Terms of Service

Effective 29 August 2026 · Last updated 29 August 2026

These Terms govern use of the Vessbook platform by shipbrokers, vessel owners, charterers/traders, and their authorised users (including captain sub-accounts). Please read them carefully — they cover how the marketplace, negotiation rooms, compliance vault, and desk tools may be used, how subscriptions are billed, and how disputes are resolved.

1. Acceptance of these Terms

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) form a binding agreement between you, the organisation you represent (together, “you” or “your”), and Vessbook (“Vessbook”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), governing your access to and use of the Vessbook platform, including our website, dashboard, APIs, desk tools, and related services (collectively, the “Service”).

By creating an account, completing registration, or otherwise accessing the Service, you accept these Terms and our Privacy Policy in full. If you are accepting on behalf of an organisation, you represent that you have authority to bind that organisation, in which case “you” refers to that organisation. If you do not agree, you must not access or use the Service.

2. Eligibility and account registration

The Service is a business-to-business platform intended for legitimate commercial participants in the petroleum tanker chartering market. To register, you must:

be at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract;
act on behalf of a legitimate commercial entity operating as a shipbroker, vessel owner/operator, or charterer/trader (or be a captain sub-account created by a vessel owner, see Section 8); and
not be, and not act on behalf of any person or entity that is, subject to sanctions, export control restrictions, or other trade prohibitions under applicable law (see Section 7).

Onboarding, KYB and verification

Registration requires organisation (know-your-business, “KYB”) information and supporting documentation appropriate to your role — for example, certificate of incorporation, proof of address, authorised signatory identification, beneficial ownership declarations, licensing or registration credentials, bank references, and, where applicable, financial statements or trade licences. Accounts remain in a pending verification status, with restricted access to marketplace and negotiation features, until Vessbook has reviewed and approved the submitted information. We may request additional information, decline to approve an account, or suspend a previously approved account at our reasonable discretion, including where verification cannot be completed to our satisfaction.

Accuracy of information

You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and keep it up to date. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us immediately at [email protected] of any unauthorised access or use of your account.

One account per organisation

Each organisation should maintain a single organisation account, with individual named users and role-scoped sub-accounts (including captain sub-accounts) created underneath it. Credentials must not be shared between individuals, and accounts may not be transferred, sold, or assigned without our prior written consent.

Referral relationships

Where a vessel owner registers using a broker's referral code, that relationship (and any associated affiliate commission described in Section 4) is recorded on the platform and may only be modified in accordance with our then-current policies.

3. Description of the Service

Vessbook provides SaaS infrastructure for petroleum tanker deal-making, including:

Marketplace — vessel owners publish open positions and charterers/traders search tonnage and submit structured inquiries;
Negotiation rooms — a shared workspace for a broker, owner, and charterer to negotiate a fixture, including a main thread and, where applicable, a private broker–owner channel not visible to the charterer;
Compliance / KYC vault — organisation-level storage for compliance and verification documents that can be selectively shared into specific negotiation rooms or deals;
Fleet and voyage operations — vessel records, voyage and maintenance logs, vetting/inspection tracking, and captain daily position reports;
Desk tools — voyage/TCE, laytime, and bunker calculators, a route planner, and a chartering clause reference library; and
Market and vessel data — AIS-based vessel positions and market price indicators sourced from third-party providers (see Section 10).

Vessbook is a technology platform, not a broker, principal, or party to any charter party, fixture, or other contract concluded between users. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any vessel, cargo, or commercial data submitted by users, the creditworthiness or performance of any counterparty, or the outcome of any negotiation. Features, plans, and pricing described on our website may evolve as the Service develops; where a feature is not yet available (for example, integrated payment processing), we will indicate this and any related billing terms will take effect only once that feature is commercially launched, with reasonable notice to affected users.

