Essential Maritime Terms: Safety and Navigation Rules

Mooring Line

A rope or wire used to make a ship fast to a quayside.

Traffic Separation Scheme

A routing measure aimed at separating opposing streams of traffic by appropriate means and establishing traffic lanes.

Liferaft

A small, inflatable watercraft without a motor, carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard a ship.

Immersion Suit

A special type of waterproof dry suit that protects the wearer from hypothermia from immersion in cold water after abandoning a sinking or capsized vessel, especially in the open ocean.

Lifeboat

A small, rigid watercraft fitted with a motor, carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard a ship.

Island

A land mass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water.

Life Jacket or Life Vest

A life preserver in the form of a sleeveless jacket or vest. It can be rigid or inflatable. Key features include:

• Must be fitted with a light and a whistle.
• Should be fitted with retro-reflective material.
• Must be rot-proof and corrosion-resistant.
• Should not be unduly affected by seawater, sunlight, oil, or fungi attack.
• Should be manufactured in a highly visible color.

Sailboat or Sailing Boat

A boat propelled partly or entirely by sails, smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.

Overtaking Rule

Any vessel overtaking another must keep out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. A vessel is considered to be overtaking when approaching another vessel from a direction more than 22.5 degrees abaft her beam.

Head-on Situation Rule

When two power-driven vessels meet on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses involving a risk of collision, each must alter her course to starboard to pass on the port side of the other.

Crossing Situation Rule

When two power-driven vessels cross paths involving a risk of collision, the vessel which has the other on her own starboard side (the give-way vessel) must keep out of the way. If circumstances permit, it must avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel (the stand-on vessel).