dissatisfaction with the legal process itself. The ADR is a tool designed as a supplement to a given judicial system to provide parties of otherwise good and long term working relationship with a cheaper and in most cases less adversial alternative to lengthy court hearings and arbitrations. |
| Aerated Mud |
Drilling mud mixed with oxygen to increase efficiency. |
| AFRA |
Average Freight Rate Assessment - average costs for the freight of oil with tankships. Calculated by the Worldscale Association in London. based on an ongoing registration of all freightrates at particular points in time. |
| Aframax |
American Freight Rate Association - approximately 80,000 - 105,000 dwt - term for a tank ship of standard size. |
| AFRASEC |
Afro-Asian Organization for Economic Cooperation |
AFTA
|
Asean Free Trade Area (See ASEAN).
|
| AG |
Arabian Gulf - also called PG - Persian Gulf. |
Agent / Ship's Agent
|
Person looking after the interests of a ship whiøe in port. Duties include organising pilotage, towage and berth for the ship, collecting freight and signing bills of lading
|
| AGS |
Annual General Survey |
| AH |