Authority of agents to sign. The Saudi Crown case confirmed that the agents bound the earner even if they falsified the date on the bill of lading because it was decided that the agents had the authority of the carrier to sign for cargo received even though the date was falsified.

Additional premium.This may be payable by charterers or shippers to the cargo insurers because of the ship's age, class or flag. The charterparty can provide that this extra premium is deductible from freight or from hire. The owner should attempt to qualify a clause with such a provision by limiting the amount of deduction and also by requiring the charterer to provide proper documentation as proof of the extra insurance before the deduction.

Arbitration agreement. This is an agreement by the parties to a contract (for example a charter )to submit all or some disputes between them in any legal relationship they may have. The "Model Law" adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) in 1985 describes an "arbitration agreement" as follows:

Always afloat. In order to prevent a vessel from being ordered to proceed to a berth where she cannot load or discharge without touching the ground or a berth which can only be reached safely after discharging part of the cargo into lighters or which can only be reached on spring tidal conditions, the so-called "always safely afloat clause" is inserted in the charterparty. This clause may read as follows (as in GENCON):

Averaging. "To 'average' means that separate calculations are to be made for loading and discharging and any time saved in one operation is to be set against any excess time used in the other." (Charterparty Laytime Definitions 1980)

Abandonment. Where there is a constructive total loss (see also Marine loss), the assured may either treat the loss as a partial loss or abandon the vessel to the insurer and treat the loss as-if it were an actual total loss. 

AH range. A range of ports between Antwerp and Hamburg in Europe. If the owner agrees with this range of ports he accepts that Antwerp and Hamburg are warranted by the Charterer as being "safe" but he may have to dispute the "safety" of any other port nominated within the range. This description of a range of ports is sometimes abbreviated to "AH.R".

"Act of God".When some events take place preventing one party from fully carrying out his obligations under a charterparty and that event occurs without any human intervention, this person is relieved from any liability to compensate the other party to the contract. 

ABS (American Bureau of Shipping).This is a Classification Society.

Allowance for propelling machinery space. In the middle of the 19th century steam engines were replacing sails as the main means of propulsion.

Arrest or seizure under legal process. A ship may be arrested for a maritime claim against it through legal action, as a guarantee for payment for damages. Before a ship can be arrested, a court must approve such action. The procedures for ship arrest vary between countries.

Aground. The bottom of the ship may touch the ground in a loading or discharging port because of tidal changes in the water level. If a charter allows the Charterer to send the ship to a port where it can safely touch the ground it will contain a clause describing the ship as being ". . . not always afloat but safely aground . . ." (NAABSA)

Antitrust laws. When the liner conference system became formalised in the 19th century, one of the main functions was that freight rates on an agreed route would be fixed between the members to the conference. 

Always accessible berth(s). The berth must be capable of being approached in the sense of having an unobstructed way or means of approach. 

AA AA. Always afloat, always accessible.

Always afloat. In order to prevent a vessel from being ordered to proceed to a berth where she cannot load or discharge without touching the ground or which can only be reached safely after discharging part of the cargo into lighters or which can only be reached with spring tide, the so-called "always safely afloat clause" is inserted in the charterparty.