Bunkers

War in Ukraine will hurt growth in all shipping segments

Though much uncertainty remains, the immediate commodity price increases and supply challenges caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are likely to be felt throughout 2022. Also, recently implemented sanctions on Russia are not likely to be lifted any time soon. This may have sustained spill-over impact on the global economy.

Sanctions Clause for Time Charter Parties 2020

The sanctions landscape has grown increasingly complex since BIMCO published its Sanctions Clause for Time Charter Parties in 2010. International sanctions regimes are constantly changing with new restrictions being added and new persons and entities being listed. A violation of sanctions restrictions can have severe consequences and in the worst cases can lead to parties being listed as sanctioned parties. Therefore, carefully worded sanctions clauses in charter parties and other contracts are vital for internationally trading companies to help them manage and mitigate their sanctions risk and to enable them to continue to do business while remaining compliant with the various sanctions regimes. This clause is intended for use in all trades except for container trades. A separate sanctions clause for the container trades is under development. This clause was published on 19 December 2019. It replaces the Sanctions Clause for Time Charter Parties 2010 and the Designated Entities Clause for Charter Parties 2013 (which have been combined to make a new single clause for ease of incorporation).

NATO Shipping Centre is ready to assist shipping with information and advice

The NATO Shipping Centre maintains a 24/7/365 oversight of security developments in the Euro-Atlantic area, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. Shipowners are reminded of the Voluntary Reporting Scheme for the Mediterranean Sea.

Sanctions Clause for Container Vessel Time Charter Parties 2021

The sanctions landscape for the container trade has grown increasingly complex over the past decade. To provide the container industry with a bespoke contractual solution that addresses the practical and commercial realities of the liner trade BIMCO has developed a Sanctions Clause for Container Vessel Time Charter Parties 2020.

Sanctions Clause for Voyage Charter Parties 2020

The sanctions landscape has grown increasingly complex since BIMCO published its Sanctions Clause for Time Charter Parties in 2010 and the Designated Entities Clause for Charter Parties in 2013. International sanctions regimes are constantly changing with new restrictions being added and new persons and entities being listed. A violation of sanctions restrictions can have severe consequences and in the worst cases can lead to parties being listed as sanctioned parties. Therefore, carefully worded sanctions clauses in charter parties and other contracts are vital for internationally trading companies to help them manage and mitigate their sanctions risk and to enable them to continue to do business while remaining compliant with the various sanctions regimes. The absence of a standard BIMCO sanctions clause for voyage charter parties has resulted in owners and charterers amending the BIMCO Sanctions Clause for Time Charter Parties or drafting bespoke clauses. BIMCO has therefore developed this sanctions clause for use in voyage charter parties so that there is an industry standard clause. It is intended to provide a balanced allocation of the risks posed by sanctions as between owners and charterers. This clause is intended for use in all trades except for container trades. A separate sanctions clause for the container trades is under development. This clause was published on 19 December 2019. It is a sanctions clause that also covers issues related to designated entities previously found in BIMCO’s Designated Entities Clause for Charter Parties 2013. This new sanctions clause should be used instead of the old Designated Entities Clause.

New bunker alert service available for BIMCO members

Bunker fuel is a key element in the running of ships, and problems related to bunkers can massively impact daily operations. Information about bunker quality issues is of high value and BIMCO has therefore entered into a new cooperation with Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) who publishes regular Bunker Alerts based entirely on fuel samples.

Bunker Non-Lien Clause for Time Charter Parties 2014

The objective of the Bunker Non-Lien Clause is to provide a pre-emptive mechanism to protect owners by requiring time charterers to inform their counterparty, the seller, at the outset that bunkers ordered are being supplied for their account and that no lien can be placed over the vessel.

Bunker terms strengthened by compromise

A greater focus in the bunker industry on contract wording, risk assessment and “knowing your counterpart” has been a motivator for updating the BIMCO Terms bunker contract, due for release in November 2017.

VPS Bunker Alerts

Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) publish regular Bunker Alerts based entirely on fuel samples. The bunker samples are analysed by VPS whenever a short-term quality issue is identified in a specific port or region.