Zea Directory Guides
Practical guides for the maritime business world.
Explainers and buyer's guides on ship management, chartering, vessel ownership and more — written for people actually trying to find and evaluate maritime companies.
Fundamentals · 5 min read
What Is a Ship Management Company, and What Do They Actually Do?
Ship management is one of the most misunderstood roles in shipping. Here's what a ship manager actually handles — and how it differs from owning a vessel.
Read article →Buyer's Guide · 6 min read
How to Find a Reliable Ship Management Company: A Practical Guide
Choosing a ship manager is a long-term operational decision, not a one-off purchase. Here's a practical checklist for narrowing the field.
Read article →Fundamentals · 4 min read
Shipowner vs. Ship Manager vs. Ship Operator: What's the Difference?
These three roles get used interchangeably, but they describe different legal and commercial relationships to a vessel. Here's how to tell them apart.
Read article →Fundamentals · 4 min read
What Is a UN/LOCODE? A Practical Guide to Port and Location Codes
UN/LOCODEs show up everywhere in shipping documentation. Here's what the code actually encodes, and how to read one.
Read article →Buyer's Guide · 5 min read
How to Choose a Ship Broker: A Practical Checklist
A good broker can meaningfully change the outcome of a fixture. Here's what actually separates a strong ship broker from a mediocre one.
Read article →Fundamentals · 5 min read
Registered Owner vs. Beneficial Owner: Understanding Vessel Ownership Structures
The name on a vessel's registry documents often isn't who actually controls it. Here's why shipping ownership structures are layered the way they are.
Read article →