Disclaimer

1. General Disclaimer

HeyMariner (“the Platform,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates a maritime intelligence platform at heymariner.com, providing information and data services to maritime professionals, shipping companies, maritime students, port operators, and maritime industry stakeholders worldwide. The Platform launched on July 1, 2026 and is maintained by a team comprising nine Master Mariners, five Chief Engineers, seventeen officers, thirteen engineers, and numerous volunteer contributors.

The information, data, tools, calculators, editorial content, vessel records, port profiles, regulatory references, and all other content published or made available through HeyMariner (“Content”) is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis for general maritime intelligence, research, educational, and commercial situational awareness purposes only. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, HeyMariner makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees — express or implied — regarding the accuracy, completeness, currency, reliability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of any Content.

You acknowledge and agree that your use of HeyMariner and any reliance you place on the Content is entirely at your own risk. HeyMariner, its directors, officers, employees, Master Mariner advisors, editorial team, data providers, and affiliates shall not be liable, to the fullest extent permitted by law, for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, the Platform or any Content available through it — including but not limited to loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of cargo, loss of business, vessel damage, personal injury, death, or environmental damage.

The maritime industry involves inherent risks and complex international legal obligations. No online platform, however well-resourced, can substitute for the professional judgment of licensed maritime officers, qualified maritime lawyers, classification society surveyors, or competent port state control inspectors. HeyMariner is a supplementary intelligence tool designed to augment — not replace — the professional expertise of its users.

This Disclaimer applies to all pages, features, tools, data feeds, editorial articles, wiki entries, port databases, vessel records, NAVAREA archives, calculator outputs, and any other Content accessible through heymariner.com or any subdomain thereof, and to any mobile application or third-party integration that delivers HeyMariner data. This Disclaimer should be read in conjunction with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

2. Maritime Navigation Disclaimer

HeyMariner is expressly not a navigational aid within the meaning of SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 19 (Carriage requirements for shipborne navigational systems and equipment), or any equivalent flag state regulation. The Platform has not been type-approved by any classification society, flag state administration, or maritime authority for use as a navigational instrument.

The Content available on HeyMariner — including vessel position displays, port approach diagrams, traffic separation scheme (TSS) visualisations, and route planning tools — does not constitute official navigational publications within the meaning of SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 27 (Charts and nautical publications). It is not a substitute for and must not be used in place of:

• Official Admiralty Charts and Publications: paper or electronic navigational charts issued or authorised by national hydrographic offices (UKHO, NOAA, SHOM, BSH, HMAS, etc.), corrected to the current edition of Notices to Mariners. These are the authoritative source for water depths, hazard positions, port approach layouts, and maritime boundaries used in passage planning.
• ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System): type-approved systems operating to IEC 61174 and IMO MSC.232(82) standards, using official ENCs (Electronic Navigational Charts) from authorised distributors. HeyMariner does not provide ENCs and cannot substitute for a certified ECDIS installation.
• Notice to Mariners (NTM): official publications issued weekly by hydrographic offices correcting charts and nautical publications. HeyMariner may reference some NAVAREA warnings but does not replicate the full NTM correction service.
• Admiralty Notices to Mariners and Admiralty Sailing Directions (Pilots): official UKHO publications covering passage planning details, port approach information, and coastal hazards verified by hydrographic survey.
• Port Approach Guides and Port Authority Notices: official documents issued by competent port authorities, harbour masters, and pilotage authorities governing vessel movements within port limits.
• Navigational radar and ARPA: for collision avoidance at sea in accordance with COLREGs Rule 7 (Risk of collision) and Rule 8 (Action to avoid collision). AIS data on HeyMariner is subject to significant latency and is not suitable for real-time collision avoidance decisions.
• Onboard AIS receiver: your vessel's own type-approved AIS transponder and display system, which provides real-time, undelayed information on surrounding traffic in your immediate vicinity.

