Definition

Noun: 1. The act of securing an arriving vessel with ropes: The process of maneuvering a ship into a dock and fastening it with ropes or cables. 2. A docking facility; a landing place in a harbor: A water area next to a pier where ships are loaded, unloaded, or repaired, often equipped with gates to control water levels. 3. A charge or fee for using a dock: Money paid for the privilege of mooring a vessel at a dock.

Usage and Examples

• Referring to the act of docking:

  • The skilled dockage of the large cruise ship took nearly an hour.
  • Dockage requires coordination between the captain and the port crew.

• Referring to the docking facility or space:

  • The harbor has ample dockage for commercial fishing boats.
  • They searched for safe dockage during the storm.

• Referring to the fee:

  • The dockage for a yacht of that size is quite high.
  • Port fees include both pilotage and dockage.

Advanced Usage

• "Free dockage": Refers to a period or an offer where docking fees are waived.

  • The marina offers three days of free dockage for new members.

• "Dockage and wharfage": A formal phrase often used in port tariffs to list specific types of fees.

  • The invoice itemized charges for dockage and wharfage separately.

Variants and Related Words

• Dock (noun/verb): The general structure where a ship moors, or the act of bringing a ship into such a structure.
  • The ship will dock at Pier 12.
• Docking (noun): The action or process of coming into a dock.
  • Docking the spacecraft was a complex maneuver.
• Dock dues (noun phrase): A synonym for the fee sense of .
  • The dock dues must be paid before departure.

Synonyms

• Mooring (noun): The act of making fast with ropes or cables; also, the place where a vessel is moored.
• Berthage (noun): Accommodation for a ship at a wharf; also, the charge for such accommodation.
• Harbor fee (noun phrase): A charge for using port facilities.

Related Phrases

• To pay dockage: To settle the fee for using the dock.
  • We need to pay the dockage at the harbor master's office.
• Available dockage: Refers to free space or capacity at a dock.
  • They radioed ahead to check for available dockage.

Noun

1. the act of securing an arriving vessel with ropes
2. landing in a harbor next to a pier where ships are loaded and unloaded or repaired; may have gates to let water in or out
   • the ship arrived at the dock more than a day late
3. a fee charged for a vessel to use a dock