概述

租家使用油轮作为浮动储罐的操作实务并不新鲜。但不同的是，当下因油价崩塌部分也因新冠疫情影响而出现的大批油轮被期租作为浮动储罐来满足储存的需求。因此，BIMCO近期收到不少关于“浮动储罐”条款的咨询以及船东应当在期租合同中如何添加额外措辞。

在期租合约下，船东同意租家可以支配船舶并就船舶具体使用给与合法的命令和指示。在租约约定的范畴内，租家有权决定装运什么样的货物以及在哪里装卸该货物，租家也有权指示船舶继续等待。

因此，期租合约可以轻易地被“定制化”从而使得租家可以将船舶作为浮动储罐来使用。在期租下租家默认承担船东因执行其命令而造成后果的赔偿责任。某些油轮期租合约本身含有“存储条款”，但通常较为笼统地以船舶可作为储罐的选择权的规定出现，所以租家无需额外的措辞就可以这样操作。

举例而言，在BIMCO和BP联合制订的BPTIME3的租约中，第21条储存条款就约定

“租家有权选择将船舶作为浮动储罐来使用，但租家承诺将不会在船舶战争险保险人需额外征收保费的区域开展此项业务”

跟大多数的油轮存储条款一样，船舶作为浮动储罐使用多带来的后果、责任和义务依赖于租约其他条款来调整。然而，大多数存储条款不会写明长期存储，而这对船东而言含义深远。当下形势下我们可能会看到船舶被要求长时间抛锚或漂浮用来储油的现象。

这就对船东带来了以下重要事项，值得其深思：

谁来支付船底清洗费用？

第一个问题是船舶长时间抛锚或漂浮后船底生成的海洋生物和其他水下物体该如何解决。上述物体会对船舶表现产生冲击并增加船壳清洗的成本。在常见的定期租约下船东有义务维护船体良好状况。然而，如果船体海洋生物的产生是租家要求船舶等候的直接后果，那么租家对此负责—包括船东对船舶状况表现的保证义务中止直至船体被清洗，当然也包括租家承担该项清洗费用。为解决此类问题，BIMCO推荐将BIMCO2019船底污染条款并入租约。

在哪里等？是否安全？

第二个问题是约定的船舶作为浮动储罐等候或漂浮的地点。这当然必须是船舶和船员而言一个安全的地点，因此我们建议船东并入BIMCO2013定期租船战争险条款和BIMCO2013定期租船海盗条款。上述条款允许船东要求租家将船舶仅在没有实际的或威胁的战争风险以及存在海盗威胁的区域作业（应当承认船舶漂浮或锚泊状态比正常航行时更易受到袭击）

对存储货物的照料

第三个问题是存储期间以及延长存储可能对货物、船舱、阀门和管路等带来的影响。适当的保险至关重要，因此双方应当分别咨询各自的保险人（货物、保赔协会、污染等）以便了解是否需要额外保费以及哪一方承担。考虑到船东在合约下有义务照料存储的货物，而油品货物随着时间推移品质会降级，因此必须要充分考虑货物本质特性并且紧密监测货物状态。此外，还应当注意长时间闲置对船舱涂层和货物相关设备带来的影响，因为通常情况下这些都属于船东的维护职责范围。

配备船员的必要规定

第四个问题是和船员有关。如果船舶定位于某个较偏远区域，那么船舶物料和淡水补给以及船员换班（尽管当下这是一个全球性的挑战）就不太可能。船东可能会考虑获得一项允许船舶绕航至就近区域实现上述补给或换班的权利，双方对该等成本如何分摊达成一致。BIMCO2010自由和绕航条款可轻松为定期租船合约所用。

浮动储罐是否影响船舶发动机

第五个问题是如果船舶在定期租约下被“重新定位”为浮动储罐，船东应当关注定期租约下船舶描述部分，尤其是因船舶发动机低使用而带来的技术影响。

对额外增加的天数协商一个新租金

第六个也是最后一个值得考虑的问题是租金率和租期。如果你签署了一个航次期租或者短期租约，那么最好船东和租家对一旦因油品货物没有合适市场而导致租期延长的争议事先约定。超出天数的租金率或者选择期间首先需要磋商。

概言之，我们推荐下述内容来规避油轮作为浮动储罐所带来的潜在额外风险和成本：

船舶履行和船底污染条款—并入BIMCO2019船底污染条款

战争和海盗风险—并入BIMCO2013定期租船战争险条款和BIMCO2013定期租船海盗条款

货物—考虑货物随时间推移而品质降级的风险，向保险人咨询并确定额外保费成本

船员—确保船员可获得补给，这或许要求船舶绕航至就近可实现补给或换班的港口或地点。此等绕航的费用分摊可参见BIMCO2010自由和绕航条款

船舶描述—船东应当关注当船舶重新定位浮动储罐时的船舶规范描述

租金—约定允许期间或超期天数的租金率

BIMCO FLOATING STORAGE CLAUSE FOR TANKERS: WHAT TO COVER

Overview

The practice of charterers using oil tankers for floating storage is certainly not a new concept. What’s different with the current demand for storage is the huge number of ships being time chartered for floating storage purposes due to the collapse in oil prices, partly as a result of COVID-19. Therefore, BIMCO is receiving enquiries about “floating storage” clauses and questions about what additional wording owners should consider adding to their time charters.