Mariners are reminded that under SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 34 (Safe navigation and avoidance of dangerous situations), the Master must ensure that passage plans are prepared using official charts and publications and that appropriate watch-keeping arrangements are maintained at all times. HeyMariner cannot satisfy these statutory requirements.

HeyMariner shall not be liable for any grounding, stranding, collision, allision, contact, near-miss, vessel damage, personal injury, death, cargo loss or damage, pollution, or any other navigational incident or loss howsoever arising from any navigation decision made with reference to or in reliance upon data, charts, or information displayed through the HeyMariner platform.

3. AIS Data Disclaimer

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel position data displayed on HeyMariner is derived from AIS transmissions received by terrestrial receiver networks and satellite AIS (S-AIS) platforms operated by commercial maritime data providers from whom we licence data feeds. While we endeavour to display the most current and complete AIS data available through our providers, users must understand and accept the following inherent and significant limitations of AIS-derived position data:

AIS Transponder Dependency

AIS position data is only generated when a vessel has an operational, correctly configured AIS transponder actively transmitting. Vessels may not appear on HeyMariner, or may appear only as a stale historical last-known position, in any of the following circumstances: the vessel's AIS transponder has been switched off (whether deliberately, for operational security reasons, by order of the Master, or as a result of equipment failure); the vessel is not legally required to carry Class A or Class B AIS (e.g., certain fishing vessels below the SOLAS threshold, pleasure craft, unmanned vessels, or vessels in some flag state jurisdictions with limited AIS requirements); or the transponder has been misconfigured, damaged, or otherwise compromised. The absence of an AIS signal from a vessel does not mean the vessel is not present in an area; it means only that it is not transmitting a detectable signal at the time of the last data update.

Coverage Gaps and Data Latency

Terrestrial AIS receiver networks cover coastal and inland waterway areas, typically within 40 to 74 nautical miles from shore-based antennas (the effective range depending on antenna height, terrain, and atmospheric conditions). In open ocean areas, polar regions, areas of dense vessel traffic causing VHF channel congestion, or remote straits and islands with limited infrastructure, terrestrial AIS coverage may be absent or extremely limited. For these areas, satellite AIS provides coverage through polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite constellations, but satellite AIS data is inherently periodic — based on satellite pass-over schedules — and therefore subject to significant temporal gaps. For a vessel transiting a mid-ocean route, satellite AIS position fixes may be separated by 30 minutes, several hours, or occasionally longer, depending on satellite availability at the vessel's latitude and the data provider's satellite network geometry.

Even where terrestrial AIS coverage is available, there are aggregation and processing delays between the transmission of an AIS message from a vessel, its receipt by a shore receiver, its aggregation into our data provider's database, and its display on HeyMariner. These delays may range from seconds to several minutes depending on data provider infrastructure and the data refresh rate of your browser session. The timestamp associated with each vessel position fix displayed on HeyMariner reflects the time the AIS message was transmitted by the vessel, not the time it appears on your screen. Always check the timestamp before relying on any position display.

AIS Spoofing and Data Integrity

AIS spoofing — the deliberate manipulation or falsification of AIS transponder data to misrepresent a vessel's identity, position, speed, or course — is a documented and growing phenomenon in certain regions of the global merchant fleet. Spoofing techniques include GPS signal jamming (which causes transponders to report inaccurate positions derived from corrupted GPS input), GPS signal spoofing (which feeds false position coordinates to a transponder's GPS receiver), replay attacks (which re-broadcast previously recorded legitimate AIS messages), and synthetic position injection (the creation of entirely fabricated AIS signals). Vessels involved in sanction evasion, illegal ship-to-ship transfers, or other illicit activities have been documented engaging in AIS manipulation.

HeyMariner and our data providers apply algorithmic filters to detect anomalous AIS behaviour — including vessels apparently travelling at physically impossible speeds, vessels reported simultaneously in geographically separated locations, or vessels with MMSI numbers known to be associated with spoofing — but no filtering system can guarantee the detection and exclusion of all spoofed or anomalous data. HeyMariner makes no warranty that any AIS position data displayed on the platform is free from spoofing, manipulation, or error.

