BARECON 2017 out now.

In December 2017 BIMCO published the new version of its bareboat charter form, BARECON. The main changes to its predecessor, BARECON 2001 are:

• The shipowner now owes an absolute obligation to deliver the vessel in a seaworthy condition, as opposed to being obliged to exercise due diligence to make the vessel seaworthy on delivery. If the charterer has inspected the vessel before delivery, the owner must deliver the vessel to the charterer in the same condition, fair wear and tear excepted. (Cl 3(a)).

• An option to extend the charter period at a pre-agreed rate is now included (cl.2).

• Charterer and owner are given the right to place representatives on board before delivery and redelivery (cl.6) and have the option to arrange for an underwater inspection of hull, rudder and propeller in the condition survey on delivery and redelivery (cl.7).

• Charterers remain liable for undertaking any structural changes mandated by compulsory legislation but two options are provided for allocating their costs. The default position is that all costs are for charterer’s account. The second option is to provide a pre-determined formula for the apportionment of the costs.(Cl 13(b).

• The words ‘in respect of which time shall be of the essence’ have been removed from the provision relating to payment of hire and this now provides a prescribed grace period of three banking days (cl.15).

• The insurance provisions in cl. 17 have been amended so as to take account of the decision in The Ocean Victory, so as to provide that payment of insurance to cover the owners loss does not prevent the owners or their insurers from claiming against the charterer, nor the owner or the charterer, or their insurers, from claiming against third parties. Cl.19(a) provides that the bareboat charterers are to become liable to damages if the vessel becomes a total loss. Clause 17 provides two for taking out insurance. First, charterers to insure for Hull and Machinery, war, and P&I risks. Second, owners to insure for Hull and Machinery and war risks, charterers to insure against P&I risks.

• The charter now contains anti-corruption (cl.28) and sanctions clauses (cl.29) based on the existing BIMCO clauses, amended for a bareboat charter context.

• The owner’s right to withdraw is now described as a right to terminate, and the war risk clause has been deleted from the termination provisions (cl.31).

• The optional provisions in relation to newbuildings in Part III now include a right on the part of charterers to request a change order to the vessel’s specifications in accordance with the terms of the building contract, with charterers bearing any additional costs, and the termination provisions are amended so that the owner has the right to terminate the charter in the event it becomes entitled to cancel the building contract.