Labrador - The Labrador (CH-113) is the tandem rotor, twin engine helicopter used by the Canadian Forces at four bases across Canada. Canada's 13 Labradors were built by Boeing Vertol in the early 1960s and have been the mainstay of Canadian SAR operations since their purchase. The Labrador is being replaced in the late 1990s. The crew of the Labrador consists of two Pilots, one Flight Engineer and two Search and Rescue Technicians.
Category: - SAR

Laker - Type of ship which trades only in the Great Lakes of North America. They usually carry grain and ore cargoes.
Category: - Maritime

Lash - Lighter aboard ship: A barge carrier designed to act as a shuttle between ports, taking on and discharging barges.
Category: - Maritime

Latitude - The angle made between the equator, the earth's geometric center, and a point on or above the surface. The south pole has latitude -90 degrees, the north +90 degrees.
Category: - GIS

Layer - A set of digital map features collectively (points, lines, and areas) with a common theme in co registration with other layers.
Category: - GIS

Lay-Up - Temporary cessation of trading of a ship by a shipowner during a period when there is a surplus of ships in relation to the level of available cargoes. This surplus, known as overtonnaging, has the effect of depressing freight rates to the extent that some shipowners no long find it economical to trade their ship, preferring to lay them up until there is a reversal in the trend.
Category: - Maritime

Lazarette - Ship's storeroom between decks.
Category: - Maritime

LC - Lake Current.
Category: - Maritime - Acronym

Leeward - Situated away from the wind; downwind - opposite of windward; the direction away from the wind
Category: - Maritime

Leeway - Leeway (LW) relates to the movement of an object through the water due to the pushing force of the wind. Most marine craft have a portion of the hull and superstructure exposed above the water. The more exposed area the object has, the greater the wind forces on the object.
Category: - Maritime

Legend - The map element that allows the map user to translate graphic map symbols into ideas, usually be the use of text.
Category: - GIS

Length Between Perpendiculars - The length of a ship measured from the forward perpendicular to the after perpendicular.
Category: - Maritime

Length Over All - The length of a ship measured from the extreme forward end to the aftermost point of the stern.
Category: - Maritime

Lifeboat - A specially constructed double ended boat which can withstand heavy, rough seas.
Category: - Maritime

Lifeboat Drill - The master of every vessel is bound by international law to make the officers, crew and passengers adequately acquainted with the procedures of lowering and the use of lifeboats in case of emergency.
Category: - Maritime

Light Displacement Tonnage - The weight of a ship's hull, machinery, equipment and spares. This is often the basis on which ships are paid for when purchased for scrapping. The difference between the loaded displacement and light displacement is the ship's deadweight.
Category: - Maritime

Lightening Hole - A hole cut in a member to reduce its weight.
Category: - Maritime

Lighter - General name for a broad, flat-bottomed boat used in transporting cargo between a vessel and the shore. The distinction between a lighter and a barge is more in the manner of use than in equipment. The term "lighter" refers to a short haul, generally in connection with loading and unloading operations of vessels in harbor while the term "barge" is more often used when the cargo is being carried to its destination over a long distance.
Category: - Maritime

Lighterage - Charge for conveying cargo by lighters or barges.
Category: - Maritime

Lightering - Conveying cargo with another vessel known as a lighter from ship to shore, or vice versa.
Category: - Maritime

Lightning - Generally, any and all of the various forms of visible electrical discharge produced by thunderstorms.
Category: - Weather

Likelihood - The probability or chance of an event occurring; more specifically, the conditional probability of an event occurring given a particular set of circumstances
Category: - Risk

Limber Hole - A small hole cut in a plate near the bottom to permit the passage of water.
Category: - Maritime

Line - A one dimensional (length) map feature represented by a string of connected coordinates.
Category: - GIS

Linear Relationship - A straight-line relationship between two variables such that the value of the dependent variable is a gradient times the independent variable plus a constant.
Category: - GIS

Lines - The form of a ship as represented by its moulded surface.
Category: - Maritime

List - The leaning of a boat to the side because of excess weight on that side
Category: - Maritime

LKP - Last Known Position
Category: - Acronym - SAR

Lloyd's Register - Fairplay - Lloyd's Register - Fairplay supplies a range of comprehensive shipping databases, registers, on-line shipping information, and a tailored research and system development service with a focus on integrating commercial shipping information with customers' specific needs. This company, a joint venture between Lloyd's Register and Fairplay, is the world's largest independent supplier of maritime information services.
Category: - Maritime

Lloyd's Register Group - The Lloyd's Register Group is an independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and risk mitigation solutions and management systems certification around the world.
Category: - Maritime

LM SAR - Lead Minister for Search and Rescue, Canada
Category: - Acronym - SAR

LNG Carrier - Liquefied natural gas carrier, perhaps the most sophisticated of all commercial ships. The cargo tanks are made of a special aluminum alloy and are heavily insulated to carry natural gas in its liquid state at a temperature of -2850F. The LNG ship costs about twice as much as an oil tanker of the same size.
Category: - Maritime - Acronym

Load Line - The line on a vessel indicating the maximum depth to which that vessel can sink when loaded with cargo. Also known as marks.
Category: - Maritime

Load Waterline - Line of surface of water on a ship when loaded to designed draft.
Category: - Maritime

Location - A position on the earth's surface or in geographic space definable by coordinates or some other referencing system such as a street address or space indexing system.
Category: - GIS

Log - 1. A device for measuring the speed of a ship. 2. To enter in a log book. 3. A ships written record.
Category: - Maritime

Longitude - The angle formed between a position on or above the earth, the earth's geometric center, and the meridian passing through the center off the observing instrument in Greenwich, England, as projected down onto the plane of the earth's equator or viewed from above the pole. Longitudes range from -180 (180 degrees West) to +180 (180 degrees East)
Category: - GIS

Longitudinal - A shell, deck, or bulkhead stiffener running fore and aft.
Category: - Maritime

Long Ton - 2,240 pounds
Category: - Maritime

Lookout - A member of the crew stationed on the forecastle, or on the bridge, whose duty it is to watch for any dangerous objects or for any other vessels heaving into sight.
Category: - Maritime

LORAN - LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation) is a terrestrial radio-navigation system using ground-based transmitters.
Category: - Maritime - Acronym

Loss - A negative outcome
Category: - Risk

Low - An area of low atmospheric pressure that has a closed counter-clockwise circulation in the Northern Hemisphere. Also known as a cyclone.
Category: - Weather

LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas, or a carrier of LPG.
Category: - Maritime - Acronym

L/T - Long tons (2,240 lbs.).
Category: - Acronym

LW - Leeway (LW) relates to the movement of an object through the water due to the pushing force of the wind. Most marine craft have a portion of the hull and superstructure exposed above the water. The more exposed area the object has, the greater the wind forces on the object.
Category: - Maritime - Acronym