Rotation Charter

The Rotation Charter is a common term in international shipping, found in charter party or bill of lading clauses. It refers to the voyage arrangement where a vessel calls at multiple ports in an agreed sequence to load or discharge cargo in a cyclical manner. The core concept is 'rotation': the vessel calls at a fixed sequence of ports, completes the stipulated loading/discharging quantity at each port, then proceeds to the next, repeating the cycle. It is typically used in long-term transport contracts for bulk commodities (such as coal, ore, grain) or in liner services involving multiple loading ports for cyclic pickup. Precautions: 1) The rotation sequence directly affects freight rates, demurrage, and scheduling, so port names and order must be clearly specified in the contract; 2) If cargo volume at a port is insufficient, it may trigger 'dead freight' or 'deviation clauses'; 3) Unlike 'liner terms,' the Rotation Charter emphasizes the vessel's cyclical route rather than a fixed schedule; when combined with 'laytime' clauses, laytime must be calculated separately for each port. Foreign trade practitioners should carefully review whether the rotation port sequence matches their delivery schedule to avoid additional costs caused by sequence changes.