Ship Chartering sits at the commercial heart of the maritime industry, connecting cargo owners, shipowners, and brokers through contracts that determine how vessels are hired, cargoes are moved, and freight is priced. The Ship Chartering, Shipbroking and Commercial Contract Negotiation Training Course, delivered by The British Academy for Training and Development, gives professionals a structured, practical grounding in shipbroking and chartering practice, covering the full lifecycle of a fixture from market analysis and vessel sourcing through to charter party negotiation, laytime, demurrage, and dispute resolution. Delegates will work through the major charter party forms used in dry bulk, tanker, and liner trades, learn how freight rates are built and negotiated, and understand the legal and commercial risks embedded in maritime contracts. Rather than treating chartering as abstract theory, this training course is built around real fixture scenarios, negotiation exercises, and clause-by-clause contract review, so participants leave able to read, negotiate, and manage charter parties with confidence in a competitive, fast-moving freight market.

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the structure of the shipping market and the commercial role of shipbrokers, owners, charterers, and agents
• Identify and compare the main types of charter parties, including voyage, time, and bareboat charters
• Interpret key clauses in standard charter party forms and assess their commercial and legal implications
• Calculate freight rates, laytime, and demurrage/despatch using worked fixture examples
• Apply structured negotiation techniques to secure favorable terms in freight negotiation and fixture discussions
• Recognize common contractual disputes in maritime contracts and the mechanisms used to resolve them
• Draft and review recap terms and charter party clauses with greater commercial accuracy
• Manage the fixture process from first enquiry to signed contract with reduced commercial risk

Target Group
This training course is designed for:

• Chartering managers, brokers, and operators working in shipowning or ship management companies
• Shipbrokers and freight forwarders seeking a stronger grasp of charter parties and contract terms
• Cargo owners, traders, and logistics professionals who negotiate freight and shipping contracts
• Port agents, operations staff, and legal or claims officers involved in maritime contracts
• Graduates and early-career professionals entering shipping, trading, or maritime commercial roles
• Anyone responsible for negotiating, reviewing, or managing chartering agreements and freight terms

• Foundations of Ship Chartering and the Shipping Market
  • Structure of the global shipping market and its main participants
  • The commercial function of shipbrokers versus owners' and charterers' representatives
  • How supply, demand, and freight indices shape chartering decisions
  • Overview of dry bulk, tanker, and liner market segments
• Types of Charter Parties and Their Commercial Use
  • Voyage charters, time charters, and bareboat charters compared
  • Choosing the right charter type for a given cargo and trade
  • Standard forms including Gencon, NYPE, and Shellvoy
  • Owner versus charterer obligations under each charter type
• Reading and Negotiating Charter Party Clauses
  • Laycan, safe port, and cargo clauses explained
  • Freight, payment, and lien clauses in maritime contracts
  • Off-hire, speed, and performance warranties in time charters
  • Identifying ambiguous or high-risk clauses before signing
• Freight Calculation and Fixture Economics
  • Building a freight rate from voyage costs and market benchmarks
  • Time charter equivalent (TCE) calculations
  • Bunker adjustment and currency considerations
  • Worked examples linking fixture economics to negotiation strategy
• Laytime, Demurrage, and Despatch
  • Calculating laytime under different charter party terms
  • Notice of readiness and commencement of laytime
  • Demurrage and despatch calculations with worked cases
  • Common laytime disputes and how they are avoided
• Negotiation Skills for Shipbroking and Freight Deals
  • Preparing a negotiation position using market and vessel data
  • Structuring offers, counter-offers, and recap terms
  • Managing multi-party negotiations between owners, charterers, and brokers
  • Closing a fixture and converting recap into a binding charter party
• Risk, Disputes, and Contract Management in Maritime Contracts
  • Common sources of disputes in chartering agreements
  • Arbitration, mediation, and litigation routes in maritime contracts
  • Managing amendments, addenda, and contract variations
  • Practical checklist for reviewing charter parties before commitment