Shipping companies

Within the meaning of the Act, shipowning companies are a type of company in the shipping sector. Shipping companies maintain one or more ships. The area of responsibility of shipping companies also includes the maintenance, care and crew of the ship.

In order for a owning company to be recognised as such, it must operate a ship in order to generate income. In addition, shipping companies are always so-called "Partenreedereien" (partner shipping companies) within the meaning of the HGB. In this case several shipowners, i.e. ship owners, operate a ship in order to earn money. The other participants in the shipping company are called co-shipowners.

Shipowning companies in liner traffic

Another variant among the shipping companies is the so-called liner shipping company. Their field of activity is completely limited to liner shipping, for example with oil tankers, container ships or similar. Nevertheless, a liner shipping company does not necessarily have to be a shipping company according to law, as it does not have to own a ship, but has the possibility to charter one.

The main task of shipping companies

Shipping companies only deal with the chartering of ships in exceptional cases. In the first instance, they take care of the deployment of the ships and the crew. In some cases, these tasks are outsourced to other companies, which are then referred to as contract shipowners. So-called ship brokers, on the other hand, are responsible for chartering out the ships, especially since the shipping companies can also take over this part themselves.