Abbreviations used in Deck Log Book

The following abbreviations are approved for use either singly or together:
(D) Decca fix FAOP Full Ahead Ocean Sat Satellite position
(R) Radar (eg (R) Brg 105 = Passage = SSP SBB Stand by below = SBE
Radar Bearing 105) FP Fore Peak Tank (ME)
A/C Altered Course FW Fresh Water SBE Stand by Engine/s
Ahd Ahead Fwd Forward SD Safety of Dock
Ampl Amplitude FWE Finished with Engine/s Sp Speed
AP After Peak Tank GM Distance between the SS Steamship
Arr Arrival / Arrived metacentre & the centre SSP Start of Sea Passage
of gravity
Ast Astern Stbd Starboard
GPS GPS Sat position
Av Average TC True Course
HMS Her Majesty’s Ship
Az Azimuth TCPA Time of the CPA
hms Hours, minutes, seconds
Bar Barometer/s TK Tank
IFO Intermediate Fuel Oil
Brg Bearing (True) UKC Under Keel Clearance
KG Height or centre of
BT Ballast Tank VMO & PA Various to Master’s
gravity
BW Breakwater Orders & Pilot’s Advice
LB Lifeboat
By Buoy VMO Various to Master’s
LT Local Time Orders
1
c Cable/s ( /10s of nautical m Metres
ml) WB Water Ballast
Max Maximum WTD Watertight Door
C Centigrade
MC Magnetic Course Z GMT
Cl Clutched in
MDO Marine Diesel Oil
Co Course (True)
ME Main Engine Ahead Movements
CPA Closest Point of
Approach MFO Marine Fuel Oil Full Sp Full Speed
DB Double-bottom tank Min Minimum 1
/2 Sp Half Speed
Dec Declutched MS / MV Motor Ship / Motor Slw Slow
Vessel
Dep Departure / Depart DS Dead Slow
NT New Time (after an
Disch Discharge, Discharged, alteration of clocks)
Discharging Astern Movements
Obs Observations
Displ Displacement tonnage Full Ast Full Astern
Obsd Observed 1
Dist Distance /2 Ast Half Astern
OOW Officer of the Watch,
DR Dead Reckoning Duty Officer Slw Ast Slow Astern
E/S Echo Sounder PA Position Approximate DS Ast Dead Slow Astern
EOP End of Ocean Passage PDS Piped down stations
= ESP
R/T Radio Telephone
ER Engine Room
ROE Rang on full speed
ESP End of Sea Passage
RPM Revolutions per minute
F Fahrenheit (ME)
Additionally following signs and symbols may be used:
Abeam (Port or Starboard as indicated by arrow)
Anchor

 Degree or Arc or Temperature

’ Foot/Feet, Mile (Nautical), Minutes of Arc as indicated in context
‘’ Inch/es or second/s of Arc
45
/15 The upper figure shows length of cable veered. The lower indicates depth of water obtained by sounding at
time of anchoring.

NOTE: a) Astronomical observations in the Nautical Almanac may be used.

b) Navigational abbreviations as prescribed in the Mariner’s Handbook N.P. 100 and B.A. chart 5011 may
be used.