BIMCO War Risks Clause for Voyage Chartering 2013 (VOYWAR 2013)

(a) For the purpose of this Clause, the words: 

(i) "Owners" shall include the shipowners, bareboat charterers, disponent owners, managers or other operators who are charged with the management of the Vessel, and the Master; and

(ii) "War Risks" shall include any actual, threatened or reported:

War, act of war, civil war or hostilities; revolution; rebellion; civil commotion; warlike operations; laying of mines; acts of piracy and/or violent robbery and/or capture/seizure (hereinafter “Piracy”); acts of terrorists; acts of hostility or malicious damage; blockades (whether imposed against all vessels or imposed selectively against vessels of certain flags or ownership, or against certain cargoes or crews or otherwise howsoever), by any person, body, terrorist or political group, or the government of any state or territory whether recognised or not, which, in the reasonable judgement of the Master and/or the Owners, may be dangerous or may become dangerous to the Vessel, cargo, crew or other persons on board the Vessel.

(b) If at any time before the Vessel commences loading, it appears that, in the reasonable judgement of the Master and/or the Owners, performance of the Contract of Carriage, or any part of it, may expose the Vessel, cargo, crew or other persons on board the Vessel to War Risks, the Owners may give notice to the Charterers cancelling this Contract of Carriage, or may refuse to perform such part of it as may expose the Vessel, cargo, crew or other persons on board the Vessel to War Risks; provided always that if this Contract of Carriage provides that loading or discharging is to take place within a range of ports, and at the port or ports nominated by the Charterers the Vessel, cargo, crew, or other persons on board the Vessel may be exposed to War Risks, the Owners shall first require the Charterers to nominate any other safe port which lies within the range for loading or discharging, and may only cancel this Contract of Carriage if the Charterers shall not have nominated such safe port or ports within 48 hours of receipt of notice of such requirement.

(c) The Owners shall not be required to continue to load cargo for any voyage, or to sign bills of lading, waybills or other documents evidencing contracts of carriage for any port or place, or to proceed or continue on any voyage, or on any part thereof, or to proceed through any canal or waterway, or to proceed to or remain at any port or place whatsoever, where it appears, either after the loading of the cargo commences, or at any stage of the voyage thereafter before the discharge of the cargo is completed, that, in the reasonable judgement of the Master and/or the Owners, the Vessel, cargo, crew or other persons on board the Vessel may be exposed to War Risks. If it should so appear, the Owners may by notice request the Charterers to nominate a safe port for the discharge of the cargo or any part thereof, and if within 48 hours of the receipt of such notice, the Charterers shall not have nominated such a port, the Owners may discharge the cargo at any safe port of their choice (including the port of loading) in complete fulfilment of the Contract of Carriage. The Owners shall be entitled to recover from the Charterers the extra expenses of such discharge and, if the discharge takes place at any port other than the loading port, to receive the full freight as though the cargo had been carried to the discharging port and if the extra distance exceeds 100 miles, to additional freight which shall be the same percentage of the freight contracted for as the percentage which the extra distance represents to the distance of the normal and customary route, the Owners having a lien on the cargo for such expenses and freight.

(d) If at any stage of the voyage after the loading of the cargo commences, it appears that, in the reasonable judgement of the Master and/or the Owners, the Vessel, cargo, crew or other persons on board the Vessel may be exposed to War Risks on any part of the route (including any canal or waterway) which is normally and customarily used in a voyage of the nature contracted for, and there is another longer route to the discharging port, the Owners shall give notice to the Charterers that this route will be taken. In this event the Owners shall be entitled, if the total extra distance exceeds 100 miles, to additional freight which shall be the same percentage of the freight contracted for as the percentage which the extra distance represents to the distance of the normal and customary route.

(e) (i) The Owners may effect War Risks insurance in respect of the Vessel and any additional insurances that Owners reasonably require in connection with War Risks and the premiums therefor shall be for their account.

(ii) If, pursuant to the Charterers' orders, or in order to fulfil the Owners’ obligation under this Charter Party, the Vessel proceeds to or through any area or areas exposed to War Risks, the Charterers shall reimburse to the Owners any additional premiums required by the Owners’ insurers. If the Vessel discharges all of her cargo within an area subject to additional premiums as herein set forth, the Charterers shall further reimburse the Owners for the actual additional premiums paid from completion of discharge until the Vessel leaves such area or areas. The Owners shall leave the area or areas as soon as possible after completion of discharge.

(iii) All payments arising under this Sub-clause (e) shall be settled within fifteen (15) days of receipt of Owners’ supported invoices.

(f) The Vessel shall have liberty:

(i) to comply with all orders, directions, recommendations or advice as to departure, arrival, routes, sailing in convoy, ports of call, stoppages, destinations, discharge of cargo, delivery, or in any other way whatsoever, which are given by the government of the nation under whose flag the Vessel sails, or other government to whose laws the Owners are subject, or any other government of any state or territory whether recognised or not, body or group whatsoever acting with the power to compel compliance with their orders or directions;

(ii) to comply with the requirements of the Owners’ insurers under the terms of the Vessel’s insurance(s);

(iii) to comply with the terms of any resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations, the effective orders of any other Supranational body which has the right to issue and give the same, and with national laws aimed at enforcing the same to which the Owners are subject, and to obey the orders and directions of those who are charged with their enforcement;

(iv) to discharge at any alternative port any cargo or part thereof which may expose the Vessel to being held liable as a contraband carrier;

(v) to call at any alternative port to change the crew or any part thereof or other persons on board the Vessel when there is reason to believe that they may be subject to internment, imprisonment, detention or similar measures;

(vi) where cargo has not been loaded or has been discharged by the Owners under any provisions of this Clause, to load other cargo for the Owners' own benefit and carry it to any other port or ports whatsoever, whether backwards or forwards or in a contrary direction to the ordinary or customary route.

(g) The Charterers shall indemnify the Owners for claims arising out of the Vessel proceeding in accordance with any of the provisions of Sub-clauses (b) to (f) which are made under any bills of lading, waybills or other documents evidencing contracts of carriage.

(h) When acting in accordance with any of the provisions of Sub-clauses (b) to (f) of this Clause anything is done or not done, such shall not be deemed to be a deviation, but shall be considered as due fulfilment of the Contract of Carriage.