The Collaborative International Dictionary
Primage \Pri"mage\ (?; 48), n. [F.] (Com.)
A charge in addition to the freight; originally, a gratuity
to the captain for his particular care of the goods
(sometimes called hat money), but now belonging to the
owners or freighters of the vessel, unless by special
agreement the whole or part is assigned to the captain.
--Homans.
Wiktionary
Etymology 1 n. 1 (context archaic English) A payment made for loading or unloading a ship, or for care of goods during transit by ship. 2 (context archaic UK English) An import duty levied by a guild of harbour pilots ''(especially at Kingston-upon-Hull and Newcastle-upon-Tyne)''. 3 (context Australia New Zealand English) An additional import duty levied by customs. Etymology 2
n. (context engineering rare English) droplets of water suspended in steam (especially in the cylinder of a steam engine).
Wikipedia
In commerce, primage (adopted from the Fr. primage, from prime, recompense, Lat. praemium, reward), was a small customary payment over and above the freight made to the master of the ship for his care and trouble. It is now generally included in the freight, as an additional percentage. It varies according to the usages of different ports and particular trades.
Usage examples of "primage".
They sailed for nominal wages and primage, or five per cent of the gross freight paid the vessel.
Besides their primage they owned shares in their vessels, a thirty-second or so, and presently their settlement at the end of a voyage coastwise amounted to an income of a thousand dollars a month.