Under a time charter party, owners place the ship at the disposal of charterers who can then give orders and directions for the employment of the ship, provided those orders are lawful. Within the limits agreed in the charter party, charterers can decide what cargoes are to be loaded and where they are to be loaded and discharged – but they can also instruct the ship to wait, pending further orders.

So, a time charter party can easily be “re-purposed” to enable charterers to use the ship for floating storage. Under time charters, an indemnity by charterers will generally be implied against the consequences of owners complying with charterers’ orders. Some tanker time charter parties include a “storage clause”, but these are often very brief provisions simply conferring an option to use the ship as storage, which they could most likely do anyway without the need for additional wording.

An example of a storage clause is Clause 21 from BPTIME 3 which was jointly developed by BIMCO and BP:

“Charterers shall have the option of using the Vessel for floating storage, but charterers undertake not to use the Vessel for floating storage in areas where additional premiums for War Risks Insurance are charged by the Vessel’s War Risks Insurance underwriters.”

Like most tanker storage clauses, the provision largely relies on other clauses in the time charter to govern the consequences, responsibilities and liabilities of the ship being used for floating storage. However, most storage clauses were not written with long term storage in mind, and the implications for owners could therefore be far reaching. In the present scenario we may be looking at potentially very long periods during which ships will be used to store oil when anchored or drifting.

From an owners’ perspective this gives rise to some important considerations:

Who pays for hull cleaning?

The first is the consequence of marine growth on the hull and other underwater parts while the ship is stationary or drifting. This will have an impact on the ship’s performance and a cost element in terms of cleaning the hull. The usual position under a time charter is that the owners are responsible for maintaining the condition of the hull. However, if fouling occurs as a direct result of charterers’ orders for the ship to wait, then they should be responsible for the consequences – which include a suspension of owners’ performance warranties until the hull is clean, and the obligation to pay for hull cleaning. To address this situation, BIMCO recommends that the BIMCO’s Hull Fouling Clause 2019 is incorporated into the time charter.

Where to wait? Is it safe?

The second is the agreed location for the ship to wait or drift when used as floating storage. It must of course be a safe place for the ship and crew and so we recommend that owners include BIMCO’s War Risks Clause for Time Charter Parties 2013 (CONWARTIME 2013) and BIMCO’s Piracy Clause for Time Charter Parties 2013. These clauses permit owners to require charterers to operate the ship only in areas where there is no actual or threatened war risks and to avoid areas where a threat of piracy exists (recognising that a drifting or anchored ship is exposed to a greater threat of attack than a ship underway).

Caring for the stored cargo

The third consideration is the duration of storage and the impact that extended storage may have on the condition of the cargo and the ship’s tanks, valves and pipework, etc. Proper insurance is an important aspect and both parties should check with their respective insurers (cargo, P&I, pollution, etc) if additional insurance premiums may be required and which party should bear the cost. Owners are contractually obliged to care for the stored cargo, so it is important that the characteristics of the cargo are taken into account and the condition of the cargo closely monitored, bearing in mind that oil products may degrade over time. In addition, there may be an impact on tank coatings and cargo-related equipment due to prolonged idleness which normally fall under owners’ maintenance obligations.

Supplying the crew with necessary provisions

The fourth consideration relates to crew. If the ship is located in a remote area, it may not be possible to obtain provisions and fresh water or to do crew changes (although that is a challenge worldwide at present). Owners may wish to consider a right to deviate the ship to the nearest location where these things can be done and how the costs should be allocated between the parties. BIMCO’s Liberty and Deviation Clause 2010 can be easily adapted for time charters.

Will floating storage impact the engines?

The fifth consideration is that if the ship is to be “re-purposed” as a floating storage unit under the time charter agreement, owners should review the ship’s time charter description in relation to the potential technical impact of the low use of the ship’s engines.

Negotiating a rate of hire for additional days

The sixth and final point for consideration is the rate of hire and duration of the charter. If you fix on a trip charter or short period charter, it could help avoid disputes if owners and charterers agree on what happens in case the charter period is exceeded because there is no suitable market for the oil cargo. A rate of hire for additional days or optional periods could be negotiated up front.

In summary, we recommend the following for tankers being used as floating storage to address the potential additional risks and costs:

1. Performance and hull fouling - Incorporate BIMCO’s Hull Fouling Clause 2019 for time charter parties.

2. War and Piracy Risks – Incorporate BIMCO’s War Risks Clause for Time Charter Parties 2013 (CONWARTIME 2013) and BIMCO’s Piracy Clause for Time Charter Parties 2013

3. Cargo – be aware of risk of cargo degrading over time. Consult with insurers and allocate cost of any additional premiums.

4. Crew – making sure the crew obtain provisions – this may require the ship to deviate to a nearest port or place where provisions and other facilities are available. Allocation of costs for deviation. See BIMCO’s Liberty and Deviation Clause 2010

5. Ship’s description – owners should look at the time charter description of the ship in the context of the ship being re-purposed for floating storage.

6. Hire – agree optional periods or rates of hire for days used beyond the agreed charter redelivery date.