MMSI Conflicts and Vessel Identity

MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) numbers are theoretically unique nine-digit identifiers assigned to individual vessels by national telecommunications authorities. In practice, MMSI conflicts occur — cases where two or more vessels transmit the same MMSI — due to misconfiguration of second-hand transponders, clerical errors in MMSI assignment by some flag states, or deliberate identity manipulation. Where MMSI conflicts exist, AIS data aggregators (including our providers) may blend position tracks from two different physical vessels under a single MMSI entry, resulting in erratic or implausible track histories. HeyMariner cannot independently verify the physical identity of every vessel associated with an MMSI number.

All AIS-derived vessel position data, track history, and vessel particulars displayed on HeyMariner should be independently verified using authoritative sources — including Lloyd's Register, DNV Vessel Register, IMO ship search, flag state registries, or direct communication with the vessel or its operator — before being relied upon for any commercial, legal, regulatory, or insurance purpose.

4. Vessel Tracking Data Disclaimer

HeyMariner aggregates vessel particulars from multiple public and licensed third-party databases, including but not limited to: flag state ship registers; IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS); class society vessel databases; commercial maritime data providers; port state control inspection databases; and user-contributed corrections. The vessel particulars displayed — including vessel name, flag state, vessel type, IMO number, call sign, year of build, gross tonnage, deadweight tonnage, length overall, beam, maximum draft, propulsion type, and registered owner or manager — are aggregated from these multiple sources and may reflect different data collection dates.

Vessel ownership and management structures in the shipping industry are frequently complex, involving registered owners, beneficial owners, technical managers, commercial managers, bareboat charterers, and time charterers — often spanning multiple jurisdictions. The “Owner” and “Manager” fields displayed on HeyMariner vessel profiles reflect data reported to international registries at the time of the most recent data update and may not accurately reflect current commercial arrangements, recent ownership transfers, or management changes that have not yet been registered in public databases.

Vessel port call history data displayed on HeyMariner is derived from AIS-detected port arrivals and departures — inferred from AIS navigational status changes (e.g., a transition from “Underway using engine” to “At anchor” or “Moored” within port limits) — and from port authority data where commercially available. Port call inference from AIS data is subject to all the coverage limitations described in Section 3, and may not capture short port calls that occurred during satellite AIS coverage gaps, or port calls in regions with limited AIS infrastructure.

HeyMariner does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of any vessel particulars, ownership data, or port call history displayed on the platform. Vessel data is provided for reference and situational awareness purposes only and must not be relied upon as the sole basis for any commercial contract, cargo booking, charter party, insurance arrangement, vessel vetting decision, or port state control inspection preparation.

5. Weather Routing Disclaimer

HeyMariner provides meteorological and oceanographic data overlays and tools — including wind speed and direction forecasts, significant wave height predictions, ocean current visualisations, sea surface temperature maps, tropical cyclone track projections, and basic weather routing functionality — sourced from third-party numerical weather prediction (NWP) model providers and publicly available meteorological data feeds. This weather data is provided for general situational awareness, voyage planning reference, and educational purposes only.

The weather routing tools and weather data available on HeyMariner are not a substitute for professional voyage weather routing services provided by qualified commercial meteorological routing organisations; certified onboard meteorologists or meteorological officers; official marine weather warnings and forecasts issued by national meteorological services (such as the UK Met Office, NOAA/NWS, Météo-France, JMA, BOM, or other WMO-affiliated agencies); GMDSS weather broadcasts received via NAVTEX, SafetyNET/INMARSAT-C, or HF radio; onboard weather instrumentation (anemometers, barometers, thermometers, wave sensors); or the real-time meteorological situational awareness that can only be developed by experienced mariners at sea.

