The practical voice of shipping

We help our members keep world trade moving. 

See what BIMCO can offer you and your business.

Supporting shipping since 1905

Ship Is1018384676 3440Px
01

Contracts

We’ve been creating contracts and clauses since 1905. We believe that standardised terms create equality, fairness and support business, and we believe this matters.

BIMCO sign on the desk at the International Maritime Organization in London
02

Regulation

We work to promote transparent and non-discriminatory standards and harmonisation within the shipping industry.

Merete L. Greisen of BIMCO using a headset in a phone call
03

Expert knowledge

Being the practical voice of shipping means we are more than an industry association. We offer members practical tools and expert knowledge to help them commercially navigate to a sustainable future.

A global shipping community in 120 countries

BIMCO's 2,100 members cover 64% of the world's tonnage and consist of local, global, small, and large companies. 

From our offices in Athens, Brussels, Copenhagen, Houston, London, Shanghai and Singapore we aim to help build a resilient industry in a sustainable future whilst protecting world trade. We do this by finding practical solutions for our members to help them manage risk in a changing world.

Latest news & video

View all
Fake shipping contract

Do you know whether you are using an authentic BIMCO contract?

GPS Jam NATO BIMCO JPL Sep2025

BIMCO Webinar: Lost at Sea: Confronting GPS Jamming and Spoofing in Maritime Operations

whale underwater

Ships must cut underwater noise or face mandatory regulation

Upcoming training

View all
person typing on a laptop
15 Sept

Laytime & Demurrage Masterclass Online

Laytime and Demurrage Masterclass Online is a series of 10 online sessions delivered over 5 days. Each day will run for 150 minutes with a short break in between. The masterclass will cover essential laytime and demurrage issues.

Online
15 Sept 2025 - 19 Sept 2025 5 days
12:00 - 14:30 UTC
BIMCO Training Contact us
Masterclass
EUR 1380 BIMCO members
EUR 1835 Non-members
0 Available seats
Shipman Crewman
17 Sept

SHIPMAN and CREWMAN 180 Seminar

This seminar is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of key changes and updates in the latest versions of the widely used BIMCO standard ship and crew management agreements, SHIPMAN, CREWMAN A and CREWMAN B.

Online
17 Sept 2025 - 18 Sept 2025 2 days
13:00 - 14:30 UTC
BIMCO Training Contact us
180 Seminar
EUR 225 BIMCO members
EUR 310 Non-members
10 Available seats
shipper moored at quayside
18 Sept

Laytime & Demurrage Masterclass

Understand the principles of laytime and demurrage for both dry and wet trades. The course covers the key legal concepts and a step-by-step approach to effectively use the knowledge to work strategically with laytime calculations to boost profitability.

Espace Vieux-Port - Mont Royal 405 Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montréal H2Y 2Z7, Canada
18 Sept 2025 - 19 Sept 2025 2 days
BIMCO Training Contact us
Masterclass
EUR 1380 BIMCO members
EUR 1835 Non-members
8 Available seats

Shipping explained

Discover the interrelationships between the commercial and regulatory sides of shipping, and see where BIMCO fits into the picture.

Shipping Explained infographic

Latest market analysis

Browse all
SNOW 2025 Wk36 Plain

Second-hand container ship prices jump 17% YoY despite weaker freight rates

2025 08 SMOO Tanker

Tanker – August 2025

OPEC+ ramps up oil supply while demand growth slows

SNOW 2025 Wk35 Plain

Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments plunge 49%

Contract editing made easy

SmartCon is the secure and best way of working with BIMCO contracts

Laptop screen superimposed on an image of the sea