10/89

Asbatankvoy charter - Whether “half-rate” demurrage provision in clause 8 applies where relevant cause occurs before ship goes on demurrage

The vessel was chartered on the Asbatankvoy form. Clause 8 provided that charterers were to pay demurrage “for all time that loading and discharging and used laytime as elsewhere herein provided exceeds the allowed laytime elsewhere herein specified” and went on to provide that if “demurrage shall be incurred . . . by reason of fire, explosion . . . breakdown of machinery . . . the rate of demurrage shall be reduced one half of the amount stated . . . for demurrage so incurred . . .”