Port & Terminal Operations
Terms from Anchorage to Wharf, each linked to related terms and to the desks that work with them.
Entries updated May 2026
Terms in Port & Terminal Operations
15 termsAnchorage
A designated area of water near a port where vessels anchor while waiting for a berth, pilot, favourable tide, or customs clearance.
Berth
A designated location in a port or harbour where a vessel is moored for loading, discharging, or other operations.
Chandler
A ship chandler is a supplier of provisions, stores, and equipment to vessels in port.
Draft Survey
A method of determining the weight of cargo loaded or discharged from a vessel by reading the vessel's draft marks before and after cargo operations.
Fairway
The main navigable channel in a harbour, river, or approach to a port, typically marked by buoys, beacons, and leading lights.
Gantry Crane
A large overhead crane used in container terminals to load and discharge containers from vessels.
Jetty
A structure extending from the shore into the water to provide a berthing facility for vessels, typically narrower than a quay or wharf.
Pilot
A licensed mariner with extensive local knowledge who embarks on a vessel to advise the master on safe navigation through restricted waters, harbour approaches, and during berthing and unberthing operations.
Quay
A solid structure built parallel to the shoreline where vessels berth for loading and discharging cargo.
Stevedore
A company or individual responsible for the loading and discharging of cargo from vessels in port.
STS Crane
Ship-to-Shore crane, a type of gantry crane specifically designed for loading and discharging containers between vessels and the quay.
Terminal
A specialised facility within a port designed for the handling of a specific type of cargo or vessel.
Tug Assist
The use of tugs to assist a vessel during manoeuvring in confined waters, berthing, and unberthing operations.
VTS
Vessel Traffic Service, a shore-based monitoring system that provides active traffic management of vessel movements within a port or waterway.
Wharf
A structure built along the waterfront for the berthing and servicing of vessels, similar to a quay but sometimes including the warehouse and open storage areas behind the berthing face.