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Core benefits for agency members

Since 1905 we’ve been supporting shipping and the crucial role it plays in facilitating world trade.

And over the years we’ve become a respected and integral part of the shipping industry.

We are best known as the world leader in maritime contracts and clauses, and we are most trusted as the practical voice for shipping in global forums.

Our members make up the world's largest shipping community and we serve this global community by providing members with practical expert advice, tools and services to help them succeed.

Our standardised contracts and clauses are developed collaboratively with members from across shipping. This enables efficient contractual negotiations resulting in quicker execution of business activities and minimises risk of disputes.

Contractual Affairs – Balanced and fair

We create standard contracts and clauses covering all aspects of shipping. Our library has over 350 contracts and clauses and explanatory notes, which provide the tools to help members of any size.

Thousands of businesses are protected every day using BIMCO’s main charter parties like GENCON and SUPPLYTIME. Clauses covering issues such as BUNKERTERMS, war risk and sanctions keep the industry moving whatever the situation.

The rigorous process by the BIMCO subcommittees, industry consultation and quality checks and approvals by our Documentary Committee ensure contracts and clauses are fair, balanced and work smoothly in practice.

Business processes are streamlined with BIMCO SmartCon – the all-in-one platform for drafting, managing, and storing of contracts. With built-in AI to spot duplications and speed up charter party creation, our platform provides easy access to all our world-leading contracts and clauses.

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

BIMCO also plays an important role within the international regulatory sphere. We represent our members interests and provide valuable practical input to the complex high level policy discussions which impact the whole industry. We are the practical voice of shipping.

Regulatory Affairs – Transparent and non-discriminatory

BIMCO represents members in global and international forums, especially at the IMO and EU, on issues such as decarbonisation, piracy and safety.

We use a practical approach to promote technical, digital and contractual standardisation and use our expertise to advise regulators of the practicable implementation of global policies.

To simplify operations and improve efficiency, BIMCO promotes technical and contractual standardisation.

Our team of regulatory experts help members understand and implement regulations through resources such as webinars, articles, guides and direct advice. This helps them to be more resilient to compliance risks.

Shipping is a risky business with great opportunities. Those who are resilient and adaptive can survive and thrive in an ever-changing macro-environment. And we are helping our members in all corners of the industry to manage risks to make it safer to seek opportunities. We do this by using our experience of providing expert advice, tools, and services to the industry, along with our core expertise of contractual and regulatory affairs to help members be more resilient, more sustainable and more efficient.

Member services to support resilience, efficiency and sustainability

As a BIMCO member, you can:

Access reliable direct contractual advice on commercial issues, helping build resilience into your business. With decades of contract experience our advice service covers contracts and commercial issues, including charter party questions, interpretation of contracts, or specific inquiries such as laytime and demurrage
Access our library of contracts and clauses with full explanatory notes
Support and safeguard the operation of your ships via direct access to advice from our experts on environment, safety, security and navigational issues
Develop your employees by tapping into BIMCO’s expert knowledge of contracts & clauses through a BIMCO training course, where members receive substantial savings
Access security information, including piracy, cyber-attacks and drug smuggling intelligence to help you in managing risks
Improve your fleet performance and streamline performance reporting via BIMCO SHIP PI. Members receive substantial discounts
Access a wealth of advice to plan your transport using information on bimco.org including databases for liquid cargo and solid bulk, ice information, phytosanitary restrictions, bunker alerts and more
Prepare your business and increase your operational efficiency with access to The BIMCO Holiday Calendar, scrubber restrictions and freight tax information

Be more resilient to financial risk of bad debtors by using our Company Information Service (KYC) service
Use the BIMCO intervention service to recover your debt – we help members recover several million USD of undisputed debt every year related to maritime contracts.
Access independent market analysis with a focus on the underlying fundamentals in the market such as supply of ships, market demand, expected recycling of ships, and the number of new ships being built. Members can access a large amount of business supportive data
Be more operationally efficient with our digital product offering - such as BIMCO’s SmartCon contract editor, the BIMCO SHIP PI fleet performance tool, and the BIMCO Holiday Calendar
Gain and share knowledge through our member networks – best practice is shared on a range of topics such as ESG which helps members be more environmentally sustainable. Other examples are our Bunker Buyer Network, Dry Cargo Network and Ship Manager Advisory Panel where members can share best practice to help them run their business more efficiently
Share your expertise and support BIMCO’s contractual and regulatory work in a BIMCO committee. Members may express interest in joining. Places are granted by invitation only and in accordance with BIMCO Rules and governance procedures
Receive weekly insight in our newsletter with updates from our in-house experts on key issues affecting shipping.

There are BIMCO members on every continent and in every aspect of the industry. Large and small, old and new. Being part of this shipping community not only makes it possible for members to learn from each other, it also enables BIMCO to harness the insight and experiences of our members to feed into and support our work across the whole industry and global forums. We believe that together our voice is stronger.

Facilitating trade is at the very heart of our business, and since 1905, we’ve helped our members keep world trade moving. We make it our business to help our members with theirs.

BIMCO members cover two-thirds of the world's tonnage and consist of local, global, small and large companies. We are an organisation and global shipping community of 2,100 members in 120 countries.

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.

Film: We ARE BIMCO

Pricing 2026 Entry & contribution fees

BIMCO's agency membership is open to companies operating as ship agents.

Applicants who own, manage (technically/commercially), operate or charter ships must apply as owner members.

The entry fee for BIMCO agency membership is EUR 350.

No entry fee is required for branch offices.

Start your application

Full membership contribution fee (annual)

Number of employees engaged in the agency business		EUR
1-5		1,830
6-15		2,130
16-25		2,615
26-50		3,265
Over 50		4,370

Number of offices, price per office		EUR
1-5		1,195
6-10		1,010
Over 10		660

Apply online now

Complete your online application here. We appreciate it if you get in touch before applying, but you are of course welcome to submit an application at any time.

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