Maritime Legal Glossary: N

Named plaintiffs: the originators of a class action suit. 

National cargo bureau: a private organization having representatives throughout the main harbors in the u.s. it is empowered to inspect cargoes of a hazardous nature and issue certificates which are automatically approved by the coast guard.

National flag: the flag carried by a ship to show her nationality.

Nautical mile: distance of one minute of longitude at the equator, approximately 6,076.115 feet. The metric equivalent is 1852 meters.

Navsac: navigation safety advisory council, an industry advisory body to the u.s. coast guard. 

NDRF: national defense reserve fleet. 

Negligence: a failure to use the degree of care that a reasonable person would use under the same circumstances.

Neobulk: shipments consisting entirely of units of a single commodity, such as cars, lumber, or scrap metal.

Net capacity: the number of tons of cargo which a vessel can carry when loaded in salt water to her summer freeboard marks. Also called cargo carrying capacity, cargo deadweight, useful deadweight.

Net tonnage: equals gross tonnage minus deductions for space occupied by crew accommodations, machinery, navigation equipment and bunkers. It represents space available for cargo (and passengers). Canal tolls are based on net (registered) tonnage.

Non-conference line: a shipping line which operates on a route served by a liner conference but which is not a member of that conference.

Non-contiguous: domestic shipping routes serving alaska and non-continental u.s. states and territories.

Norske veritas: norwegian classification society.

Notary public: a person authorized to witness the signing of documents. 

Notice of appeal: the document a person must file with the trial court in order to pursue an appeal.

NRT: net registered tons. This tonnage is frequently shown on ship registration papers; it represents the volumetric area available for cargo at 100 cubic feet = 1 ton. It often is used by port and canal authorities as a basis for charges.

NVOCC: non-vessel-operating common carrier, a ships agent, conducts business for the ship but does not operate the vessel.