Shipbroking and Chartering (MSc)
Code MMSC212
Modules 12
Duration 12 months
Study Mode Fully Online
Tuition Fees €4,950*
*Special Fee for registrations by 30 September 2026: €4,950, payable as €950 upon registration plus 8 monthly instalments of €500, instead of the standard, €7,500.
Overview
The Master of Science in Shipbroking and Chartering is a comprehensive program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the shipping industry, focusing on chartering, maritime laws, insurance, and port management. This course blends theoretical knowledge with applied insights and includes a range of specialized modules covering everything from the types of ships and maritime geography to advanced chartering procedures and legal frameworks. By encompassing aspects such as voyage estimation, shipbroking, and arbitration, the program prepares students to face the challenges of the maritime sector and equips them with the skills necessary to excel in roles related to ship chartering and maritime operations.
Objectives
The main objectives of this MSc course are:
- To provide a robust foundation in the basics of shipping, including nautical and shipping terminology, types of ships, and their operations.
- To explore the regulatory environment affecting maritime activities, including the role of international organizations like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and various maritime laws and conventions.
- To understand the intricacies of marine insurance, chartering, and the duties of classification societies.
- To develop practical skills in port management, shipbroking, and voyage estimation, enabling effective management and operational decision-making.
- To offer in-depth knowledge on maritime geography, including major ports and trade routes, and their impact on global trade.
- To prepare students for legal and ethical considerations in maritime arbitration and dispute resolution.
- To engage students in practical applications through labs and real-time worked examples, simulating real-world chartering and negotiation scenarios.
- To culminate in a rigorous dissertation that synthesizes course learning in a significant piece of research, addressing a complex issue within the chartering field.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Articulate comprehensive knowledge of maritime terms, ship types, and the functions of shipowning companies and maritime jobs.
- Analyze the legal frameworks governing shipping, including the Hague and Hague-Visby Rules, and apply these principles to case studies involving the carriage of goods by sea.
- Effectively use maritime insurance terms and understand the nuances of different charter parties, bills of lading, and classification codes like ISM.
- Perform voyage estimations and manage vessel and port operations economically.
- Navigate the complexities of maritime geography in relation to major world ports and the logistics of import/export commodities.
- Manage chartering procedures from negotiations to drafting charter parties for various cargo types.
- Resolve disputes using alternative dispute resolution methods and understand the ethical implications in arbitration settings.
- Demonstrate proficiency in negotiating and fixing voyages for dry and liquid cargoes through simulated exercises, understanding the role of brokers and P+I clubs in cargo disputes.
| 1. Foundations of Shipping Management |
|---|
| Introduces vessel types, maritime operations, ship registration, classification societies, international regulation, nautical terminology, marine insurance concepts, cargo handling, charter parties, and bills of lading. |
| 2. Carriage of Goods by Sea |
|---|
| Covers port expenses, voyage estimation, the Baltic Exchange, shipping law, Hague and Hague-Visby Rules, limitation of liability, sea transport documents, major ports, trade routes, and import/export commodities. |
| 3. Field-Based Research Project |
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| A 5,000-word practical research project allowing students to apply shipping and chartering knowledge to a real maritime topic. |
| 4. Shipbroking and Chartering Law I |
|---|
| Examines shipbrokers, shipping agents, voyage charter parties, bills of lading, freight, lien, laytime, demurrage, despatch, time chartering, hire, off-hire, costs, and liabilities. |
| 5. Shipbroking and Chartering Law II |
|---|
| Focuses on tanker chartering, Worldscale, crude oil transportation, chartering negotiations, offers and counteroffers, fixture recaps, charter party drafting, sale and purchase agreements, ship management forms, cruise shipping, yachting, and special-purpose vessels. |
| 6. Project Report |
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| 6. Project Report A 5,000-word applied project report designed to develop professional analysis and writing skills in shipping and chartering. |
| 7. Alternative Dispute Resolution and Marine Insurance |
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| Covers mediation, arbitration, the Arbitration Act 1996, ethics in arbitration, marine insurance principles, Lloyd’s market practice, the Marine Insurance Act 1906, insurable interest, voyage and time policies, utmost good faith, war risks, and strikes risks. |
| 8. Quantitative Methods, Operational Risk and Cargo Management |
|---|
| Develops skills in voyage estimation, time charter equivalent, break-even analysis, bunker sensitivity, laytime and demurrage risk, freight market volatility, autonomous shipping, cargo integrity, bulk cargoes, tanker operations, and dangerous goods. |
| 9. Project Report |
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| A second 5,000-word project report supporting advanced applied research in shipbroking, chartering, maritime operations, logistics, or shipping law. |
| 10. Global Maritime Logistics |
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| Explores global logistics, intermodal transport, supply chain resilience, ports and terminals, air chartering, sea and air transport regulation, port state control, MARPOL, and environmental compliance. |
| 11. Research Methods |
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| Introduces research design, methodology, literature review, academic sources, data collection, analysis, referencing, and dissertation preparation. |
| 12. Dissertation |
|---|
| A 15,000-word dissertation on a topic agreed with the supervisor, allowing students to conduct independent research in shipbroking, chartering, shipping management, maritime law, logistics, or marine insurance. |
Entry Requirements
Bachelor of Science (BSc) or other Higher Education degree, or experienced professionals.
English language: GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher Level. If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component, or a related certificate of English language course. Proficiency or Lower Certificate in English, or good writing and communication skills in English (at the discretion of the Committee).
Basic Information Technology skills.
No limits in education
Straightforward way of teaching
TELEMATIC
Watch Videolectures
Assignment & Project
Final viva (live video)
Get your Degree awarded
Career - Maritime jobs explained
Academic staff consisting of professionals with a significant career at sea and generally in the shipping industry, being in collaboration with special academic personnel highly expert in business and the international maritime affairs. Below are the maritime jobs, that our courses prepare you.
SHIPOWNER'S OFFICE
Operation
Accounting
Chartering
Marine Insurance
Technical
Claims
Crew
ISM
Supply
AUTONOMOUS OFFICES
Charterers
Custom broker
Consignor
Receiver
Shipbroker
Sales and Purchase Broker
WORK IN EXECUTIVE MARITIME POSITIONS
Our students, regardless their professional origin and their academic level, acquire the necessary knowledge which gives them the opportunity to get an outstanding job position in shipping and rise to the highest levels of the maritime industry.
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