Buzz
In addition to being the names of two infamous eels in Disney's animated film The Little Mermaid, the expression 'flotsam and jetsam' is commonly used to refer to the debris that floats in the aftermath of a maritime accident. While it may initially appear to be an odd term for sea wreckage, there is a very specific reason behind the use of these two terms.
Under maritime law, 'jetsam' refers to any object that is intentionally thrown overboard or discarded from a distressed ship, often to reduce the weight or respond to a problem the vessel is facing. This term applies to any item that ends up in the water or washed ashore after being jettisoned in this manner.
On the other hand, 'flotsam' refers to the debris that is unintentionally left behind after a shipwreck, which may include parts of the ship itself, cargo, or other items that rise to the surface after the ship sinks. (For example, the broken piece of intricately carved wood that Rose is floating on in the film Titanic would be considered flotsam—but it certainly didn't save poor Jack.)
Maritime law differentiates flotsam from jetsam based on the intention to discard materials from a ship: In simple terms, if it was purposely tossed into the water, it's considered jetsam. Anything else floating at the scene of the incident is categorized as flotsam. This distinction is important, as certain nations have specific rules regarding how each type of debris should be treated—and who holds ownership—based on its category. In the past, UK laws required that jetsam be returned to the ship’s owner, while flotsam would be taken over by the government.
It’s important to note, however, that these terms only apply to debris that floats. Items that sink to the ocean's floor fall into different categories: 'lagan' and 'derelict.' Just as with flotsam and jetsam, the distinction between these terms depends on how the objects ended up there. Cargo intentionally left behind, usually with a buoy for later retrieval, is referred to as 'lagan,' while anything that sinks with no recovery plan is termed 'derelict.'
Currently, all four types of debris—flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict—are typically categorized together under the maritime laws of most countries. However, according to the UK’s Merchant Shipping Act of 1995, while flotsam, jetsam, and lagan are still considered the property of their original owners when discovered by salvagers, derelict is governed by a completely different and more comprehensive set of regulations.
