I hear ya brudda!
It isnt easy being a shipowner that is for sure. I agree mostly with what you say but consider this...
The shipowners core business revolves around the efficient use of its assets in a fairly dynamic environment. Shipping though is not just about what happens at sea it is also about what happens in port. This is your gig - your core business, you area of supposed expertise and hence your risk to mitigate (or price).
Consider the humble miner of say bauxite. What does a room full of geologists know or understand about laytime issues including the idea of WWD? They just dig and sell and hope for the best. Internally when it comes to logistics they want to get rid of as much risk as possible.
I think your biggest issue (if i may be so bold) is that unfortunately for you, because of shipping market conditions, you are unable to price the risk of 'weather' into your freight rate. Too many dodgy operators and owners who need to justify there existence are willing to turn a blind eye to some of the risks. Shut your eyes and hope for the best. And if the weather is a problem - then internally you can always tell the boss (or the shareholders) that this was an unforseen event and hence the reason your freight rate didnt cover this risk!
So maybe, just maybe this is an issue about competition and cheap pricing (in an industry you choose to be a part of) rather than charterers (a motly disjointed group of people if i ever saw one) collectively pulling one over the shipowners...
Feel free to debate my points PS (palintive shipowner)
Cheers
VS (the devils advocate)
Interesting discussion. Indeed some very creative Charterers out there... I've seen plenty of SOF showing rain/bad weather on hold no. 1 and all other holds working normally :-)
ReplyDeleteNext up for discussion... half despatch !!
Have a great day.
Hi Gary - We have missed you! Feel free to have a crack at the half despatch issue as you see it. That goes for you to Plaintive shipowner!
ReplyDeleteHow about raining at the anchorage where the masters keep his records, and at the berth loading of sugar is possible due to good weather?
ReplyDeleteHave seen this many times speciall at River Plate, where the anchorage is 50-80 miles away of the river.
Is the owner entitled to demurrages, if it's the case? Is that time counted as laytime or excluded due to rain?
Please comment.