Ballast

Dense material used to stablise a vessel, especially when it moves without cargo between destinations.

Bareboat charter

A vessel leased without a captain or crew.

Break bulk

Cargo that is packaged as a unit, but not containerised eg. bags, bales, barrels etc.

Open register

A shipping register which is not limited to the home nation and allows registration by ships from other countries. It may offer commercial benefits such as cheap registration fees, low or no taxes and freedom to employ cheap labour.

Ship operator

An owner of a vessel.

Shipper

Respresents a cargo interest who typically enters into a contract with a ship operator for the carriage of goods.

Time charter

A leased vessel supplied with a captain and crew chosen by the lessor.

Triangulation

Typically involves a foreign vessel which offloads overseas cargo at a domestic port, runs a single voyage on the coastal trade and then embarks on a full load to another offshore destination.