Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SHIP DOCUMENTS
Introduction
The transportation of cargo by sea is a complicated matter.
Interests of all parties concerned must be matched and considered carefully.
These interests are best looked after by a proper administration that comprises the use of many
different documents. Explanations, descriptions and examples of the most important
documents are given bellow.
It is but a small part of the total bulk of documents one may come across in the mercantile
trade.
The filling out of all these documents may well be considered one of the most important tasks on
board vessels, because a careful management of both ship- and cargo-handling will always be of
great benefit for all parties concerned.
These parties are:
the shipper (or consignor) the person or company who supplies or owns the cargo that
will be transported;
the carrier - the shipowner, usually referred to as the Owners;
the consignee - the person or company to whom the cargo will be delivered;
the charterer - the person or company who wishes to charter (hire) the vessel;
the shipbroker, or agent - the intermediary between shipper and carrier;
the insurer - the insurance company that will insure all parties from losses due to perils and
risks.
A Charter Party is a contract between a shipowner and a person or company who wished to
charter (hire) a vessel or part of a vessel for the carriage of cargo from one port to another.
1.1.3 Types of CP
These are basically two types of Charter Parties: demise and non-demise.
We speak of a demise- or bareboat Charter Party when the charterer charters the vessel
without its crew. The shipowner will provide the vessel - the charterer will provide the crew.
Consequently, the charterer will take full responsibility for the operation of the vessel and
will pay all expenses incurred.
A non-demise Charter is used when the shipowner provides both the vessel and its crew.
A time Charter is used when the vessel is chartered for an agreed period of time, which may
extend from a few weeks to several years. A demise Charter Party is always a time Charter.
A voyage charter is a contract in which it is agreed that the vessel will be chartered for a
particular voyage. The majority of tramp cargoshipments are made on a voyage-charter
basis.
The most common terms that appear in Charter Parties are:
Bareboat Charter, Berth Charter, Clean Charter, Demise Charter, Gross Charter,
Lump sum Charter, Open Charter, Time Charter, Voyage Charter, all the terms
beginning with Free .... or Freight. , and many more.
All these terms are explained in the Glossary below.
1.1.4 Chartering a ship - A telephone conversation
would best suit your needs, I think. And if things go well, and youre in the business of
shipping
grain on a regular basis, we could always move on to a time charter in the future,
perhaps.
JM: Well, indeed, that might be something for the future, but its a voyage charter Im
interested
in at the moment.
BJ: OK, we can put that together for you. Why dont I work on some details for you
now, and send you a proposal. Ill include voyage estimations and calculations for
you. With the voyage charter well be looking at price per ton here - it was 50,000
tonnes of grain, wasnt it?
JM: Thats correct.
BJ: And the ship has to arrive in Tallin in May, doesnt it?
JM: Yes. The grain has to be there by 28 th May at the latest. That should be possible
with the Panamax though, shouldnt it?
BJ: Absolutely. Ill get this proposal off to you as soon as possible, Mr McCarthy, and
dont worry - all the contract details can be negotiated to ensure that the
vessel is capable of handling the cargo in a damage-free manner. Can I just take
your e-mail details?
JM: Certainly. Its jmccarthy@qms.com
BJ: McCarthy - thats two cs, isnt it?
JM: Thats right. Capital m, small c, capital c. Thanks for your help Mr
Janssens. I look forward to hearing from you.
BJ: Youre welcome. If theres anything else you need, just call me. Goodbye now.
JM: Thanks and goodbye.
2. Owners
represented by
(agent)_Storm Navigation________________________________________________________
3. Charterers
represented by (agent)- Michael Jhon
4. Vessel:
a - name Universal Brave
commencement
of
6. Laydays (number of days allowed for loading) not to commence before 8 a.m.
on
Cancelling date and time: (when the vessel must be ready for
loading) .
b - time: (quantity per weather working day, total time for loading)
h - shippers:
9. Discharging:
a - port(s):
b - time: (quantity per weather working day, total time for discharging)
g - Consignee(s):
..
..
There are many types of Bills of Lading. The most common are:
Alongside B/L, B/L to bearer, B/L to order, Claused B/L, Clean B/L, Foul B/L,
Stale B/L, Combicon B/L, Direct B/L, Groupage B/L, Straight B/L, Received for
Shipment B/L, Shipped B/L, Through B/L, Ocean B/L, Inland Waterway (or River-)
B/L, and more.
All these Bills of Lading are described in the Glossary bellow.
Discharge ..or so near thereto as she may safely get the goods specified
below.
Consignee:
..
Notify address:
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Terms:
This Bill of Lading has been issued subject to terms, conditions, benefits and exceptions as
set out in the Charter Party dated . Governing this voyage, except
in
Marks / number
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GROSS WEIGHT: .
Freight: . (Prepaid / Collect)
In Witness whereof the Master or Agent of the said vessel has signed the number of Bills
of Lading indicated below.
Signature:
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The Cargo Manifest is a document that contains all the important information concerning the
cargo that the vessel is carrying to the destination(s).
As a rule the Manifest is made up by the agent. It contains the name of the vessel, port of
loading, port of destination, B/L-number, shipper, consignee and cargo-particulars.
MASTER
B/L No.
