Time Charter

Category: Contracts

Definition (plain English)

A charter where a vessel is hired for a period of time rather than a single voyage.

Why it matters commercially

Time charters shift more operating and scheduling responsibility to the charterer, including route decisions and fuel exposure.

Example

A trader considered a time charter during a tight freight market but modeled bunker cost, utilization, and off-hire risk first.

Common mistake

Comparing time-charter daily hire to voyage freight without adding fuel, port costs, utilization, and operational risk.

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