Freight ships (including "part-cargo")
If you are planning to transport a large consignment sufficient to charter an entire vessel or part of it (deck), then you should keep in mind the following:
The vessel is usually chartered in "prompt", that is, when a suitable tramping vessel is selected for the finished cargo (already delivered to the port). If you just want to find out the price level for an abstract cargo in a specific direction, then this can only be done approximately, since the rate for transporting, say, boards in July from the St. Petersburg area may differ significantly from the rates in October.
— it is necessary to determine the tonnage, i.e. to represent the approximate type of vessel (timber carrier, twindecker, etc.) and its deadweight
— it is necessary to clarify the norms of loading at the port of departure and at the port of destination
— determine the stowage factor of the cargo, i.e., the ratio of weight and volume. Find out if the seats are stacked. Without this, it is impossible to make a cargo plan and determine the freight rate.
The period of readiness of the cargo for loading (i.e., the execution of the loading order) is very important for determining the laycan (the period of readiness of the vessel for loading) and the stand-by time. An error can lead to demurrage, and in the literal sense it is expensive.