Maritime glossary
Time Charter
A charter for a fixed period, paid as a daily hire rate, with the owner providing the crew.
Definition
Under a time charter, the charterer pays a daily hire rate for the vessel’s use for an agreed period — months or years. The owner provides the crew and is responsible for maintenance, insurance, and class compliance. The charterer pays for fuel, port charges, and cargo handling, and instructs the master on commercial employment. Time charter is the dominant structure for liner trades and for industrial cargo programs.
How Vessel Hunter uses Time Charter
Long-term time-charterers are often the real commercial decision-maker even though the IMO record shows the registered owner. Vessel Hunter surfaces the operator entity separately so outreach lands at the right desk.
Related terms
- Charter Party
The contract under which a vessel is hired to a charterer — voyage, time, or bareboat.
- Voyage Charter
A charter for one or more specific voyages, priced per tonne of cargo or as a lumpsum freight.
- Bareboat Charter
A lease of the vessel without crew — the charterer takes on management, crewing, and operational risk.
The bigger picture
Time Charter is one piece of the commercial maritime picture Vessel Hunter pulls together for shipyards, port agents, and service providers. 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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