Global NWP models used to generate the weather overlays on HeyMariner operate at finite horizontal resolutions (typically 9 to 25 kilometres for global models, finer for regional models where available). Local sea-state phenomena — including coastal swell refraction, wind shadows created by islands or headlands, tidal current interactions with wind-waves, and mesoscale convective systems — may not be captured at model resolution. Forecast accuracy degrades with increasing lead time; forecasts beyond 72 hours carry substantially higher uncertainty, and beyond 5 days, forecast uncertainty is high enough that they should be treated as guidance only rather than reliable predictions.

Masters and deck officers are reminded of their obligations under SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 31 (Danger messages) and the ISM Code (SMS procedures for severe weather) to exercise independent meteorological judgment and to consult all available authoritative weather information sources before making decisions that affect vessel safety in severe or deteriorating weather conditions.

HeyMariner accepts no liability for any vessel damage, cargo loss, delay, personal injury, death, pollution, or other loss arising from any voyage routing or navigational decision made in reliance upon weather data or weather routing tools provided through this platform.

6. Port Information Disclaimer

HeyMariner maintains a database of port profiles covering hundreds of ports, terminals, anchorages, and marine facilities worldwide. Port information displayed on HeyMariner may include: maximum permissible vessel dimensions (maximum LOA, beam, and draft); berth specifications (berth length, draft, load capacity, fender type, mooring arrangement); cargo handling facilities (crane type and SWL, grain silos, liquid terminal specifications); port services (pilotage, towage, fresh water, provisions, chandlery, medical); tidal data and tidal range; port authority contact details; customs and immigration requirements; port charges and disbursement agent contacts; and port traffic separation scheme and VTS frequencies.

Port information is inherently dynamic. Berth availability, quay dimensions, maximum drafts, port charges, service availability, and contact details can change at any time and frequently without public notice. Dredging schedules, construction works, storm damage, equipment failures, labour actions, or changes in port authority policy can alter operational parameters significantly and at short notice. The information displayed on HeyMariner reflects data available at the time of the most recent update to each port profile, which may be weeks or months behind current conditions.

Under no circumstances should port information from HeyMariner be used as the sole basis for passage planning into an unfamiliar port, for calculating under-keel clearance (UKC), for determining whether a vessel meets port entry restrictions, or for making any other decision that affects navigational safety within port approaches or port limits. Mariners and operators must obtain current port information directly from the port authority, harbour master, pilotage authority, or competent port agent before each port call.

Maximum draft figures in particular are subject to seasonal variation (due to tidal ranges, freshwater outflows affecting salinity, and swell conditions affecting effective UKC) and to changes resulting from dredging or siltation. The master must independently verify current draft limits and UKC requirements through the port agent or port authority for each specific vessel and port call. HeyMariner accepts no liability for any grounding, vessel damage, or port entry refusal arising from reliance on port information displayed on this platform.

7. Regulations Disclaimer

HeyMariner provides regulatory reference content covering international maritime conventions and instruments adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), including SOLAS, MARPOL, the STCW Convention, the MLC (Maritime Labour Convention), the ISM Code, the ISPS Code, the Collision Regulations (COLREGs), the Load Line Convention, tonnage measurement regulations, and various IMO resolutions and circulars. We also reference the output of IMO technical committees including the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), Legal Committee (LEG), and Facilitation Committee (FAL).

This regulatory reference content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not constitute a substitute for qualified maritime legal counsel, classification society guidance, or official flag state administration circulars. The following limitations must be borne in mind by all users:

