Maritime shipping glossary
38 essential terms of container shipping and port operations, explained clearly: documents, charges, units, vessels and port services.
Why maritime terminology matters
Shipping runs on precise vocabulary — terms like TEU, demurrage or Incoterms shape contracts, port fees and carrier rankings alike. This 38-term glossary defines the vocabulary used throughout Seadex's port, carrier and sea-distance data, so a term you meet on a port profile or a carrier ranking links straight back here for a plain-language definition.
Frequently asked questions
Are these definitions industry-standard?
Yes — definitions follow common usage in maritime shipping, drawing on standard references such as Incoterms rules, IMO conventions and widely used freight terminology, adapted for clarity rather than legal precision.
Where are these terms used on Seadex?
Many glossary terms appear directly on carrier, port and sea-distance pages — for example TEU on carrier fleet rankings, or demurrage and congestion on port profiles — each cross-linked so you can jump from the definition to the live data.
Is a term missing from the glossary?
The glossary is expanded as new maritime terms become relevant to the data Seadex tracks; check back as coverage grows alongside the site's carrier, port and vessel datasets.
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