4. Subscription plans, fees, and billing

Access to certain features requires a paid subscription, as described on our Pricing page, which forms part of these Terms. Plans currently include a Pro desk-tools tier, and Broker, Owner, and Charterer platform tiers, each with the features, seat limits, and pricing described at the time of purchase. A vessel owner's success fee (calculated as a percentage of confirmed fixture freight, subject to a cap, as stated on the Pricing page) is charged only on fixtures confirmed through the platform.

Billing

Fees are quoted and billed in US dollars unless stated otherwise, are exclusive of applicable taxes (which you are responsible for unless we are required to collect them), and are billed on a recurring basis (monthly, or as otherwise agreed) until cancelled. Subscriptions renew automatically at the then-current rate unless cancelled prior to renewal in accordance with the cancellation process made available in your account settings. Where a free trial is offered, we will clearly disclose its duration and any requirement to enter payment details before it converts to a paid subscription.

Non-payment and suspension

We may suspend or downgrade access to paid features if fees remain unpaid after notice. Except as required by applicable law, fees already paid are non-refundable, including in the event of downgrade, suspension, or termination.

Affiliate / referral commissions

Where a broker refers a vessel owner who subscribes to a paid plan, the broker may be eligible for a referral commission on that owner's subscription fees, at the rate and for the duration stated on the Pricing page or otherwise agreed in writing. We may adjust or discontinue the affiliate programme prospectively at any time, without affecting commissions already earned on then-active referrals.

Changes to pricing

We may change our fees or introduce new charges for existing or new features. We will give you at least 30 days' notice of any fee increase applicable to your current subscription, which will take effect at your next renewal unless you cancel beforehand.

5. Marketplace, inquiries, and negotiations

When using the marketplace, inquiry, and negotiation features, you agree that:

all vessel, cargo, laycan, and commercial information you submit is accurate and current to the best of your knowledge, and you will promptly update or withdraw it if it becomes inaccurate;
you will not misrepresent your identity, role, authority to negotiate or fix on behalf of your organisation, or your relationship to any vessel, cargo, or counterparty;
inquiries, approvals, and negotiation rooms are subject to the sign-off and status workflows built into the platform, and actions you take (approving, declining, or fixing a deal) are treated as authoritative instructions from your organisation;
where a negotiation includes a private channel between a broker and owner that is not visible to the charterer, you will use that feature consistently with its intended purpose and will not use it to circumvent obligations owed to other parties to the negotiation or to any applicable law; and
Vessbook is not responsible for verifying, and does not warrant, the terms of any fixture, recap, or charter party concluded between users, whether or not concluded using platform tools.

6. Confidentiality between users

Commercial terms, freight and hire rates, counterparty identities, and other non-public information exchanged through negotiation rooms, messages, or shared documents are confidential business information of the parties involved. You agree to use such information only for the purpose of evaluating or performing the relevant fixture, to take reasonable steps to protect its confidentiality, and not to disclose it to third parties except to your professional advisers, insurers, regulators, or as required by law or applicable market reporting obligations. This Section governs confidentiality obligations between users; our own handling of your data is described in our Privacy Policy.

7. Sanctions, anti-money laundering, and compliance screening

You represent and warrant on an ongoing basis that neither you, your organisation, its beneficial owners, nor (to your knowledge) any vessel, cargo, or counterparty you introduce to the Service is:

listed on, or owned or controlled by a person listed on, any sanctions list maintained by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the European Union, the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), the United Nations Security Council, or any other applicable sanctions authority;
located in, or organised under the laws of, a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive sanctions; or
engaging, or intending to engage, in any transaction that would violate applicable export control, anti-money-laundering, or anti-bribery and corruption laws.

You agree to cooperate with any KYB/KYC, sanctions screening, or politically-exposed-person (PEP) due-diligence requests we or another user (such as a counterparty broker or owner) may reasonably make in connection with a prospective fixture. We may suspend an account, a listing, or a negotiation, without liability to you, where we reasonably suspect a sanctions, export control, or financial crime risk, pending the outcome of screening or investigation.

