What Is an Address Commission?
An address commission is a fee paid by vessel owners to charterers. A charterer is a party who owns cargo and rents a vessel to deliver that cargo. The charterer employs a shipbroker who will find the proper ship to deliver the cargo.꧂ The shipowner pꦑays the shipbroker a commission for their services.
The shipowner pays the address commission to the charterer. The charterer uses this address commission to cover business costs. As a result, the fees incurred by the charterer are reduced by the amount of the address commওission.
Key Takeaways
- An address commission is a fee paid by the owner of a vessel to the charterer who rents the vessel.
- The fee offsets the costs to the charterer.
- "Free of charter" refers to a shipment for which this fee is waived.
Understanding an Address Commission
The type of ship and charter used determine the total fees and address commissions incurr🤡ed by ship owners and charterers.
For example, a time charter enforces costs that are related to the employment duration of a vessel. A voyage charter's fees are dependent on the total weight of the cargo being transported.
"Free of address" refers to a shipment that does not require payment of the commission.