Maritime Glossary
Source-cited definitions for shipping, engineering, navigation, and regulatory terminology. Confidence-scored and verified against primary IMO, IHO, and industry sources.
- Electronic Chart Display and Information SystemECDIS
- ECDIS is the Electronic Chart Display and Information System, a computer-based navigation system that displays official electronic charts and the ship's position in real time. Under SOLAS it can replace paper charts as the primary means of navigation.
- navigationtechnologyregulationhigh confidence
- Emergency Position-Indicating Radio BeaconEPIRB
- An EPIRB is an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon, a distress beacon that, when activated, transmits on 406 MHz to search-and-rescue satellites. It identifies the ship and, with built-in GPS, its position, alerting rescue authorities that a vessel is in distress.
- safetynavigationregulationhigh confidence
- Emission Control AreaECA · SECA · NECA
- An Emission Control Area (ECA) is a sea area where stricter limits on air pollution from ships apply under MARPOL Annex VI. Within an ECA, ships must burn much lower-sulphur fuel or use exhaust cleaning, and in some areas meet tighter nitrogen-oxide limits.
- regulationenvironmentdecarbonizationhigh confidence
- Energy Efficiency Design IndexEEDI
- The EEDI is the Energy Efficiency Design Index, an IMO standard for the design efficiency of new ships. It sets a maximum amount of carbon dioxide a newly built ship may emit per unit of transport work, tightening in phases over time.
- decarbonizationregulationenergy-efficiencyhigh confidence
- Energy Efficiency Existing Ship IndexEEXI
- The EEXI is the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index, an IMO measure of the technical, design-based energy efficiency of existing ships. Each ship must meet a required efficiency standard, typically achieved by limiting engine power or improving the vessel.
- decarbonizationregulationenergy-efficiencyhigh confidence
- Exhaust Gas Cleaning SystemEGCS · scrubber · open-loop scrubber · closed-loop scrubber · hybrid scrubber
- A scrubber, or exhaust gas cleaning system, removes sulphur oxides and particulates from a ship's engine exhaust by washing it, usually with seawater. It allows a ship to keep burning cheaper high-sulphur fuel while meeting sulphur emission limits.
- engineeringenvironmentdecarbonizationhigh confidence