8. Captain sub-accounts

Vessel owners may create captain sub-accounts scoped to a specific vessel for operational purposes such as daily position and maintenance reporting. Captain sub-accounts do not have access to commercial, negotiation, or fixture data. The vessel owner is responsible for (a) the accuracy of information entered via a captain sub-account, (b) ensuring the individual using that sub-account is authorised to do so on the owner's behalf, and (c) deactivating the sub-account promptly when that individual leaves the vessel or the owner's employment.

9. Desk tools, calculators, and the clause library

The voyage/TCE, laytime, and bunker calculators, route planner, and chartering clause reference library (together, the “Desk Tools”) are provided as drafting aids and estimation tools for chartering professionals. They are not legal, financial, technical, or professional advice, and are not a substitute for review by a qualified broker, lawyer, laytime/demurrage adjuster, or other relevant professional before use in an actual fixture, recap, or charter party.

Clause library

Where the clause library references standard industry clauses (including those published by BIMCO, INTERTANKO, or relating to the Worldscale system), we provide only commercial-effect summaries, incorporation wording, and Vessbook-authored template language marked with placeholder fields. We do not reproduce the copyrighted operative text of any third-party standard-form clause; you must obtain the current, licensed text of any such clause directly from its publisher before incorporating it into a binding document. Vessbook-authored templates are provided as a starting point only and must be reviewed and adapted by you before use.

Calculators

Voyage, TCE, laytime, and bunker calculations are estimates based on inputs you provide and, where applicable, third-party market or route data. Actual results (including laytime and demurrage outcomes) depend on the specific charter party terms, statement of facts, and circumstances of each voyage, and may differ from the tool's output. You remain solely responsible for any commercial or operational decision made using the Desk Tools.

Demo and sample data

Where the platform is presented with demo or sample data (for evaluation, onboarding, or testing purposes), such data is illustrative only, does not reflect real vessels, cargoes, or counterparties, and must not be relied upon for any commercial purpose.

10. Third-party data and services

The Service incorporates vessel position data, market price indicators, and map tiles sourced from third-party providers. This data is provided “as is”, may be delayed, incomplete, or inaccurate, and is not verified by Vessbook. We do not guarantee the availability, accuracy, or continuity of any third-party data feed, and your use of it is also subject to the relevant third party's own terms where applicable. We may add, remove, or change third-party data providers at any time.

11. User content and licence grant

You retain ownership of the data, documents, and messages you submit to the Service (“User Content”). You grant Vessbook a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to host, store, reproduce, process, and display User Content solely as necessary to operate, maintain, and improve the Service — including displaying it to other users where the platform's functionality is designed to share it (for example, sharing a compliance document into a negotiation room you have chosen to share it with, or displaying inquiry data to a counterparty broker or owner).

You represent that you have all rights necessary to submit your User Content and that it does not infringe or misappropriate any third party's intellectual property, confidentiality, or other rights. We may remove or disable access to User Content that we reasonably believe violates these Terms or applicable law.

12. Acceptable use

You agree not to, and not to permit any third party to:

submit false, misleading, or fraudulent vessel, cargo, fixture, or organisational data, or otherwise misrepresent any material fact to another user or to Vessbook;
use the Service for market manipulation, or for any transaction prohibited by applicable sanctions, export control, competition, or anti-corruption law;
reverse-engineer, decompile, scrape, or attempt to extract the source code, underlying data, or algorithms of the Service, except as permitted by applicable law;
use automated means (bots, scrapers) to access the Service except through an API we have expressly authorised;
circumvent, disable, or interfere with security-related features, access controls, sanctions screening, or fee/billing mechanisms;
attempt to gain unauthorised access to another user's account, data, or negotiation rooms; or
use the Service in any manner that could disable, overburden, damage, or impair it, or that infringes the rights of any third party.

