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Affreightment - Law Dictionary Search Results

Home Dictionary Name: affreightment

Affreightment

Affreightment [fr. fret, Fr.], the contract of a shipowner to carry goods for the payment called freight. See CHARTER-PARTY; BILL OF LADING....


Demurrage

Demurrage, a term used in commercial navigation, signifying on allowance made to the owners of a ship by the freighter, for detaining her in port longer than the period agreed upon for her sailing. It is usually stipulated in charter-parties and bills of lading, that a certain number of days, called running or working or lay days, shall be allowed for receiving or discharging the cargo, and that the freighter may detain the vessel for a further specified time, or as long as he pleases, on payment of so much per diem for such overtime. When the contract of affreightment expressly stipulates that so many days shall be allowed for discharging or receiving the cargo, and so many more for overtime or demurrage days, such limitation is interpreted as an express stipulation on the part of the freighter that the vessel shall in no event be detained longer; if detained the charterer, is liable for damages for breach of contract for which the rate of demurrage is generally the measure. This hold...


Maritime law

Maritime law, the law relating to harbours, ships, and seamen. An important branch of the commercial law of maritime nations; divided into a variety of departments, such as those about harbours, property of ships, duties and rights of masters and seamen, contracts of affreightment, average salvage, etc. No system or code of maritime law has ever been issued by authority in Great Britain. The laws and practices that now obtain amongst us have been founded on the practice of merchants, the principles of the Civil Law, the laws of Oleron and Wisby the works of juris-consults, the judicial decisions of our own and foreign countries, etc. though still susceptible of amendment, our system corresponds more nearly than any other system of maritime law with those universally recognised principles of justice and general convenience on which merchants and navigators should act.The decisions of Lord Mansfield did much to fix the principles and to improve and perfect the maritime law of England. It...


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