Maritime glossary
Voyage Charter
A charter for one or more specific voyages, priced per tonne of cargo or as a lumpsum freight.
Definition
In a voyage charter, the owner is paid freight per tonne (or as a lumpsum) to carry the cargo from load port to discharge port. The owner bears the operating expenses, fuel cost, and port charges. Laytime is agreed in the charter party — exceed it and demurrage applies. Voyage charters are the dominant form in the tanker and dry bulk spot markets.
How Vessel Hunter uses Voyage Charter
Recurring voyage patterns on the dossier (the same load and discharge ports, the same routing, the same season) are the strongest signal that a vessel is on a continuous voyage charter program — and a great cold-call hook.
Related terms
- Charter Party
The contract under which a vessel is hired to a charterer — voyage, time, or bareboat.
- Time Charter
A charter for a fixed period, paid as a daily hire rate, with the owner providing the crew.
- Demurrage
A daily fee paid by the charterer to the owner when cargo operations exceed the agreed laytime.
The bigger picture
Voyage 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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