• Flag State Implementation: IMO instruments take effect in individual jurisdictions only when enacted into national law by flag state administrations. The specific requirements applicable to a vessel depend on the vessel's flag state, the type and tonnage of the vessel, its trading area, and the date of its keel-laying or major conversion. Implementation varies between flag states; a convention may apply to vessels under flag A but not flag B, or may apply from a different date or with different exemptions.
• Frequent Amendment: IMO conventions and their associated codes are regularly amended through the MSC and MEPC amendment cycles. Amendments enter into force on specific dates using the “tacit acceptance” procedure. Our regulatory content may not reflect the most recently adopted amendments, especially those adopted at recent MSC or MEPC sessions and not yet in force.
• Port State Control (PSC) Requirements: Port state control authorities apply their own inspection regimes and may impose requirements that go beyond or differ from IMO minimum standards. PSC inspection deficiency codes and detention records displayed on HeyMariner are drawn from publicly available MOU databases and are subject to the accuracy and completeness of those databases.
• Emissions Regulations: The regulatory landscape for vessel emissions — including MARPOL Annex VI (Sulphur cap, NOx Tier III, Carbon Intensity Indicator, EEXI/CII), regional emissions control areas (ECAs/SECAs), and the IMO 2050 decarbonisation strategy — is evolving rapidly. Regulatory summaries on HeyMariner may not reflect the most current positions of IMO, regional authorities (such as the European Union's FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS for shipping), or flag state implementing legislation.

All regulatory information on HeyMariner must be verified against the official text of the relevant IMO instrument as published by IMO (imo.org), the applicable flag state's maritime administration, and — for legal interpretation — qualified maritime legal counsel. HeyMariner accepts no responsibility for any regulatory non-compliance, PSC detention, fine, vessel arrest, certificate of fitness withdrawal, or commercial loss resulting from reliance on regulatory information displayed on this platform.

8. NAVAREA Warnings Disclaimer

HeyMariner aggregates and displays Navigational Area (NAVAREA) warnings published by the 21 NAVAREA co-ordinators appointed under the IMO/IHO World-Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) and the associated NAVTEX/SafetyNET dissemination network. NAVAREA warnings cover navigational hazards including unlit or moving hazards to navigation, offshore installations, research vessel operations, cable and pipe-laying operations, minefields, distress situations, and significant navigational aid failures.

NAVAREA warnings displayed on HeyMariner are provided for reference and awareness purposes only. For operational use aboard vessels at sea, mariners must subscribe to and receive NAVAREA warnings directly through the official WWNWS distribution channels:

• NAVTEX receivers: type-approved NAVTEX receivers installed onboard to SOLAS Chapter IV and GMDSS requirements, tuned to the appropriate NAVTEX transmitter for the vessel's geographic position. NAVTEX provides maritime safety information broadcasts on 518 kHz (English, international) and 490 kHz (national language broadcasts) within approximately 400 nm of the transmitter.
• SafetyNET via INMARSAT Enhanced Group Calling (EGC): for vessels beyond NAVTEX range in ocean areas (NAVAREA and Metarea broadcasts via EGC receivers), which is the GMDSS-mandated method for receiving MSI in sea areas A3 and A4.
• HF NBDP (Narrow-Band Direct Printing) radio: for receiving MSI broadcasts from NAVAREA co-ordinators in sea areas where INMARSAT coverage is not available, or as a supplementary receiving system.
• Official NAVAREA coordinator websites: official NAVAREA warning lists are published by each co-ordinator and are accessible online as a supplementary reference for voyage planning purposes ashore.

HeyMariner aggregates NAVAREA warnings from published co-ordinator sources, but this process introduces potential latency between the original publication of a warning and its display on our platform. Critical navigational warnings — particularly those related to sub-surface hazards, minefield advisories, or distress situations — may not appear on HeyMariner immediately upon their official publication. Warnings that have been cancelled, modified, or replaced by the relevant co-ordinator may temporarily continue to be displayed on HeyMariner until our data feed is updated.

Masters and navigators should not rely on HeyMariner as their primary or sole source of navigational warning information while a vessel is underway. The platform's NAVAREA display is useful for passage planning research ashore and for maintaining general situational awareness, but it does not satisfy the vessel's GMDSS obligations for receiving maritime safety information at sea.

9. Maritime Safety Disclaimer

The safety of life at sea is paramount. HeyMariner affirms, without reservation, that the Master and navigating officers of every vessel bear sole and absolute professional and legal responsibility for the safe navigation of their vessel, the safety of all persons aboard, the protection of the marine environment, and compliance with all applicable international and national maritime legislation. This responsibility derives from international law (SOLAS, MARPOL, COLREGs, and applicable flag state regulations), the ISM Code, the terms of the vessel's certificate of class, and the fundamental traditions and obligations of the maritime profession.

