Liner Service Contracts
Contracts between carriers and shippers for a minimum quantity over a period: rates, surcharge terms, BAF clauses and FMC filing.
A liner service contract is an agreement between an ocean carrier and a shipper to carry a minimum quantity of cargo over a fixed period at agreed rates. In US trades service contracts are filed with the Federal Maritime Commission under the Shipping Act of 1984, and disputes over their breach go to the courts.
The full article will cover minimum quantity commitments, rate schedules, surcharge and BAF clauses, index-linked contracts and all-in pricing. See bunker adjustment factor .