Internet system for exchanging and organizing vessel transport information
AssigneeChartering Solutions
InventorStewart R. Kluss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ship chartering system is implemented on a computer or telecommunications network, such as the Internet, and is meant to supplement or replace services offered by current shipping brokers. The system allows a charterer to locate acceptable ships, receive bids from ship owners, and negotiate contract terms for their cargo. Ship owners are able to update their ship positions and cargo capabilities, add new ships to a database of available ships, and bid on the transportation of cargo entered by a charterer in an open market solicitation. In a preferred embodiment, both charterers and ship owners must subscribe to the system in order to access and participate in it.
Claims32
A method for providing an interface between charterers and ship owners, comprising:
- receiving from a charterer an electronic description of cargo to be transported, its destination and location;
- receiving from a ship owner an electronic description of a ship for transporting cargo;
- processing the electronic descriptions to match the cargo with available ships;
- transmitting from the ship owner to the charterer an offer by the ship owner to transport the cargo;
- communicating acceptance of the offer by the charterer to the ship;
- and
- creating a contract between the ship owner and the charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
A computer-readable medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method, performed by a computer, for providing an interface between charterers and ship owners, the method comprising:
- receiving from a charterer a description of cargo to be transported;
- receiving from a ship owner a description of a ship for transporting cargo;
- receiving from the ship owner an offer to transport the cargo;
- communicating the offer by the ship owner to the charterer;
- communicating acceptance of the offer by the charterer to the ship owner;
- and
- creating a contract between the ship owner and the charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
An apparatus for providing an interface between charterers and ship owners, comprising:
- means for receiving from a charterer a description of cargo to be transported;
- means for receiving from a ship owner a description of a ship for transporting cargo;
- means for receiving from the ship owner an offer to transport the cargo;
- means for communicating the offer by the ship owner to the charterer
- means for communicating acceptance of the offer by the charterer to the ship owner;
- and
- means for creating a contract between the ship owner and the charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
An apparatus for providing an interface between charterers and ship owners, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory encoded with processing instructions for allowing the processor to:
- receive from a charterer a description of cargo to be transported;
- receive from a ship owner a description of a ship for transporting cargo;
- receive from the ship owner an offer to transport the cargo;
- communicate the offer by the ship owner to the charterer;
- communicate acceptance of the offer by the charterer to the ship owner;
- and
- create a contract between the ship owner and the charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
A method for submitting a cargo description for bidding by a ship owner, comprising:
- transmitting a cargo description to a network site;
- transmitting an indication that the cargo description is one of public and private;
- receiving an offer from a ship owner for transporting the cargo
- communicating the offer by the ship owner to a charterer;
- communicating acceptance of the offer by the charterer to the ship owner;
- and
- creating a contract between the ship owner and the charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
A method for bidding on a cargo description comprising:
- transmitting a ship description to a network site;
- searching a cargo database having a public cargo description;
- selecting the cargo description;
- transmitting an offer by a ship owner to transport a cargo corresponding to the cargo description, the offer including at least one contract provision and an indication of the ship description;
- and
- creating a contract between the ship owner and a charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
A method for bidding on a cargo description comprising:
- transmitting a ship description to a network site;
- receiving a private cargo description from a charterer and a request for offer, based on the ship description;
- transmitting an offer by the ship owner to transport a cargo corresponding to the private cargo description, the offer including at least one contract provision;
- receiving an acceptance of the offer by a charterer;
- and
- creating a contract between the ship owner and the charterer, said contract comprising a provision that includes a charterer's option to determine a port/place for cargo loading and/or discharge within a negotiated loading and/or discharge range of ports/places.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.