Terms of
Service

Welcome to the online platform of Afloat Shipping & Port Agency (hereinafter “Afloat”, “we”, “our”, or “us”). These Terms of Service (hereinafter “Terms”) govern your access to and use of our website afloatcontainerlines.in, our digital calculators, cargo monitoring, and our port agency services.

By accessing, browsing, or utilizing our website, tools, or shipping logistics services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, as well as our Privacy Policy. If you are entering into these Terms on behalf of a company, cargo shipper, or legal entity, you warrant that you possess full authority to bind that entity to these conditions.

Afloat operates as a licensed maritime port agency and container logistics provider in the Indian Ocean terminals and global trade corridors. Our services include:

• Port Agency Operations: Ship husbanding, vessel entry/clearance coordination with customs, marine surveys, supply arrangement, and crew scheduling support.
• Container Lines & Logistics: Processing Full Container Load (FCL), Less than Container Load (LCL), Reefer (temperature-controlled), and Hazardous (Hazmat) cargo bookings.
• Customs Clearance & Documentation: Coordinating paperwork, bill of lading filings, and customs clearance with maritime authorities at Mundra, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai ports.

All bookings, rate requests, and logistics inquiries submitted through our website or portal are subject to validation:

• Accuracy: You must supply exact cargo parameters (dimensions, weight class, packaging type, and safety codes for Hazmat cargoes) during requests.
• Vessel Schedules: Port ETAs, draft measurements, and vessel arrival dates are estimations subject to weather variables, port congestions, and terminal queues.
• Verification: A cargo coordinator will review and confirm all booking requests before dispatching container equipment or finalizing slot layouts.

Maritime transport services are priced according to valid tariffs, port agency surcharges, and container leases:

• Quotations: Rate matrix estimations are subject to change based on carrier fuel adjusters (BAF), currency updates (CAF), and seasonal port charges.
• Demurrage & Detention: Free-time allocations for container pickup and return are strictly governed by carrier tariffs. Exceeding free-time limits will attract demurrage charges as defined in active quotes.
• Payment Schedules: All invoices must be cleared within agreed credit terms or before releasing the Bill of Lading (B/L) or Delivery Order (D/O), unless custom credit parameters have been pre-arranged.

Afloat coordinates with shipping lines, ports, and terminals but does not assume custody of cargo. Our liability is subject to standard limitations:

Our liability for any damage, loss, or delay in cargo arrival is strictly governed by the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the Bill of Lading clauses, and standard maritime treaties (Hague-Visby Rules, where applicable). Under no circumstances shall Afloat be liable for indirect, consequential, or economic losses resulting from port strikes, custom clearances delays, or force majeure events.

SHIPPERS RECOMMENDATION: Shippers are strongly advised to secure comprehensive maritime cargo insurance to cover cargo transit hazards, general average contributions, and terminal handling damages.

When utilizing our online platforms or placing logistics bookings, you explicitly agree not to:

• Declare incorrect cargo classes or attempt to transport undeclared hazardous materials.
• Transmit fraudulent corporate credentials or false customs manifests.
• Infiltrate, overload, or disrupt our web services using automation scripts or malware.
• Scrape cargo matrices, rates, or vessel port databases without prior written authorization.
• Circumvent terminal security protocols or attempt unauthorized operations edits.

These Terms of Service and any maritime agreements are governed by the laws of India. Any legal disputes or claims arising out of operations, billing, or site usage shall fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in Navi Mumbai/Mumbai, India.

For clarifications on billing terms, logistics contracts, or demurrage rules, contact our legal desk: