110007 - COMPANY AND MARITIME BUSINESS

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Valeria Bernardo

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 6

Academic year: 2026

Teaching course: 1

• Spanish

There may be material in English or Catalan.

This subject will allow you to learn about the main actors involved in international maritime transport, both in terms of negotiating the ship or the spaces on the ship and in terms of handling cargo in ports.

• The student will learn about the figures involved in maritime transport, in particular the merchant fleet, the shipping company and the agents involved in transport contracts. They will learn about the diversity of contracts for the use of the ship and their respective functions.
• It will distinguish the different types of ships and the ways and forms of maritime transport. 
• You will learn about the evolution of maritime transport throughout history and the development of the fundamental instrument of maritime trade: the ship. 
• You will learn about the main international standards and conventions applicable to ships and maritime transport, in particular the IMO conventions for the safety of human life at sea and for the prevention of marine pollution from ships.
• It will distinguish the port services established by law, in particular the stevedoring service.
• It will recognize and distinguish the different agents that participate in the maritime transport chain, their organizations and associations.

 "The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards the students or towards the teachers. We trust that together we can create a space safe where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer prejudice from others"

1. ACTORS IN MARITIME BUSINESS
Logistics in the maritime business
The shipping company: concept, organization, typology
The regular line. The tramp navigation
Owner, shipowner, shipowner
The shipping business. Ways of operating the ship
The maritime broker: concept and functions
The shipping agent or ship agent. Concept and regulation
The forwarder. Concept and functions
The customs representative: concept and regulation. The customs office The stevedores

2. THE MARITIME TRANSPORT CONTRACT
The rental Charter by time and by voyage. Contract / rental policy
Full and partial charter. Bareboat charter
Bill of lading
Knowledge-based transport: functions and types
Transport in containers
The rent Forms of payment

3. MARITIME TRANSPORT. FUNCTIONS AND ELEMENTS
The ship: definition, characteristics, types of ships
Merchant ships: oil tankers, chemical tankers,
container ship, RO/RO, LO/LO, RO/PAX
The loads:
Dry charge and liquid charge
General Cargo (oversized) and Bulk Cargo
Containers: types, classes, 20 and 40 feet, Dry, Bulk, Flat, Open Top
History of the ship and navigation: Origins and development
The revolution in the merchant marine. Technical changes and economic and social transformations

4. THE PORT: CONCEPT, FUNCTIONS AND REGULATION
Port terminals: types and activities. intermodal terminals
Ports hub and ports gateFeeder ships.
Port services. Definition and regulation.
Irruptions of new actors in the maritime-port market.

"Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the center's evaluation regulations. In the event that signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship"

                                                              The Final grade will be composed of Continuous Assessment and a Final Exam as detailed below:

Continuous Assessment 60%:

5 seminars with a total value of 40% of the continuous assessment (8% each seminar).
1 Presentation worth 20 points (20% of the continuous assessment). It is assessed individually, always in coordination with the content, theme and format of the rest of the speakers. It must be presented in Power Point. 10% Oral Presentation and 10% Power Point presentation. 
 

Final Exam 40%

• 1 Final Exam with a value of 40%
• The exam is individual and face-to-face.
• True/false questions; multiple choice and development to solve case studies.

• To be able to average between the Final Exam and the Continuous Assessment, you must obtain a 5/10 or a 10/20 in the Final Exam.
• The final grade will be the sum of 60% of the Continuous Assessment plus 40% of the Final Exam, (provided the Final Exam has been passed)
• To pass the subject, the final grade must be greater than or equal to 50 points out of 100 or 5 points out of 10.
• Students who have not taken the final exam will not be eligible to take the retake exam.
• The grade of the retake exam will be averaged with the grade of the continuous assessment (40% retake exam and 60% continuous assessment).

MONTORI, MARTÍNEZ, SCRIBANO. 2015. Maritime Transport Manual. Publisher Marge Books. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8415340317. Available at https://www.amazon.es/dp/8415340311

Rodrigo de Larrucea, Jaime. 2018. Container transport. Marge Books. ISBN: 978-84-17313-67-8

Rosemary Rose; Esteve, Alfonso; Soler, David. 2024. The Maritime Transport of Merchandise. Key Elements: Contracts and Insurance (Transport Management). ISBN-13 978-8416171866

BRANCH, ALAN E. (2012, 7th edition), Elements of Shipping. Publisher Routledge, London.

INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SHIPBROKERS. 2023. Introduction to Shipping, ISBN: 9781911328193

STOPFORD, MARTIN (2009, 3rd edition), Maritime Economics. Editorial Routledge, London.. ISBN: 9780415275583. The 4th Edition is going to be published soon (2024 or 2025). Be aware. 

Tato Plaza, Anxo; Diaz Vásquez, Raquel; Torres Pérez, Francisco (editor). 2010. Maritime transport in the supply chain. Andavira Editora. ISBN 9788484085744; ISBN-10 8484085740