Legal Definitions - groundage

Groundage was a historical term in maritime law, referring to a tax or toll levied on a vessel for the privilege of lying in port. Essentially, it was the fee paid by a ship for docking or staying in a harbor.

Groundage refers to a historical charge or fee, common in maritime law, that was imposed on a ship for the privilege of being docked or anchored within a port. It could also refer to the actual payment made for this charge.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of groundage:

• Imagine a large merchant ship, the Sea Serpent, arriving at a bustling port in the 17th century to unload its cargo of spices and textiles. For every day the Sea Serpent remained tied to the dock, occupying a valuable berth and utilizing the port's protected waters, the local port authority would levy a specific fee. This daily charge, paid by the ship's captain or owner, was known as groundage.

• Consider a small fishing trawler, the Lucky Catch, that had to seek refuge in a nearby harbor during an unexpected, severe storm. Although the trawler wasn't there to conduct trade or unload goods, its presence in the protected waters of the port for several days, simply to weather the storm, would still incur a groundage fee. This fee compensated the port for the use of its facilities and the space occupied by the vessel, even if temporarily for safety.

• Picture a naval frigate, the Indomitable, needing extensive repairs after a long voyage. It docks in a naval port for several weeks while its hull is patched and rigging replaced. During this extended period of inactivity, where the ship is essentially "grounded" within the port's confines, the naval administration or port management would assess a groundage charge. This charge covered the prolonged occupation of a significant portion of the port's water space and the general upkeep of the harbor facilities that the frigate benefited from.