Hard Charter Terms
Real Demurrage Rates and Free Time
In 2023, we analyzed exactly 47 charter agreements for shipowners operating in the Baltic Sea basin. We often find clauses that assume unrealistic discharge rates given the current quay occupancy in Gdynia. Facts matter: if a port has delays resulting from terminal logistics, the shipowner should not bear those costs. Our quayside practice allows us to strike points from documents that generate financial penalties from the very first day of ship laytime.
We negotiate hard charter terms, focusing on a precise definition of the Notice of Readiness (NOR) moment. In October 2024, we helped a client avoid a 3,450 EUR payment by proving incorrect laytime calculation by the charterer. We act without unnecessary talk, checking every comma in Gencon 94 or Baltime forms, which are often copied thoughtlessly for years.
Financial Security at the Rail
Correct laytime clauses are not dry theory. They are concrete amounts that stay in the company's pocket. Our team, now numbering 4 specialists, checks historical performance data for specific general cargo terminals. Thanks to this, we know that 14.5 hours for loading a specific cargo in Gdynia is often not enough. We introduce amendments that give the shipowner a realistic time window without the risk of demurrage charges.
- Reducing the time for demurrage note settlement to 11 business days.
- Verification of 'weather working days' clauses for grain and fertilizer transport.
- Clear division of port costs between shipowner and charterer.
Our last 12 projects have shown us that standard contract patterns are full of linguistic traps. We check them against Polish maritime law and international market customs. If we see a clause that hits the voyage's profitability, we say it straight out. Sometimes we advise against signing a contract if the legal risk exceeds the transport margin. (Heads-up: most standard forms do not account for current changes in Gdynia Port regulations).
We collaborate with maritime agents and harbor masters, which allows us to understand how paragraphs translate to ship movement in the port channel. Our presence on Świętojańska Street since 2016 has given us knowledge of local conditions that you won't find in inland law firms. We focus on ensuring the contract is clear for both sides and does not require court intervention after every vessel call.
Check Your Contract in 48h
We leave no room for guesswork. We evaluate every document from an operational, not just a legalistic, perspective. If your contractor pushes for a quick signature on a 'standard' form, it's usually a sign that it's worth checking the demurrage fee tables. Receive a risk analysis in 48h and enter negotiations with concrete arguments backed by facts from Gdynia and Gdansk.