Freight demurrage and defence (FD&D) cover is available from another Thomas Miller managed club, the UK Defence Club. It provides cover to shipowners and operators for legal and other costs incurred in relation to disputes that are uninsured. Examples include hire and re-delivery disputes, newbuilding disputes with shipyards, sale and purchase disputes, bunker contamination claims, disputes over the safety of ports or berths, slot charter disputes, oil major and other ship vetting disputes and disputes with agents, brokers or indeed other underwriters.
The preparation of cargo holds for the next intended carriage is a critical operation which requires careful planning and execution; this article considers a number of legal issues which may arise, including terms commonly used in charterparties to describe the cleanliness of cargo holds, the consequences of failing to comply with such terms, potentially resulting in off-hire claims and damages, and the role of the independent surveyor.
Hold preparation is probably the most vital part of bulk carrier operations; if it is not undertaken properly, it can result in substantial cargo claims, delays, additional cleaning, survey costs and expensive off-hire disputes.
During the initial stages of the voyage, the vessel encountered heavy weather, with spray and seas shipped on deck and all hatch covers over a period of 8 days; this video explores how this affected the maize cargo.
