Berth: (verb) To bring a ship to a berth; (noun) the wharf space at which a ship docks. A wharf may have two or three berths, depending on the length of incoming ships.

Bulk Cargo: Loose cargo (dry or liquid) that is loaded (shoveled, scooped, forked, mechanically conveyed, or pumped) in volume directly into a ship's hold; e.g., grain, coal, and oil.

Cargo: The freight (goods, products) carried by ship, barge, train, truck, or plane.

Clean Report of Finding (CRF): A report issued by an inspection firm, specifying that the price has been verified and the goods have been inspected before shipment and that both of these comply with the buyer's specifications.

Container: A box made of aluminum, steel, or fiberglass used to transport cargo by ship, rail, truck, or barge. Common dimensions are 20' x 8' x 8' (called a TEU or twenty-foot equivalent unit) or 40' x 8' x 8', called an FEU. Variations are collapsible containers, tank containers (for liquids), and "rag tops" (open-topped containers covered by a tarpaulin for cargo that sticks above the top of a closed box). In the container industry, containers are usually simply called boxes.

Dredge: (noun) A waterborne machine that removes unwanted silt accumulations from the bottom of a waterway. (verb) The process of removing sediment from harbor or river bottoms for safety purposes and to allow for deeper vessels.

Feeder Vessel: A short–sea vessel which transfers cargo between a central “hub” port and smaller "spoke" ports.

General Cargo: Consists of both containerized and breakbulk goods, in contrast to bulk cargo. See breakbulk, container, bulk, dry bulk). General cargo operations produce more jobs than bulk handling.

Harbor: Port of haven where ships may anchor.

International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS): An amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention on minimum security arrangements for ships, ports, and government agencies. Enforced in 2004, it prescribes responsibilities to governments, shipping companies, shipboard personnel, and port facility personnel to detect security threats and take preventative measures against security incidents affecting ships or port facilities used in international trade.

National Port Authority of Liberia (NPA): The seaport Authority in the Republic of Liberia was established by an Act of the National Legislature in 1967 and amended in 1970 as a state-owned corporation to manage, plan, and build all public ports in Liberia. The Freeport of Monrovia, Port of Buchanan, Port of Greenville, and Port of Harper make up the entity's port network.

Net Register Tonnage (NRT): The volume of cargo the vessel can carry; i.e., the gross register tonnage less the volume of spaces that will not hold cargo. It represents the volume of the ship available for transporting freight or passengers.

Outports: A port, or ports, other than the main port of a country i.e. the Port of Buchanan, Port of Greenville, and Port of Harper.

Port: This term is used both for the harbor area where ships are docked and for the agency (port authority), which administers the use of public wharves and port properties.

Quay: A wharf, which parallels the waterline.

Reefer: A refrigerated container.

Security level 1: normal, the level at which the ship or port facility normally operates. Security level 1 means the level for which minimum appropriate protective security measures shall be maintained at all times.

Security Level 2: heightened, the level applying for as long as there is a heightened risk of a security incident. Security level 2 means the level for which appropriate additional protective security measures shall be maintained for a period of time as a result of the heightened risk of a security incident.

Security Level 3: exceptional, the level applying for the period of time when there is a probable or imminent risk of a security incident. Security level 3 means the level for which further specific protective security measures shall be maintained for a limited period of time when a security incident is probable or imminent, although it may not be possible to identify the specific target.

Summer Dead Weight (SDWT): The deadweight of a ship when loaded to the summer load line mark and center of the Plimsoll disc on the ship's side.

Tare Weight: In railcar or container shipments, the weight of the empty railcar or empty container.

Tariff: A publication setting forth the charges, rates, and rules of transportation companies.

Tonnage: 100 cubic feet.

Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU): A unit of measurement equal to the space occupied by a standard twenty-foot container. Used in stating the capacity of a container vessel or a storage area. One 40 ft. The container is equal to two TEU's.

Vessel: A ship or large boat.

Warehouse: A place for the reception, delivery, consolidation, distribution, and storage of goods/cargo.

Wharf: The place at which ships tie up to unload and load cargo. The wharf typically has front and rear loading docks (aprons), a transit shed, open (unshredded) storage areas, truck bays, and rail tracks.