13. Intellectual property

The Service, including its software, design, branding, and Vessbook-authored templates and content, is owned by Vessbook or its licensors and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. Except for the limited rights expressly granted to you to access and use the Service under these Terms, no rights are granted to you in the Service, our trademarks, or our content. Names, logos, and standard-form clause wording associated with third-party industry bodies (including BIMCO, INTERTANKO, and the Worldscale Association) remain the property of their respective owners and are referenced for identification purposes only.

14. Suspension and termination

You may stop using the Service and close your account at any time by contacting [email protected], subject to settlement of any outstanding fees. We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service, in whole or in part, immediately and without liability, if you materially breach these Terms, we reasonably suspect fraud, sanctions, or other legal risk, your account has been inactive or unpaid for an extended period, or we are required to do so by law.

Termination does not affect fixtures, negotiations, or fees that arose prior to termination, and provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive (including Sections 4, 6, 7, 11–13, and 15–18) will continue to apply. Following termination, we will retain and delete your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

15. Disclaimer of warranties

THE SERVICE, INCLUDING ALL DESK TOOLS, MARKET DATA, AND VESSEL/AIS DATA, IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, OR UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE OPERATION. WE DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OF ANY MARKET, VESSEL, CARGO, OR FIXTURE DATA, THE CREDITWORTHINESS OR PERFORMANCE OF ANY COUNTERPARTY, OR THE OUTCOME OF ANY NEGOTIATION OR COMMERCIAL DECISION MADE USING THE SERVICE. NOTHING IN THESE TERMS EXCLUDES OR LIMITS ANY WARRANTY OR RIGHT THAT CANNOT LAWFULLY BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED.

16. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, VESSBOOK WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, GOODWILL, OR COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE OR ANY FIXTURE, NEGOTIATION, OR TRANSACTION FACILITATED OR RECORDED THROUGH IT, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE FEES YOU PAID TO VESSBOOK IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) USD 1,000. THIS LIMITATION DOES NOT APPLY TO LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING LIABILITY FOR FRAUD, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, OR WILFUL MISCONDUCT.

17. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Vessbook, its officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) your violation of any applicable law, including sanctions or export control law; (c) any data, fixture, or representation you submit to the Service; or (d) any dispute between you and another user, including in relation to a fixture or negotiation, to the extent such dispute does not arise from Vessbook's own breach of these Terms.

18. Governing law and dispute resolution

These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or the Service (including non-contractual disputes or claims), are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws applicable in the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles.

Arbitration

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms, including any question regarding its existence, validity, or termination, will be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (“DIAC”) in accordance with the DIAC Arbitration Rules in force at the time the arbitration is commenced, which rules are deemed incorporated by reference into this Section. The seat of arbitration will be the DIFC, the language of the arbitration will be English, and the tribunal will consist of one arbitrator, unless the amount in dispute exceeds USD 500,000, in which case the tribunal will consist of three arbitrators. The arbitration, and any award rendered, will be kept confidential except as required to enforce the award or by applicable law.

Injunctive relief

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek urgent interim or injunctive relief from the DIFC Courts or any court of competent jurisdiction, pending the constitution of the arbitral tribunal, without this being considered a waiver of the arbitration agreement in this Section.

19. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in the Service, legal or regulatory requirements, or our business practices. If we make material changes, we will provide reasonable notice (for example, by email or an in-app notice) before they take effect. Continued use of the Service after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of them. If you do not agree to updated Terms, you must stop using the Service and may close your account.

20. General provisions

No partnership. Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between you and Vessbook. Vessbook is not a broker, principal, or party to any charter party or fixture concluded between users.
Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
Force majeure. We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting from causes beyond our reasonable control.
No waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of our right to do so later.
Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any order form or plan terms accepted at checkout, constitute the entire agreement between you and Vessbook regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements on the subject.
Notices. We may provide notices to you via the email address or in-app notifications associated with your account.

21. Contact us

Questions about these Terms can be sent to [email protected].