Nothing available on HeyMariner — including, but not limited to, AIS vessel position data, weather overlays, port approach information, NAVAREA warning aggregations, vessel vetting records, PSC deficiency data, passage planning tools, or safety-related editorial articles — reduces, modifies, supplements, replaces, or transfers any part of the Master's or officers' responsibility for safe navigation and vessel operations.

In particular, HeyMariner data and tools must never be used:

• As a basis for determining whether an area is safe for navigation, in substitution for official chart correction and current Notice to Mariners review.
• For CPA (Closest Point of Approach) or TCPA (Time to CPA) calculations for real-time collision avoidance, which must be performed using onboard ARPA/radar and AIS systems in accordance with COLREGs Rule 7.
• As the sole basis for under-keel clearance calculations, which must use surveyed depth data from official corrected charts combined with real-time tide predictions and vessel draft measurements.
• As a basis for decision-making in man-overboard, damage control, fire-fighting, or other shipboard emergency scenarios, where onboard systems, training, and emergency procedures must take precedence.
• As a substitute for bridge resource management practices, a proper lookout (COLREGs Rule 5), or proper seamanship in all conditions of visibility.

HeyMariner strongly encourages all users who are maritime professionals to maintain their continuing professional education, keep their STCW certificates current, and engage with the International Maritime Organization's safety publications, MSC circulars, and IMO Assembly resolutions as primary reference materials for safety management.

10. Medical and STCW Disclaimer

HeyMariner provides informational content relating to STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) certification requirements, medical fitness standards for seafarers, occupational health guidance for life at sea, and general health and wellness information relevant to maritime professionals. This content is provided by our editorial team, which includes contributors with seafaring backgrounds, but it is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, or regulatory certification advice.

STCW certification requirements vary by flag state, certificate type (officer of the watch, chief officer, master, chief engineer, etc.), vessel type (tanker, passenger, RORO, MODU, etc.), and individual circumstances including sea service records, approved training courses, and medical fitness certificates. The STCW-related content on HeyMariner describes the general framework of the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention but cannot account for every flag state's specific implementing regulations, approved training course lists, or certificate equivalence arrangements. Seafarers must consult their flag state maritime administration or an approved maritime training institution for definitive STCW certification guidance applicable to their specific circumstances.

Medical fitness for seafarers is governed by ILO MLC 2006 Regulation 1.2 and the associated Code, STCW Regulation I/9, and national implementing legislation (including ENG1 standards in the UK, national equivalent standards elsewhere). Medical fitness standards are applied and assessed by designated medical examiners approved by the seafarer's flag state administration. HeyMariner editorial content on medical standards is informational only and does not constitute a medical fitness assessment. Seafarers with health concerns relating to fitness for sea service must consult a qualified physician and, where required, a designated medical examiner approved by the relevant maritime administration.

In the event of a medical emergency aboard a vessel at sea, the ship's Master and crew must follow the vessel's SMS emergency procedures, use the onboard Ship Captain's Medical Guide (IAMSAR Manual) or equivalent, seek Telemedical Assistance Services (TMAS) as required by MLC Regulation 4.1 and SOLAS, and not rely on any online platform, including HeyMariner, as a source of emergency medical guidance.

11. Third-Party Links and External Maritime Databases Disclaimer

HeyMariner provides links to, and in some cases embeds data from, third-party websites, databases, and services. These may include, without limitation: IMO (imo.org); IACS (iacs.org); flag state maritime administration websites; port authority official websites; classification society vessel registers (Lloyd's Register, DNV, Bureau Veritas, ABS, ClassNK, RINA, CCS, BV, KRS, PRS); Paris MOU, Tokyo MOU, and other port state control MOU databases; INTERTANKO, INTERCARGO, BIMCO, ICS, and other industry association resources; academic maritime research repositories; official hydrographic office chart catalogue and ordering websites; and commercial maritime data services.

