Answer
A disponent owner is a person or company who is not the registered owner of the ship but has the right to use, employ and commercially control the vessel under a charter party. If he further charters the vessel to another party, he acts as owner for that sub-charter and is called the disponent owner.
How a Disponent Owner Operates
The shipping commercial chain typically looks like this:
Registered/Head Owner---{Initial Charter}-Disponent Owner---{Sub-Charter}-End Charterer / Cargo Owner
| Registered Owner | Disponent Owner |
|---|---|
| Legal owner of ship | Not legal owner |
| Name appears in ship registry | Name may not appear in registry |
| Owns the ship | Controls ship commercially under charter |
| May give ship on charter | May re-charter ship to another party |
Difference from bareboat charterer
A bareboat / demise charterer may also become a disponent owner because he takes almost full possession and control of the vessel, including manning, operation and maintenance.
But in normal commercial shipping, the term disponent owner is commonly used for a time charterer who re-charters the vessel.
| Attribute | CLC 1992 | Bunker Convention 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Vessel Type | Tankers only (carrying persistent oil in bulk). | All vessels other than CLC tankers (Bulkers, Containers, etc.). |
| Type of Oil | Persistent cargo oil (and its bunkers). | Fuel oil used for ship operation/propulsion. |
| Who is Sued? | Registered Owner ONLY (Strict Channelling). | Registered Owner, Bareboat Charterer, Manager, and Operator (Joint & Several). |
| Can a Disponent Owner be held liable? | No (Unless acting under a rare exception of malicious intent/recklessness). | Yes, if they are operating the vessel under a Bareboat structure, making them the "Operator" or "Charterer". |