put in

To put in is to enter a port or anchorage, usually in deviation from a planned route or schedule. A ship puts in for repairs, to take on supplies, to seek shelter from weather, or to land an emergency casualty. The term belongs to the age of sail and steam, when such decisions meant real consequence: deviation cost time, fuel, and money, yet were sometimes unavoidable.

The phrase appears in two contexts. A master might put in at the nearest port if a crew member falls gravely ill, or if gear fails beyond shipboard repair. A merchant vessel might put in at an intermediate port to discharge urgent cargo, secure fresh water, or wait for favorable winds. In modern container and bulk shipping, such stops are rare; the term survives chiefly in older maritime law, insurance clauses, and historical records.

Distinction from scheduled calls

Putting in differs from a scheduled port call, which appears in the bill of lading and voyage plan. A scheduled call is contractual; putting in is discretionary and often triggered by unforeseen circumstance. Insurance documents distinguish between them: a deviation to put in at an unscheduled port may void coverage if the cause does not fall within recognized exceptions, such as distress or injury.

The language has faded from active use in modern shipping, superseded by terms like "divert," "call," or "make port." Nonetheless, it persists in maritime law, insurance terminology, and the speech of older seafarers and naval historians. Anyone reading 19th and 20th century shipping records, salvage reports, or maritime court decisions will encounter it regularly.