dead freight常译为“亏舱费；空舱费”，指租船人对其已经租用但未能装满的船舶载运吨位所付的费用。其实质是对空余吨位的运输损失支付的赔偿金。

英文释义可参考merriam-webster词典给出的释义：the amount paid by or recoverable from a charterer of a ship for such part of the ship's capacity as the charterer has contracted for but fails to occupy

also : the unoccupied space in such a ship

也可以参考一些双语例句：

Losses and expenses such as dead freight, demurrage. Consequential losses. 

装上船只或将货物交到吊杆之下，卖方应负担买方的一切费用和损失，如空舱费、滞期费及。