shipping

A generic term for all marine craft, and for the things and matters which are incident to it.

Ships in general; ships or vessels of any kind intended for navigation. Relating to ships; as, shipping interest, shipping affairs, shipping business, shipping concerns. Putting on board a ship or vessel or receiving on board a ship or vessel. Webster; Worcester. The "law of shipping" is a comprehensive term for all that part of the maritime law which relates to ships and the persons employed in or about them. It embraces such subjects as the building and equipment of vessels, their registration and nationality, their ownership and inspection, their employment, (including charter-parties, freight, demurrage, towage, and salvage,) and their sale, transfer, and mortgage; also, the employment, rights, powers, and duties of masters and mariners; and the law relating to ship-brokers, ship-agents, pilots, etc.

— Shipping articles. A written agreement between the master of a vessel and the mariners, specifying the voyage or term for which the latter are shipped, and the rate of wages.

— Shipping commissioner. An officer of the United States, appointed by the several circuit courts, within their respective jurisdictions, for each port of entry (the same being also a port of ocean navigation) which, in the judgment of such court, may require the same; his duties being to supervise the engagement and discharge of seamen; to see that men engaged as seamen report on board at the proper time; to facilitate the apprenticing of persons to the marine service ; and other similar duties, such as may be required by law. Rev. St. U. S. §§ 4501
— 4508 (U. S. Comp. St. 1901, pp. 3061-3067).

Ships of any kind intended for navigation. Also, relating to ships: as in the expressions, shipping interest, shipping aifairs, shipping business, shipping concerns. Also, the act of putting on board a ship or vessel, or sometimes that of receiving on board a ship or vessel. The law of shipping is that branch of the general law which relates to vessels; including such subjects as their registration, building, tonnage, ownership, and national character; also, the employment and rights of the seamen on board of them, and the powers and duties of their masters and commanders; also, ship-brokers and shipagents, pilots, &c.; also, the sale or transfer and mortgage of merchant vessels; also, freight, charter-parties, demurrage, salvage, towage, collisions, &c. seamen in the merchant service are taken into the service of a vessel for the voyage. Shipping commissioner. An officer, under acts of congress, charged with attention to the engagement of seamen in the merchant service, and with enforcement of the laws for their protection and relief.