| asr | Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts |
| bimco | Baltic and International Maritime Council |
| Bunker Convention | 2001 International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage |
| cdem | construction, design, equipment and manning (standards) |
| cedre | Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution |
| clc | 1992 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage |
| cmi | Comité Maritime International |
| colregs | 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea |
| eez | Exclusive Economic Zone |
| emsa | European Maritime Safety Agency |
| eur | euro |
| fn | footnote |
| fund | 1992 International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage |
| gairs | Generally Accepted International Rules and Standards |
| gesamp | Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection |
| hns | 1996 International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, as amended by the 2010 Protocol |
| iaph | International Association of Ports and Harbors |
| icj | International Court of Justice |
| ics | International Chamber of Shipping |
| ig p&i Clubs | International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs |
| ila | International Law Association |
| ilc | International Law Commission |
| imco | Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization |
| imo | International Maritime Organization |
| intertanko | International Association of Independent Tanker Owners |
| iopc Fund | International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund |
International Salvage Union |
|
| itlos | International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea |
| itopf | International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd |
| iumi | International Union of Marine Insurance |
| leg | imo Legal Committee |
| llmc | 1976 Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, as amended by the 1996 Protocol |
| losc | 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea |
| maib | The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch |
| marpol (73/78) | 1973 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, as modified by the 1978 Protocol |
| mepc | imo Marine Environment Protection Committee |
| msc | imo Maritime Safety Committee |
| n | note/footnote |
| ncsr | imo Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue |
| nm | nautical mile |
| nav | imo (former) Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation |
| no | number |
| oprc | 1990 International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation |
| pcij | Permanent Court of International Justice |
| P&I Clubs | Protection and Indemnity Clubs |
| rina | The Royal Institution of Naval Architects |
| solas | 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea |
| umcc | United Maritime Consultative Council |
| unctad | United Nations Conference on Trade and Development |
| usd | United States dollar |
| vclt | 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties |
| vtmis | Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System |
| wrc | 2007 Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks |
| wwf | World Wildlife Fund |