These expressions relate the freight rates applying to shipments by regular lines engaged in the trade in question. These freight rates become "standard" for a particular liner route and particular cargo. … [Read more...]

Fixtures of vessels on "berth note" are now very uncommon. Such berth notes or booking-notes referred to shipment of a part cargo. In the early days, the master of the ship could sign a letter or form giving fundamental details of the ship. The note was endorsed later by the owners, agents or disponent owners (charterers). … [Read more...]

If a vessel was chartered for loading "on the berth", the contract of carriage was called a "berth charter". The exact nature of the cargo to be loaded is not known in advance; it being entirely up to the charterers to book the required quantity of cargo. If unsuccessful in booking a cargo, they are responsible for payment of any dead freight. Now a berth charter is a voyage charter where the vessel is chartered to the cargo to a particular berth as the destination. … [Read more...]

This is the real owner of a ship, one who obtains the ultimate, real benefit that comes from owning it. This would be the owner who has chartered his ship out to others who may act as if they are the owner (that is, disponent owners). Sometimes an owner, who does not wish to be identified as the real owner, perhaps if liabilities arise from the ownership, may set up an organisational structure where the ship is owned by a "shelf company" registered in some open-registry country, such as Liberia or Panama. The ship is the only asset of this shelf company and if liabilities arise, only one ship … [Read more...]

A term found in charterparties and abbreviated as shown in communications between shipbrokers and their principals. The term would be appropriate to limit the meaning of dates in a clause specifying the earliest date and the latest date the ship can commence its performance of the charter. The earliest and the latest dates are found in the laycan clause, the date laydays should commence and the date by which the charterers can cancel the charier if the ship a not ready to perform. … [Read more...]

This term can be Found in instructions from port and charterers' agents to the ship to ensure that the ship is kept at the appropriate draft in order to ensure that it will have sufficient clearance above its highest point to pass safely below bridges (or overhead obstructions such as power cables) across a canal, channel or river in the approaches to a berth or port. To ensure the ship's clearance below bridges would be the shipowner's obligation. … [Read more...]

the dangers to aquatic life have instigated the need for tighter controls on the movement and in particular, the discharge of ballast waters. Positions of ballast change, dates, amount and tank location. … [Read more...]

the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (ships must have a Certificate of Fitness for the carriage of dangerous chemicals). … [Read more...]

is the weight of solids, air and water per unit volume. It includes the moisture of the cargo and the voids whether filled with air or water. … [Read more...]

Screw clamps designed to join two parts of wire together to form a temporary eye or secure a wire end.  … [Read more...]