1. a fee charged for the right of a ship to anchor in a harbor or port
Usage: nautical; archaic

Examples

• The merchant ship paid keelage before unloading its cargo.
• Harbor authorities collected keelage from all visiting vessels.
• The port’s keelage rates were posted at the harbormaster’s office.
• Historical records show keelage was a significant source of revenue for coastal towns.
• Ships avoiding keelage would anchor outside the official harbor limits.