Flotsam and Jetsam

 

Unfortunately, most flotsam and jetsam end up on beaches - NOAA photo

You probably have heard the words flotsam and jetsam (and probably heard them together) in some book or movie. Today, it is sometimes used to mean "odds and ends." But in maritime law, each word has a specific meaning.

Both terms describe two types of marine debris.

Flotsam is defined as debris in the water that was not deliberately thrown overboard. This happens with an accident or shipwreck. The word flotsam derives from the French word floter meaning "to float."

Jetsam describes debris that was deliberately thrown overboard by a crew of a ship. This might have been done to lighten the ship's load if it was sinking. Jetsam is a shortened version of jettison which means throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship, and more broadly to abandon or discard someone or something that is no longer wanted.