Definition
BIMCO's Laytime Definitions for Charter Parties 2013 define laytime as the period of time agreed between the parties during which the owner makes the ship available for loading or discharging "without payment additional to the freight". The definitions — 33 of them — apply only for laytime purposes and only when the charter expressly incorporates them; GENCON 2022 does.[1]
The charter sets the allowance (a number of days or hours, or a loading rate) and what is excluded. A "weather working day" excludes, pro rata, time when weather prevents work; days "excepted" or "excluded" do not count even if work is done on them; holidays are defined separately. Shorthand such as SHINC (Sundays and holidays included) and SHEX (excluded) is trade usage rather than a BIMCO definition, so read the actual clause.[1]
Laytime starts after a valid notice of readiness plus any agreed notice time, and the counting is done in a laytime statement against the statement of facts. When it runs out, demurrage begins; finish early and the owner may owe despatch.[1]
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Sources
- [1] BIMCO — Laytime Definitions for Charter Parties 2013 (PDF) — https://bimco.org/media/qy2neqim/laytime-definitions-for-charter-parties-2013-v2.pdf
A working definition for buyers, not legal advice — the contract, the convention text and your club or class have the last word.