Maritime glossary
Berth
The specific quay or jetty position where a vessel ties up to load, discharge, or lay up.
Definition
A berth is the place where a ship is moored alongside to work cargo, take bunkers, or lay up. Each berth has its own limits on length, draught, and air draught, and many are dedicated to a cargo type, such as an ore berth, a container quay, or an oil jetty. Securing a berth is the gate that ends the waiting time at anchorage and starts cargo operations and laytime.
How Vessel Hunter uses Berth
Knowing which berth a ship is heading for, and whether she fits it, is a port-agent essential. Vessel Hunter pairs the dimensions with the destination.
Related terms
- Anchorage
A designated area off a port where vessels anchor to wait for a berth, orders, or tide.
- LOALength Overall
The maximum length of a vessel from the foremost to the aftmost point, including any fixed projections.
- Draught
The vertical distance from the waterline to the deepest point of the hull, the constraint that decides which ports a loaded vessel can enter.
- Laytime
The time agreed in the charter party for cargo loading or discharge. Once exceeded, demurrage starts.
The bigger picture
Berth is one piece of the commercial maritime picture Vessel Hunter pulls together for shipyards, suppliers, service providers, and port agents. Every vessel record bundles AIS, ownership, inspections, dry-dock history, casualty record, classification status, and a verified contact for the operator decision-maker behind the ship, so the team that reaches out first wins the work.
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