Styrbordside

Styrbordside refers to the starboard side of a vessel—the right-hand side when facing forward toward the bow. It is the counterpart to babord (port), the left-hand side. In Norwegian and other Scandinavian maritime usage, styrbord denotes starboard, and styrbordside explicitly designates that side.

The term derives from longstanding nautical practice. Starboard, in English, comes from historical terms tied to steering and the side of the ship used to steer. In Norwegian, styrbord combines elements relating to steering and side, so styrbordside is a direct translation of the English concept.

Usage and conventions: Navigation lights indicate the starboard side with a green light, while the port side carries a red light. In signaling and right-of-way rules, awareness of the starboard side is important for determining which vessel has priority in crossing situations and when approaching a vessel on the stern or side. The term is commonly used in shipboard communications, charts, logbooks, and safety procedures.

Regional and linguistic notes: The term styrbordside is standard within Norwegian maritime vocabulary. In English-language materials, the equivalent is usually simply starboard side, while styrbordside appears in Norwegian-language documents, training materials, and equipment labeling.