Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (ASBA)

The Association of Ship Brokers and Agents, commonly known as ASBA, is a non-profit industry body that supports and regulates professional standards for ship brokerage and agency services. It develops widely used charter party forms, promotes ethical conduct, and provides arbitration services for maritime disputes. ASBA is especially known for publishing standard charter party contracts (for example, the 'ASBATANKVOY' form for tanker voyages) and for administering maritime arbitration in New York. These contracts and dispute-resolution services are widely used in bulk and tanker trades calling US ports. In chartering and brokerage practice, ASBA forms and arbitration clauses are common in bulk and tanker fixtures involving US interests. Its documentation and arbitration framework are considered industry standard in the New York maritime market.