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Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (ASBA) - Shipbroking and Chartering Programs

Online, Home Study Courses & Seminar Programs in Shipbroking, Chartering, Maritime Law & Commercial Trade in New Jersey & Online

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Established in 1934 and based in Englewood Cliffs NJ, Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (ASBA) is an independent membership trade association of Ship Brokers, Agents and Affiliates with offices in the United States and Canada. The Company Membership is restricted to business establishments that are actively and regularly engaged in business as ship brokers or agents operating in the United States or Canada for at least one year.

ASBA Agent Members approved has Guidelines for Certification to raise the bar for Agency providers in the United States. Member agents have up to 6 months to complete their certification following their conditional approval for membership.

ASBA has also has an Young Ship Brokers & Agents (YSBA) to bring together a new generation of young professionals of companies in the maritime industry currently operating in the U.S. and Canada.

ASBA offers distance learning courses course and live seminars designed to give participants in the maritime field a broad and comprehensive understanding of sectors of the industry.

ship chartering

Training Programs

ASBA Maritime Courses

  • Basic Principles of Chartering (Home Study): The Home Study course is designed for vessel owners or operators, importers, exporters, agents, brokers or traders who require an overview of the chartering field.  Accountants, lawyers, consultants, and students have traditionally enrolled in the course to aid them in their related work. 
  • Shipbroking and Chartered Vessel Operations (Online - 4 months): The Maritime field is extremely broad and brings about relationships with a variety of people with varying levels of experience from the many different aspects of shipping. As you will see from the course outline these many aspects of shipping are presented in logical format. Through the lectures, questions and discussions you will prepare yourself or enhance your existing knowledge base for work in chartering or chartered vessel operations.
  • Business of Shipping Intensive (6 weeks In-Class or Online): This course has been offered live at venues across the United States and abroad for the past 15 years. It will now also be offered online. Students will have access to audio lectures and other materials posted on a dedicated learning platform, THINKIFIC. There will also be a Q and A forum where students and the Professor can interact.  The materials covered will be similar to those covered in a business of shipping course offered at a maritime university’s graduate level (modified for the benefit of the working professional).
  • Commercial Trade Transactions (Online - 3 months): Commercial Trade Transactions is a course to assist the Maritime Profession in the understanding of the fundamentals of their business, specifically the risks associated with International Trade. This course will also present a diverse range of real life trade transaction problems for discussion and review.
  •  Maritime Law (Online - 3 months): This course offers a practical and enjoyable understanding of this unique body of law and will enable you to better serve your principals and/or customers in a competitive environment.

ASBA Diploma

  • Combine the above ASBA courses to expand your maritime knowledge -Students who successfully complete the curriculum will be awarded the ASBA Diploma.

Other Courses - Topics in Ship Agency

  • Contract of Carriage
  • Bills of Lading
  • Maritime Law and the Ship's Agent
  • The Principal/Agency Relationship

Live Seminar - Business of Shipping

  • Dry Cargo Vessels and Trades
  • Tankers and Tanker Trades
  • Registry and Flag
  • Classification Societies
  • Bunkers
  • Sale and Purchase of Vessels
  • The Underlying Trade Transaction
  • Cargo Considerations
  • Cargo Insurance Basics
  • Time Charter Basics
  • Voyage Charter Basics
  • Demise (Bareboat) Charter Basics
  • Shipbrokers
  • Ship’s Agency
  • Maritime Law Basics
  • More Efficient Dispute Resolution
  • The Bill of Lading
  • Hull and Machinery Cover and Markets
  • Protection and Indemnity Cover
  • Private Regulation - Ethics in Trading
  •  Cutting Edge Issues in Shipping