Charter Shipping

A chartered ship has been hired by a charterer from its owner for a specific voyage, a period of time, or a series of voyages. The terms are set out in a contract called a charter party. Chartering differs from booking space on a liner service, where many shippers share a ship that follows a fixed route and timetable. With a charter, the charterer decides, within the contract, what the ship carries and where it goes. Ships are chartered for bulk commodities, fuel, project cargo and other loads large enough to justify a whole vessel or a dedicated sailing.

An air cargo charter is usually priced for the whole trip rather than by weight. The main factors are the size of the aircraft, the flight time, any positioning flight needed to bring the aircraft to the origin airport, and handling at both airports. Trucks for pickup and delivery are added on top. Because the price covers the whole aircraft, choosing the smallest aircraft that fits the load is the simplest way to keep the cost down.

Cargo charters use a wide range of aircraft. Small turboprops such as the Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna Caravan carry a few pieces and can use short runways. Converted business jets such as the Dassault Falcon 20 carry a few pallets at jet speed. Jet freighters such as the Boeing 737 and 767 carry palletized loads, and the Boeing 747 freighter takes the heaviest and longest freight, with a nose door for oversized pieces.

Many air charters can be arranged within hours of the first call, depending on where suitable aircraft and crews are based, the airports involved and the time of day. A positioning flight may be needed if the nearest aircraft is in another city. Sending complete details with the first request, including weights, dimensions, ready time and deadline, is the quickest way to get a charter moving.

An air charter is usually the better choice when no scheduled flight can meet the deadline, when the freight is too large or heavy for scheduled aircraft, or when it needs to reach an airport that airlines do not serve. It also suits high-value cargo that should not be handled at connections. When a scheduled flight or next flight out can make the deadline, it usually costs far less.

A charter quote needs the pickup and delivery addresses, the number of pieces, the weight and dimensions of each piece, whether the freight is hazardous, the time the freight is ready and the time it must arrive. Notes on loading docks, forklifts or liftgates at each end help plan the trucks. The more exact the details, the more accurate the quote and the aircraft choice.

Per pound, shipping by sea is far cheaper than flying, which is why most of the world's cargo by weight travels on ships. The trade-off is time. An ocean voyage between continents takes weeks, plus time at ports, while air freight moves in hours or days. Air also cuts handling and reduces the inventory a business has to hold in transit. That is why high-value goods, urgent parts, perishables and anything holding up production often fly even though the freight bill is higher. The cheaper mode depends on what a late arrival would cost the business.

An air cargo charter is the hire of a whole aircraft to carry one shipper's freight. The aircraft departs when the cargo is ready and flies to the airport nearest the destination, usually with trucks handling pickup and final delivery. Shippers use air charters when no scheduled flight meets the deadline, when freight is too large or heavy for passenger aircraft holds, or when the cargo needs to reach a smaller airport. Aircraft range from small turboprops to large widebody freighters. The operator holds the certificate to fly the aircraft, and a broker often arranges the charter for the shipper.