All industry participants will be well aware of the difficulties caused by the recent flourishing of piracy in the western Indian Ocean and elsewhere. A whole vessel security industry continues to grow, particularly in Dubai, as a result. In recent times, minds have turned to consider the liabilities and consequent legal and insurance issues arising

BIMCO has updated its Radioactivity Risk Clause for time charterparties. Several changes have been made to the clause, including a provision to protect owners against the consequences of unknowingly taking on board ballast water contaminated by radioactivity, and an amendment to the radioactivity survey provision. The latter now provides for a fairer allocation of costs

BIMCO has published a slow steaming clause for use in time charterparties. This clause was developed with the aim of balancing Charterers’ wish to control the speed of the vessel by giving express instructions, and Owners’ concerns about the consequences of complying with such instructions.

Various technical and legal issues need to be taken into