Legal Definitions - anchorage

Definition: Anchorage is a place where ships can anchor or stop and stay for a period of time. It is also a fee paid by shipowners for using a port or harbor.

Example 1: The ship dropped anchor in the anchorage area near the port.

Example 2: The shipowner paid a hefty anchorage fee to the port authority for using the harbor.

These examples illustrate the two meanings of the term "anchorage." The first example shows how the term refers to a physical location where ships can anchor and stay for a while. The second example shows how the term refers to a fee or toll that shipowners have to pay for using the port or harbor.