Shipbrokers and operators have been warned to check charters closely after a clause regarding armed personnel on a tanker ended up costing a manager dearly.
UK insurer International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) said the unnamed company believed that the terms of an agreement allowed it to place guards on a tanker entering West African waters at the charterer's expense.
Security personnel were appointed at a cost of $170,000, but the charterer refused to pay.
The charterparty included provisions for guards, but their use was not mandatory and the charterer was liable only for the first $20,000 in any case.
The charterer offered to pay that $20,000, and the owner demanded that the manager make up the shortfall.
ITIC said: "The owner pointed out that it had sent the manager voyage orders stating that the decision to appoint armed guards was one for the owner to make.
"It had in fact only appointed armed guards for one out of the last ten calls to the area and on that occasion the charterparty required the charterer to pay the security bill in full."
ITIC added it has seen a number of claims caused by shipbrokers and managers acting on their recollection of a charter wording, as opposed to checking what it actually says.
The insurer reimbursed the full claim of $150,000.
