TS ISO 3828

TS ISO 3828 is a terminology standard for ship deck machinery and the symbols used to represent it. In practical ship design and operation, deck machinery includes a wide range of equipment used on deck for anchoring, mooring, cargo handling, towing, auxiliary functions, and special duties on working vessels and oceanographic research ships. The value of this standard lies in giving the subject a common technical language, so the same equipment can be identified consistently across drawings, manuals, and specifications.

What the vocabulary covers

According to the scope, the vocabulary includes general terms used in connection with deck machinery as well as specific terms for anchoring and mooring, cargo handling, towing, ancillary deck equipment, and special deck machinery on working and oceanographic research ships. In general technical context, terminology standards do not prescribe how the machinery must be built or operated; they standardize names, definitions, and symbol usage so that engineers, shipyards, operators, and technical writers can communicate without ambiguity.

Diagrammatic symbols in technical documentation

The symbols referred to in the standard are diagrammatic rather than fully detailed illustrations. That means they are intended to represent equipment types in a simplified and reusable way, allowing combinations of symbols to be used in technical documents. This is especially useful in marine documentation, where compact, recognizable graphical notation supports faster reading of layouts, equipment lists, and operational references.

• Provides a standardized vocabulary for ship deck machinery.
• Covers both general terms and operation-specific terminology.
• Includes anchoring and mooring, cargo handling, towing, and ancillary deck equipment.
• Addresses special deck machinery on working and oceanographic research ships.
• Uses diagrammatic symbols intended for technical representation.