D. C. Andrews & Company, Inc. v. United States

WHITAKER, Judge.

Plaintiff sues for commissions alleged to be due it as a cargo broker for the charterer of certain Government owned ships.

In commercial shipping the owner of the vessel is represented by a ship broker, while the owner of the cargo (the charterer of the ship) is represented by a cargo broker. The two brokers agree upon the terms of the charter for their respective principals, and are compensated by a brokerage fee which is paid to the ship broker, who then divides it with the cargo broker. Thus, in the commercial field of privately owned and operated ships, the brokers have…