Feeder Vessel Law and Legal Definition
Feeder vessel refers to watercrafts employed in short sea routes to fetch or carry goods and containers to and from ocean going vessels. It is a part of a cargo network in which the larger, faster vessels only call at the major ports at both ends of the area being covered, and the smaller ports are served by the smaller feeder vessels which transfer the cargo to and from the major port terminals and thus keep the larger vessels filled closer to capacity. This system spares them the expense and loss of time in loading and unloading in the subsidiary ports. In that way the smaller vessels feed the big liners, which carry thousands of containers.
