London Arbitration 9/03

Laytime - Force majeure - Exceptions clause providing that time lost by reason of strikes should not count as laytime - Bomb explosion near discharge port whilst vessel waiting to berth - Bomb explosion causing death of stevedore - Other stevedores refusing to work in sympathy with colleague’s death - Whether stevedores’ refusal of work constituted a "strike" within meaning of exceptions clause

The vessel was chartered on the Gencon form as amended to load a cargo of generals and steels from the Black Sea and East Mediterranean to one to three safe ports Dakar-Duala range including Nigeria. Clause 19 of the charter provided for 27 (weather working days Sundays and holidays excepted) days laytime for loading and discharging the cargo, and for laytime to start at 0800.