Vessel departure from specified voyage course which the vessel should follow in performance of the contract of carriage.

DEW POINT

Temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapor and any further drop in temperature will cause water droplets to condense out.

DFAT

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia).

DFT

Draft.

DIMENSIONS

Height, width, length of an article (e.g.: container, cargo) measured parallel to each of its axes ad expressed in order.

DIO

Departed Import Container from Overseas

DISABLED SHIP

When a ship is unable to sail efficiently or in a seaworthy state as a result of engine trouble, lack of officers or crew, damage to the hull or ship's gear.

DISCHARGES

An essential document for officers and seamen as it serves an official certificate confirming sea experience in the employment for which he was engaged.

DISCHARGING

Unloading

DISPATCH BAYS

The point from which containers are physically loaded or unloaded.

DISPOSABLE CONTAINER

A container which, because of its type of manufacture, can be abandoned after it has made an economic journey.

DISPOSABLE PALLET

Pallet which is lightly constructed (e.g.: of thin timber, fiber board or plastic) which is used for only one or two journeys. See also EXPENDABLE PALLET.

DOBSON LEGS

Apparatus for lifting and lowering containers consisting of four separate hydraulically operated legs placed at each bottom corner casting of the container and operated together via a central pump connected to each leg by hoses.

DOCK LEVELERS

Various devices used to bring the level of a loading bay to the height of a container, usually on a truck or trailer.

DOD

Department of Defense.

DOE

Department of Energy (USA).

DOMESTIC OFFSHORE TRADES

Domestic shipping routes serving Alaska and non-continental U.S. States and territories.

DOOR-TO-DOOR

Through transport of a consignment of goods (in a container) from consignor to consignee without any discharging or reloading of goods or change in agreement, except for any Customs control or intervention.

DOOR-TO-DOOR DOCUMENTATION

One set of documents which provides for the delivery of a consignment of goods from point to point, e.g.: from the consignor's source to the consignee's store.

DOT

Department of Transportation (USA).

DOUBLE BOTTOM

General term for all watertight spaces contained between the outside bottom plating, the tank top and the margin plate. The double bottoms are sub-divided into a number of separate tanks which may contain boiler feed water, drinking water, fuel oil, ballast, etc.

DRAFT

The depth of a ship in the water. The vertical distance between the waterline and the keel, in the U.S. expressed in feet, elsewhere in meters.

DRAYAGE

Inland haulage.

DRILLING UNIT

Fitted with drilling rig (oil derrick with rotary drill and a mud pumping system), drilling for petroleum.

DRILL SHIP

Regular ship shaped vessel, production ship. Positioned by anchors or dynamic positioning. Has its own propulsion machinery.

DROP-OFF CHARGE

Charge made by container owner on termination of hire of a container. Often levied to discourage delivery of containers in low demand areas where the leasing company may be forced to move the containers out to a more profitable area.

DRY BOX

Container for transporting general cargo.

DRY BULK CONTAINER

Container designed for transporting dry bulk powders or particulate products.

DRY CARGO

General cargo - merchandise other than liquid carried in bulk.

DRY CARGO SHIP