| AAUS | American Academy of Underwater Sciences’ |
| ABL | Assigned Breaking Load |
| ABS | American Bureau of Shipping |
| ABYC | American Boat and Yacht Council |
| AC | Alternating Current |
| ADA | American’s with Disabilities Act |
| AIS | Automated Identification System |
| ASAM | Anti-shipping Activity Messages |
| AUV | Autonomous Underwater Vehicle |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
| COR | Certificate of Registry |
| CPR | Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation |
| CTD | Conductivity-Temperature-Depth |
| DC | Direct Current |
| DPA | Designated Person Ashore |
| DSC | Digital Selective Calling |
| EEBD | Emergency Escape Breathing Device |
| EPIRB | Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival |
| FCC | Federal Communications Commission |
| FM | Factory Mutual |
| FS | Factor of Safety |
| GMDSS | Global Maritime Distress and Safety System |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GRT | Gross Registered tonnage |
| GT | Gross tonnage |
| HF | High Frequency |
| HOV | Human Occupied Vehicle |
| IACS | International Association of Classification Societies LTD. |
| ICLL | International Convention on Load Lines |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| IFF | Identification Friend or Foe |
| IMDG | International Maritime Dangerous Goods |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization |
| INSURV | Inspection and Survey |
| ISM | International Safety Management |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
| ISPS | International Ship and Port Facility Security |
| ITC | International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships |
| LBP | Length between perpendiculars |
| LCG | Location of the Center of Gravity |
| LFM | Linear Feet per Minute |
| LL | Load Line |
| MARPOL | International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships |
| MEOL | Maximum Expected Operating Load |
| MF | Medium Frequency |
| MMD | Merchant Mariner Document |
| MSC | Maritime Safety Committee |
| MSO | Marine Safety Office |
| MSDS | Material Safety Data Sheets |
| MSHA | Mine Safety and Health Administration |
| MSM | Marine Safety Manual |
| MTSA | Maritime Transport Safety Act |
| NBDP | Narrow Band Direct Printing |
| NBL | Nominal Breaking Load |
| NFPA | National Fire Protection Association |
| NGA | National-Geospatial Agency |
| NIOSH | National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health |
| NOAA | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| NPFVOA | North Pacific Fishing Vessel Operators Association |
| NRC | Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
| NRT | Net Registered Tonnage |
| NSF | National Science Foundation |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| NVIC | Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular |
| OCMI | Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection |
| ONI | Office of Naval Intelligence |
| ONR | Office of Naval Research |
| OPA | Oil Pollution Act |
| OPRC | International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness Response and Cooperation |
| ORM | Other Regulated Materials |
| ORVA | Oceanographic Research Vessel Act |
| OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| OSRO | Oil Spill Removal Organization |
| PFD | Personal Floatation Device |
| PI | Principal Investigator |
| PLB | Personal Location Beacon |
| QMED | Qualified Member of the Engineering Department |
| RCC | Rescue Coordination Center |
| RO-RO | Roll On – Roll Off |
| RSO | Radiation Safety Officer |
| RVOC | Research Vessel Operators’ Committee |
| RVSS | Research Vessel Safety Standards |
| SAR | Search And Rescue |
| SART | Search And Rescue Transponder |
| SHIP | Seafarers Health Improvement Program |
| SITOR | Simplex Teletype Over Radio |
| SMC | Safety Management Certificate |
| SMS | Safety Management System |
| SNAME | Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers |
| SOLAS | International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea |
| SSAS | Ship Security Alert System |
| STCW | Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping |
| STR | Ship Time Request |
| SWAB | Service offered by the Tritium Lab at the University of Miami to detect very low levels radio activity in shipboard labs and vans. |
| SWL | Safe Working Load |
| TBL | Tested Breaking Load |
| UL | Underwriters Laboratories |
| UNOLS | University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System |
| USC | United States Code |
| USCG | United States Coast Guard |
| VHF | Very High Frequency |