ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to present the most important types of charter and explain how they function. It focuses on the most popular types of vessels' charter, namely the voyage charter, the time charter, the bareboat charter and the contract of affreightment. Under a time charter the crew is employed by the owner, who is also responsible for the nautical operation and maintenance of the vessel and the supervision of the cargo – at least from a vessel's seaworthiness point of view. Charterparties and bills of lading are almost always made out on standard forms. A shipowner may enter into a vessel charter with a cargo owner or an entity in need of tonnage in its business. The shipowner and the charterer are the contracting parties in the relevant charter document, namely the charterparty. In liner shipping the shipowner runs a regular service between more or less fixed ports and usually on a fixed time schedule.