HeyMariner does not control, endorse, or accept responsibility for the content, accuracy, availability, data protection practices, or privacy policies of any third-party website, database, or service linked to or referenced on this platform. The inclusion of a link to a third-party website does not imply HeyMariner's endorsement of that website or any product, service, or information it contains.

Where HeyMariner aggregates data from external maritime databases — including AIS data providers, port authority data feeds, classification society vessel registers, or PSC inspection databases — the accuracy of that data is subject to the quality control, completeness, and update frequency of the originating third-party source. HeyMariner is a data aggregator and does not independently verify all data obtained from third-party sources. Discrepancies between HeyMariner data and information held by authoritative primary sources should be resolved in favour of the authoritative primary source.

If you follow a link from HeyMariner to a third-party website, you do so at your own risk. We encourage you to read the privacy policies and terms of service of any third-party website you visit.

12. Financial and Commercial Disclaimer

HeyMariner may display or reference commercial information relating to maritime suppliers, equipment manufacturers, maritime training providers, port service providers, ship chandlers, ship repair yards, maritime software vendors, and other maritime industry commercial entities. This commercial information may include pricing data, contact details, product specifications, service descriptions, and commercial ratings or reviews.

Any pricing information displayed on HeyMariner — including port disbursement estimates, bunker price indicators, freight rate references, crew cost indicatives, or maritime service pricing — is provided for general market awareness only. Pricing in the maritime industry is highly dynamic, subject to rapid fluctuation based on market conditions, geographic location, vessel type, contractual terms, and seasonal factors. HeyMariner does not guarantee the accuracy or currency of any pricing information displayed, and any commercial transaction should be based on direct commercial negotiation with the relevant counterparty.

Supplier and service provider profiles on HeyMariner are compiled from publicly available information and user submissions. HeyMariner does not independently audit, certify, or endorse any commercial maritime supplier, training provider, or service entity listed on the platform. Inclusion in the HeyMariner supplier database does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by HeyMariner or by any member of the HeyMariner editorial or advisory team. Commercial contracts, procurement decisions, and supplier selection must be based on the user's own due diligence.

Nothing on HeyMariner constitutes an offer to contract, a binding quotation, or a financial instrument of any kind. HeyMariner accepts no liability for any commercial loss, contractual dispute, or financial damage arising from reliance on commercial or pricing information displayed on this platform.

13. Editorial Content Disclaimer

HeyMariner publishes editorial content — including articles, opinion pieces, technical guides, maritime news summaries, regulatory analyses, interview-format profiles, career guidance, and maritime history features — authored or edited by members of our team and by external contributors. Our editorial team includes experienced Master Mariners, Chief Engineers, maritime lawyers, port professionals, and maritime journalists who bring significant professional expertise to their writing.

Notwithstanding the professional backgrounds of our contributors, all editorial content on HeyMariner is published as general informational and educational material only. Editorial articles reflect the views and knowledge of their authors at the time of writing and may not reflect current developments in maritime law, technology, or practice at the time you read them. The maritime industry evolves rapidly, and articles that were accurate at the time of publication may become outdated as new regulations, technologies, or industry practices emerge.

Opinion articles and commentary pieces on HeyMariner represent the personal views of the named authors and do not necessarily represent the position of HeyMariner as an organisation, of any classification society, flag state, port authority, maritime union, or industry association, or of any other member of the HeyMariner team. HeyMariner is committed to editorial independence and does not permit advertising relationships or commercial arrangements to influence the content of editorial articles. For details, see our Editorial Policy.

Errors and inaccuracies in editorial content may occur despite our review processes. If you identify factual inaccuracies in any HeyMariner article or editorial content, please notify us using the contact details in Section 17 of this Disclaimer so that corrections can be issued promptly.

14. No Professional Advice

Nothing on HeyMariner constitutes professional advice of any kind — including, without limitation, maritime legal advice, classification society advice, flag state administration guidance, port state control inspection advice, financial advice, insurance advice, or medical advice. The presence of regulatory summaries, legal analysis articles, classification society information, inspection guidance, or any other ostensibly technical content on HeyMariner does not create an advisory or professional relationship between HeyMariner and any user.

