Legal Definitions - keyage

Keyage, also commonly referred to as quayage, is a legal term that describes the fee charged for the use of a quay, wharf, or dock. This charge is typically levied by a port authority, marina, or private owner for the privilege of mooring a vessel, loading or unloading cargo, or embarking and disembarking passengers at their designated waterfront facility. It compensates the facility owner for the use of their infrastructure and associated services.

• Example 1: Commercial Cargo Operations

  A large international shipping company docks one of its container vessels at a busy commercial port to unload electronics and textiles. The port authority charges the shipping company a fee based on the vessel's size and the duration of its stay at the designated berth, covering the use of the quay and access to port services.

  Explanation: This fee paid by the shipping company to the port authority for using the physical dock space and facilities to conduct cargo operations is an example of keyage.

• Example 2: Recreational Boat Mooring

  A family sailing their yacht along the coast decides to stop for the night at a private marina. The marina charges them a nightly rate for tying up their boat at one of its slips, which includes access to power, water, and security services.

  Explanation: The nightly rate paid by the yacht owner for mooring their vessel at the marina's dock is a form of keyage, as it's a charge for using the specific waterfront facility.

• Example 3: Industrial Offloading at a Private Dock

  A barge carrying construction materials needs to deliver its load to a riverside factory that operates its own private dock. The factory charges the barge operator a fee for the use of its dock and equipment to offload the materials, based on the volume of goods transferred.

  Explanation: The fee charged by the factory for the barge to use its private dock for offloading is an instance of keyage, compensating the factory for the use of its specialized waterfront infrastructure.