GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026
Net Tonnage
Ship operators, port authorities, and customs bodies rely on Net Tonnage (NT) to measure a vessel's usable cargo or passenger space – it is the primary basis for port dues, canal tolls, and certain taxes.
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Source: https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Pages/TonnageMeasurement.aspx
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Definition & Explanation
Ship operators, port authorities, and customs bodies rely on Net Tonnage (NT) to measure a vessel's usable cargo or passenger space – it is the primary basis for port dues, canal tolls, and certain taxes. Whereas Gross Tonnage captures the total enclosed volume of a ship, NT deducts all spaces that serve no revenue-earning purpose: engine rooms, crew quarters, the wheelhouse, and bunker compartments. Calculation follows the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships (London, 1969), which prescribes uniform formulas across all flag states. A large container ship may therefore show a net tonnage figure well below its gross tonnage. For freight forwarders, NT is most relevant when estimating port costs or comparing route options where dues are levied on a tonnage basis, such as transits through the Suez Canal.
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