Legal Definitions - ligeus

Lighterage refers to the process of transferring goods between a large ship and a smaller vessel, known as a "lighter," or sometimes directly to a dock or another mode of transport like a train. This method is typically employed when a large vessel cannot directly access a port, dock, or specific loading area due to its size, draft (how deep it sits in the water), or lack of suitable infrastructure. The term can also refer to the fee charged for this specialized transfer service.

• Example 1: Shallow Port Access
  Imagine a massive container ship arriving near a coastal city's port. The port's harbor is not deep enough for the container ship to dock directly at the main terminal. Smaller, specialized barges, acting as lighters, are dispatched to meet the ship offshore. The containers are then carefully transferred from the large ship onto these barges, which can navigate the shallower waters and deliver the cargo to the port's facilities.

  This illustrates lighterage as the physical transfer of goods (containers) between a large ship and smaller vessels (barges) because the main ship cannot access the port directly due to depth restrictions.

• Example 2: Remote Island Delivery
  A humanitarian aid organization is delivering essential supplies, such as food and medical equipment, to a remote island that lacks a deep-water port. A large cargo ship carrying these provisions anchors a safe distance from the island's shore. Local fishing boats and small landing craft, serving as lighters, are then used to ferry the supplies from the cargo ship to the island's beach or a small, shallow pier.

  Here, lighterage describes the use of smaller vessels to transport goods from a large ship to a destination that is inaccessible to the main vessel, facilitating delivery to a remote location.

• Example 3: Lighterage Fee
  A company imports a shipment of oversized industrial equipment. Due to the dimensions of the machinery and the specific port of entry, the main cargo ship cannot dock at the designated heavy-lift terminal. The shipping company informs the importer that an additional "lighterage fee" will be added to the invoice. This fee covers the cost of hiring specialized tugs and barges to move the equipment from the large ship to an accessible dock where it can be safely offloaded.

  This example demonstrates lighterage in its financial sense, referring to the specific charge for the service of transferring goods via smaller vessels when direct docking by the main ship is not possible.