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30th November 2017

BIMCO and the UN World Food Programme issues modernised charter party

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BIMCO has together with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) updated and modernised the WORLDFOOD voyage charter party used by the UN organisation to transport food to emergency areas around the world. The aim was to create a contract that made WFP’s work easier and faster.

“The WORLDFOOD charter is an essential tool for the WFP as the majority of food that we deliver is transported by chartered ships at sea. It is crucial that we have a charter party that gives us the flexibility required when operating in volatile areas of the world. BIMCO’s input and support during this drafting process has been invaluable,” said Mr Loutphi Madani, Senior Legal Officer of the WFP.

The WFP assists 80 million people in around 80 countries each year, and is the leading humanitarian organisation fighting hunger worldwide. On any given day, WFP has 20 ships on the move, delivering food and other assistance to those in need.

The previous edition of the WORLDFOOD charter was published in 1999, and while the mandate of the UN humanitarian organisation remains to fight hunger globally, commercial practice and the law have changed since then. The focus of the drafting team has been to bring the charter up to date to reflect current commercial practices and legal developments. The opportunity has also been taken to add clarity and remove ambiguities, which in turn will save time during negotiations.

BIMCO is the world’s largest international shipping organisation and represents almost 60% of the world’s commercial fleet. The organisation creates standard contracts for the global shipping industry, to improve efficiency and reduce legal disputes.

"We have been very pleased to work on a standard contract for the WFP that helps them complete their mission, but also to fulfil the shipowner’s requirements, so that our members can help deliver aid in the most efficient manner possible,” said Anna Wollin, Manager, Contracts and Clauses at BIMCO.

The WORLDFOOD 2017 charter party and accompanying cargo receipt, WORLDFOODRECEIPT 2017, are now available on BIMCO’s IDEA contract editing system. Explanatory notes and sample copies can be found on BIMCO’s website at www.bimco.org.

Other members of the WORLDFOOD drafting team were Jean Pierre Laffaye of LD Bulk, Torsten Klüver of Aug. Bolten, Carina Nilsson of WFP, Ottmar Schulte of WFP, Leo Fileti of Banchero Costa, and Judy Binnendijk of Britannia P&I Club.

ENDS

About the World Food Programme

• The World Food Programme (WFP) is a global humanitarian organisation
• WFP is the leading humanitarian organisation fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.
Read more about WFP and its mission on: http://www1.wfp.org/overview 

About BIMCO

BIMCO is the world’s largest international shipping association, with 2,100 members in more than 120 countries. Our global membership includes shipowners, operators, managers, brokers and agents. Our vision is to be the chosen partner trusted to provide leadership to the global industry. Our mission is to provide expert knowledge and practical advice to safeguard and add value to our members’ businesses.

BIMCO’s four core service areas provide value and trusted support to our members:
1. Our products include BIMCO’s world leading standard contracts and clauses for the shipping industry and our contract editor IDEA. We also run the BIMCO Shipping KPI System which can be used to benchmark ships’ operational performance.
2. Regulation: BIMCO takes an active role on behalf of shipowners during discussions and decisions with global and regional regulators. We work towards a level playing field for shipping – including fair trade and open access to markets.
3. Information and advice: we deal with 10,000 member queries every year on many issues and see over three million page views on our website each year. Our staff share their expert knowledge with members, giving practical advice to safeguard and add value to their businesses.
4. Our training activities include face-to-face courses, eLearning, webinars and tailor-made courses for companies.

 

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