Book excerpt: Intended for anyone involved in port operations, finance, insurance, surveying, maritime economics, securities and banking, this is a comprehensive glossary of terms, acronyms and abbreviations used in the world of shipping and marine finance. In a world where new methods and systems are constantly being developed and where acronyms and abbreviations are frequently used in contracts and agreements, it is a handy guide that explains the meanings of hundreds of terms, and will be ideal for students as well as practising professionals.