2026 Maritime Digest of Arbitration Awards and Court Rulings
DEMURRAGE – LAYTIME – NOTICE OF READINESS – WHETHER NOR WAS VALID – WEATHER WORKING DAYS – BAD WEATHER – FORCE MAJEURE Charterer excepted laytime from counting for several issues arising at the loading and discharge ports. The issues being whether the first notice of readiness was valid, whether a storm warning constituted bad weather,...
DEMURRAGE – REPUDIATORY BREACH – ARRIVED AND ALL RESPECTS READY TO LOAD – WHETHER NOR WAS VALID – NOTICE OF READINESS – FORCE MAJEURE – LIABILITY FOR FAILED HOLD INSPECTION Upon vessel’s arrival at the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River the Master tendered NOR to a port upriver. Charterer’s independent surveyor then found that...
BILLS OF LADING – WHETHER BILLS OF LADING WERE RELEASED ON TIME – CARGO SHORTAGES – PORT SECURITY CHARGES – DRAFT SURVEYS – DEMURRAGE – FREIGHT PAYMENT Charterer claimed against Owner with regard to several issues arising from a reported cargo shortage accounted by the loading port draft survey. Accompanying this, issues arose with regard...
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE – WHETHER LOST TIME AND EXPENSES TO BE FOR CHARTERER – HULL CLEANING – PROLONGED PORT STAY When the Vessel required hull cleaning after a prolonged port stay Charterer contended that they were not liable for time and expenses as the inspection and cleaning occurred after redelivery. During a voyage chartered on...
DEMURRAGE – TIME BAR – DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS – STATEMENT OF FACTS – PORT LOGS – PARTIAL FINAL AWARD Owner claimed demurrage against Charterer, who contended that the claims were time-barred per clauses added by Charterer to the charter fixtures. This partial final award covered three separate demurrage claims that were consolidated into a single proceeding....
DEADFREIGHT – VOYAGE CHARTER – FORCE MAJEURE – WHETHER CHARTERER LIABLE FOR DEADFREIGHT AFTER FORCE MAJEURE EVENT Owner claimed deadfreight after Charterer was unable to load a complete quantity of cargo at the loading port due to a fire. Charterer contended that the fire at the loading port constituted a force majeure event, and as...
DEMURRAGE – OFF-SPECIFICATION OF CARGO – INERTING SYSTEMS – DELAY TO DISCHARGE CARGO Upon arrival at the first discharge port the cargo was determined to be off-specification. Due to this the Vessel accrued demurrage which the Owner claimed against the Charterer. The Charterer contended that the Owner was liable for the deterioration of the cargo...
DEMURRAGE – ICE CONDITIONS – SAFE BERTH – ICE CONVOY Owner claimed demurrage from Charterer arising from a delay to proceed to berth due to ice conditions. The delay resulted from the Owner invoking an ice clause in the charter party stating that the Vessel would never be required to follow ice breakers. Charterer contended...
DEFAULT ON HIRE PAYMENT – FORCE MAJEURE – WRONGFUL ARREST AND ATTACHMENT – OBLIGATION TO PROCEED WITH REASONABLE DISPATCH – DOCTRINE OF FINANCIAL UNSEAWORTHINESS Upon the Charterer’s default on hire payments the Owner terminated the time charter party, which resulted in a delay at the discharge port and subsequent attachment and arrest of the Vessel....
FORCE MAJEURE – HURRICANE – WHETHER FORCE MAJEURE WAS PREMATURE – LAYCAN – REPUDIATORY BREACH Owner claimed Charterer wrongfully repudiated the charter after Charterer declared force majeure prior to the laycan. J. Lauritzen Bulkers A/S (hereinafter, “Owner”) claimed against Interoceanic Corp. (hereinafter, “Charterer”) for repudiatory breach in contract following Charterer’s declaration of force majeure. The...