For specific operational or legal decisions, users must engage qualified professionals, including:

• Maritime lawyers and P&I Club correspondents for legal interpretation of charter parties, bills of lading, collision liability, salvage claims, cargo claims, and flag state or port state compliance matters.
• Classification society surveyors and technical advisors for vessel structural integrity assessments, cargo gear certification, machinery compliance, statutory survey requirements, and class notation queries.
• Master Mariner consultants and nautical experts for passage planning review, cargo securing assessment, stability calculation verification, and navigational practice disputes.
• Flag state maritime administration officials for definitive guidance on certificate validity, endorsement requirements, flag state inspection procedures, and exemption applications.
• Port authority and pilotage authority for current port-specific regulations, berth allocation, pilotage compulsion, port health, and customs requirements.
• Qualified meteorologists and routing services for voyage-specific weather routing advice in adverse or marginal weather conditions.

HeyMariner expressly disclaims any liability arising from users treating HeyMariner content as professional advice or as a substitute for the engagement of qualified professional advisors.

15. Affiliate Disclaimer

HeyMariner may participate in affiliate marketing programs with maritime training providers, maritime book publishers, maritime equipment suppliers, software vendors, or other maritime industry commercial entities. Under these arrangements, HeyMariner may earn a commission or referral fee when a user clicks on an affiliate link and completes a qualifying purchase or registration.

Where affiliate relationships exist, HeyMariner is committed to full transparency. Affiliate links and sponsored content are clearly labelled as such in accordance with applicable advertising standards regulations. The presence of an affiliate link does not influence HeyMariner's editorial assessment of the linked product or service; our editorial team evaluates maritime products and services on their professional merit, and affiliate commercial arrangements do not affect editorial independence.

Users are encouraged to conduct their own research and due diligence before making any purchase through an affiliate link found on HeyMariner. The inclusion of an affiliate link does not constitute a warranty, endorsement, or guarantee of the quality, fitness for purpose, or suitability of any product or service for any particular maritime application.

16. Investment and Commercial Maritime Markets Disclaimer

HeyMariner may publish content relating to commercial shipping market conditions, including references to freight market indices (such as the Baltic Dry Index, Baltic Tanker indices, or Clarksons Shipping Intelligence Network data), vessel values, demolition markets, newbuilding orders, scrapping rates, and broader maritime industry economic trends. This market-related content is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, or recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any security, vessel, commodity, or financial instrument.

The maritime shipping market is subject to extreme cyclicality, geopolitical disruptions, changes in global trade flows, commodity price fluctuations, regulatory-driven shifts in vessel supply and demand (particularly in the context of decarbonisation and alternative fuels), and other factors that make forward-looking market statements inherently uncertain. Any market commentary on HeyMariner reflects the views of the author at the time of writing and must not be treated as a prediction of future market conditions.

Users making commercial or investment decisions in the shipping industry — including vessel acquisitions, charter party commitments, freight contract negotiations, shipping company equity investments, or shipping fund participations — must seek independent advice from qualified financial advisors, shipbrokers, and commercial maritime lawyers. HeyMariner accepts no liability for any commercial or financial loss arising from any decision influenced by market commentary or commercial data displayed on this platform.

17. Contact for Corrections

HeyMariner is committed to accuracy and welcomes corrections. If you have identified an error, inaccuracy, or outdated information in any content on this platform — whether in an editorial article, vessel record, port profile, regulatory summary, NAVAREA archive entry, or any other feature — please notify us. Our editorial team reviews all substantive correction requests and, where a verified error is identified, will issue a correction or update the relevant content promptly.

When submitting a correction, please include the URL of the specific page or content you believe contains an error, a description of the error, and the source of the correct information. We appreciate the contributions of our maritime professional community in helping us maintain the accuracy and quality of HeyMariner content.