Supplytime 2017: Revolution or Evolution?

Overview

Leading London law chambers gives “top marks to BIMCO” at seminar on new edition of SUPPLYTIME offshore support vessel charter party.

Under this thought-provoking title, a specialist seminar on the new Supplytime 2017 form was held recently in London by Quadrant Chambers, the leading commercial and shipping law chambers. The overall feedback and answer to the question posed in the title was: “steady and welcome evolution” and “full marks BIMCO”.

Quadrant Chambers hosted the seminar in order to enable specialists in shipping and offshore industry work to contribute, under the skilled chairmanship of Grant Hunter, BIMCO Head of Contracts, in taking apart the drafting of the new 2017 form and in stress-testing it in comparison with Supplytime 2005 and other BIMCO offshore sector forms.. It was a very well-attended event, demonstrating the important place which Supplytime plays in the ever-diverse OSV sector.

Simon Rainey QC

Speakers included Simon Rainey QC [pictured], author of the leading commentary on Supplytime and other BIMCO contracts in this sector, Tug and Tow and Offshore Contracts (4th Edition to be published in December 2017) and Chris Kidd of Ince & Co, who was a member of the BIMCO drafting committee for Supplytime 2017.

The reaction of both speakers and audience was a positive endorsement of the revised 2017 form. Simon Rainey QC, analysing the revised knock-for-knock provisions in Clause 14 of Supplytime 2017, said that it was “difficult to see BIMCO having done any better” and that that his Clause 14 ‘score’ was “ A+ or 10 out of 10”. Other speakers were similarly extremely positive about other aspects of the new form dealing, for example, with off hire, bunkers, early termination and owner’s and charterer’s ‘groups’. 

This is a highly encouraging and promising start, only one month into the new Supplytime 2017 form’s life.

The Quadrant Chambers seminar and speakers’ presentations are available to watch here.

 

Grant Hunter
in London,

Coronavirus

Access BIMCO's COVID-19 related articles and advice.

Read more

VPS Bunker Alerts

Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) publish regular Bunker Alerts based entirely on fuel samples and have kindly permitted BIMCO’s Members to access this information.

The Bunker Alerts are not intended to be an evaluation of overall bunker quality in the port or area concerned, but usually highlight a specific parameter within the fuel which has raised a quality issue.

Latest piracy reports

 

Latest industry releasable threats

 
 

ELSEWHERE ON BIMCO

Contracts & Clauses

All of BIMCO's most widely used contracts and clauses as well as advice on managing charters and business partners.

Learn about your cargo

For general guidance and information on cargo-related queries.

More about cargo

BIMCO Publications

Want to buy or download a BIMCO publication? Use the link to get access to the ballast water management guide, the ship master’s security manual and many other publications.

About a new business partner

We can help members check new business partners. We also help to recover millions of USD (undisputed) funds every year.