Remarks
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The reporting day is the day that the NOR must be handed over to the charterer according to the
Charter Party. If the readiness of the vessel is delayed by whatever reason, laydays will be
counted from the beginning of the next day after the reporting day, unless the Charter
party states otherwise.
By detention is understood any delay in the loading or discharging of the cargo.
Compensation of damages that occur due to detention is called demurrage.
M.T. Corrona
Voy. No. O1390 / N-leg.
Port: Rotterdam-Waalhaven.
Date: 29 - 08 - 2002.
Dear Sirs,
This is to notify you that the above vessel under my command arrived at the Port of
Rotterdam at 2300 hrs August 28 and is ready in all respects to load a cargo of 6500 metric
tons of ACETON and 350 metric tons of METHANOL in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Charter Party dated 31 July 2002.
Please acknowledge the above.
Yours Truly,
P.C. Siebers, Master of M.T. Corrona.
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Agent.
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CONSIGNEE
ADDRESS TO BE NOTIFIED
VESSEL
PORT OF LOADING
PORT OF DISCHARGE
CARGO
GROSS
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TO:
_____
MASTER ..
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To Molina Shipping.
Date 19 - 07 - 2002.
Dear Sirs,
Please be informed that the vessel under my command has loaded light of deadweight to the
amount of 510 metric tons of Methanol.
According to the vessels ullages taken upon completion of loading at the
COMCOInstallation at Swansea the cargo totaled 7,990 metric tons of Methanol.
However, you inserted a quantity of 8,500 metric tons in the Bill of Lading, which means
that there is a difference of 510 metric tons.
We will therefore sign a foul Bill of Lading.
I herewith submit formal notice, reserving owners right to claim deadfreight as they may
consider necessary as per covering Charter Party.
Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.
Yours faithfully,
H. Wentink, Master of M.T. Corrona.
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- general average (i.e. indemnity for all parties because deliberate infliction of damage has
avoided greater damage);
- wind and/or sea conditions that have caused damage or such a delay that the vessel has not
been able to make its cancelling date;
- a breach of contract by the Charterer, the Consignee or their agents (e.g. undue delay,
failures with loading or discharging, refusal to pay freight or demurrage etc.)
The protest itself is a more or less standardized form that is made up before a Notary Public or
the Consul of the country in which the vessel is registered, in witness of the Master and
crewmembers who have knowledge of the facts. All the relevant information, such as log
entries and descriptions of circumstances, must be attached to the Protest.
Therefore a Protest is often preceded by a written Statement of Facts, made up by the
Master, to specify the circumstances that caused the damage or loss.
In the Extending Protest the Master has the right to add more details and information to the
original Protest at a later stage when more relevant facts have come to light.
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Note of Protest
On this day, the of... in the year of the Lord two thousand and before
me, Peter S. van den Berg, Notary Public at the city of Rotterdam - Netherlands, duly
admitted and sworn in, personally appeared ., Master of MV ,
GT or thereabouts, registered at .., and belonging to the port
of
., sailing from to
.
on the . day of in the year two thousand and .....
with
a cargo of . and arrived in the Port of
.
on the . day of . in the year two thousand and
WHO NOTED AND ENTERED into my Register his Protest, to be extended if necessary,
against rough seas, wind and heavy rain, particularly against damage and loss to the said cargo
during the sea voyage.
Master: .. (MV
...)
Agents: Messrs
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MV Lisa.
Lying at: Rotterdam-Botlek.
Dear Sir,
Please be advised that there is a discrepancy between ship- and shore figures covering
8,500 tons refrigerated cargo.
During discharging at your terminal this 15 October 2002 of the above mentioned cargo
our first mate observed the following fact that was detrimental to the quantity / quality of
the cargo: inadequate stowing and transportation of 300 tons of frozen fish, resulting in
severe deterioration of quality due to thawing. In order to protect the interests of our
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For receipt,
Greenwood services
Master: J. Griffioen
Services
Signature: + stamp
..
Self-assessment Test
The reporting day is the day that the .. must be handed .. to the
charterer according to the Charter Party. If the readiness of the vessel is
delayed by .. reason, .. will be counted from the beginning of the next
day after the reporting day, .. the Charter party states otherwise.
By detention is understood any .. in the loading or discharging of the
cargo. Compensation of damages that occur due to detention is called
demurrage.
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Progress test
Study the following NOR and draw up a similar one by using
the following new data: Constanta Port, 9, 000 tons timber, Oct. 1, 2014
M.T. Corrona
Voy. No. O1390 / N-leg.
Port: Rotterdam-Waalhaven.
Date: 29 - 08 - 2002.
Dear Sirs,
This is to notify you that the above vessel under my command arrived at the
Port of Rotterdam at 2300 hrs August 28 and is ready in all respects to load a
cargo of 6500 metric tons of ACETON and 350 metric tons of METHANOL
in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Charter Party dated 31
July 2002.
Please acknowledge the above.
Yours Truly,
P.C. Siebers, Master of M.T. Corrona.
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References
1. Van Kluijven, P.C. - The International Maritime Language Programme,
Alk & Heijnen Publishers, Alkmaar, 2005.
2. Logie, Vivers, Nisbet Marlins Study Pack 2 (book and two audio cassettes).
Edinburgh, Marlins, 1998 (ISBN 09531748 1 6)
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