Personal Contract Clause

Arbitration clauses - time bar

2020 Fuel Transition Clause for Time Charter Parties

BIMCO has produced two clauses for time charter parties to address key contractual issues relating to the switch to fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.50% as of 1 January 2020. The two clauses are the 2020 Marine Fuel Sulphur Content Clause, which replaces the BIMCO Fuel Sulphur Content Clause 2005, and the 2020 Fuel Transition Clause, which deals with switching between fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 3.50% and fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.50% by 1 January 2020. Both clauses should be incorporated into time charter parties. This clause was published on 10 December 2018.

ISPS Clause for Time Charter Parties 2003

The latest edition of this clause is the ISPS/MTSA Clause for Time Charter Parties 2005

Piracy Clause for Time Charter Parties 2009

The latest edition of this clause is the Piracy Clause for Time Charter Parties 2013 .

Bunker Fuel Sulphur Content Clause for Time Charter Parties 2005

Latest version of this clause is the 2020 Marine Fuel Sulphur Content Clause for Time Charter Parties .

Mediation Clause 2020

The Mediation Clause 2020 has been taken directly from BIMCO’s Dispute Resolution Clause (which has been re-drafted to deal only with arbitration and is now called the BIMCO Law and Arbitration Clause 2020). The objective is to provide parties with a free-standing clause that they can choose to incorporate into their contracts during their negotiations as appropriate.

Law and Arbitration Clause 2020 Singapore

The Law and Arbitration Clause 2020 replaces the Dispute Resolution Clause 2017. There are versions available for four named arbitration venues – London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong. The mediation provision found in earlier versions of this clause has been removed and made into a free standing clause that parties can incorporate by choice. The Law and Arbitration Clause 2020 consists of five short subclauses. Adopted 21 September 2020

Bunker Quality and Liability Clause 2011

In October 2009 BIMCO initiated a project to develop a suite of standard bunker clauses for use in time charter parties. The rationale behind developing the suite is simply to address the ever increasing importance of bunker issues in time charter parties and the need to ensure that the risk of bunker disputes is minimised by clearly worded clauses that reflect legislative developments. The Suite of Clauses was adopted by BIMCO’s Documentary Committee at its meeting in Vancouver in June 2011. The Suite provides clauses covering matters relating to delivery/redelivery bunkers; bunkering operations; sampling; fuel testing programmes; and ECA trading, all of which are matters that are frequently absent from or insufficient in many standard time charter parties. Many older time charter forms contain bunker clauses covering the fundamental principles under the charter, but simply do not contemplate today’s situation where vessels are required to carry and use several grades of fuel and where sampling and testing regimes are an integral part of the process.

Average Bond Clause 2007

The BIMCO Average Bond Clause 2007 has been updated. The main change is in the final paragraph where the shorter limitation period previously applicable to adjustments arising under the York Antwerp Rules 2004 no longer applies. As a result, in all cases rights to claim under the clause have been brought into line with the six-year limitation period under English law. A number of minor editorial improvements have also been made. The clause is for use only in contracts of carriage where General Average is to be adjusted, stated and settled according to the York-Antwerp Rules 1994. If the York-Antwerp Rules 2016 apply to the underlying contract, the BIMCO Average Bond Clause 2018 must be used. This clause was originally published in June 2005, amended in October 2007, 2017 and 2018.