Ship along a fixed route, through fixed ports, according to pre-announced fixed sailing cargo, according to the published rates collected freight ship transportation. Responsible for loading goods from the carrier handling, freight loading and unloading is included in the cost of both carriers and shippers, excluding demurrage and dispatch money. Because the timing, location, set in Hong Kong, pricing, so the liner uncertainty are relatively small. In order to ensure shipping, liner shipping general equipment, the ship's condition is good. In the liner docked at the pier has liner companies to its own dedicated terminals, cargo quality assurance. Goods are generally small trade goods, now mostly as a transport container unit, the bill of lading is the main transport documents.

Charter transport ( Shipping by Chartering )

The charter also known as tramp ship transport, not a predetermined schedule, route, ports, ships by Charterers and the owner of the two sides signed the charter contract completion of transport services. According to the agreement, the company will ship leased to the Charterers to use, the completion of a specific task and according to the agreed freight rate freight, freight charge. The charter transport of the goods is lower the value of the commodities, such as coal, ore, grain, fertilizer, cement, timber, oil and other. Generally the whole ship, large volume, charter transport volume accounted for about 80% of the volume of sea freight. Freight rate is relatively low, and the price with the market changes fluctuation. The main methods of chartering a voyage charter, charter and bareboat charter three:

Voyage charter party ( Voyage Charter )

Voyage charter is also known as charter, is based on voyage charter. In this Charter manner, the ship must according to the charter contract range to complete cargo transportation services, and is responsible for the ship management and all expenses during the voyage, the Charterers to pay the freight. Voyage charter party in the contract term or handling loading and unloading rate, and calculate the demurrage and dispatch. Voyage charter can be divided into single voyage charter, round-trip charter, consecutive voyage charter, time charter party, contract of affreightment several:

Single voyage charter ( Single Voyage Charter )

Single voyage charter also known as single voyage charter, namely the shipping only ship for a voyage, the end of the voyage charter party shall be terminated. Freight as per charter market prices agreed by both sides, the calculation method is according to the freight rate multiplied by the loading or unloading quantity or in accordance with the entire ship freight rates calculation.

Round trip charter ( Round Trip Charter )

Round trip charter also known as the return voyage charter, the charter contract upon completion of a voyage task then a return cargo shipment, sometimes in return for different goods freight.

Consecutive voyage charter ( Consecutive Trip Charter )

In the same continuous shipment on several voyages. Often large freight traffic volume, a voyage transport is not finished, can use such a charter, in this case, the average rent for a single voyage voyage the ship than low rent.

Voyage charter period ( Trip Charter on Time Basis )

Voyage charter period is also known for rent voyage chartering, shipping voyage charter by way of lease rent to voyage, but the time required for the calculation of standard ( day ). This Charter excluding demurrage, despatch costs, the ship is not responsible for the transport of goods management.

Contract of affreightment ( Contract of Affreightment )

The owner in the agreed period of time, sent a number of vessels, under the same conditions of chartering, will be a large number of goods from one port to another port, voyage number is not specified, the contract for the goods to be shipped. This Charter can relieve pressure on charter, ship-owner, operation more flexible, can use their own ships to transport, also can hire other ship to complete the freight task; can use a boat several round-trip transportation, also can use a few boats and transport. Contract of affreightment transport goods usually is the bulk low-value bulk.

Time charter ( Time Charter )

Time charter referred to hire, refers to the lease duration based charter. During the term, the Charterers to pay the rent in order to obtain the right to the use of ships, and is responsible for the ship 's operation and management. Hire rent general provisions to ships per DWT monthly certain amount calculation. Long term can be short, short a few months, long can reach more than 5 years, until the ship scrapped. Hire object is the entire ship, do not specify the shipping routes and ports of call, only sets sail area, therefore the charterer can according to the freight need to select routes, ports of call, facilitates the use and operation. Time charter on ship shipment is not specified, can choose any goods; the Charterers to have the right of ship scheduling and is responsible for the operation of the ship, for marine fuel, the port charges, taxes, and other costs of goods loading and unloading. Do not specify the demurrage despatch clause.

Bare boat charter ( Bare Boat Charter )

Bare boat charter is a charter period, different owners do not provide the crew, only an empty boat to use by the lessee lessor, its crew, responsible for the management and navigation of the ship. The ship-owner, generally do not rest assured that the ship to the charterer to control; to Charterers, employment and management of the crew is complex, the charterer is rarely used in this manner. Therefore, bareboat charter form in the charter market rarely used.