What it does
A bunkering port liberty allows the vessel to call at ports to take on fuel during the voyage or service, confirming that such calls, and any reasonable deviation they involve, are permitted rather than a breach of the obligation to proceed by the contractual route. It gives the ship the practical freedom to bunker where it is convenient and economical to do so.
The liberty matters because, without it, a call or detour to bunker might be questioned as an unjustified deviation, with the serious consequences that follow. The clause therefore authorises bunkering calls as part of the permitted conduct of the voyage, and it is read with the deviation doctrine and any general liberty clause that governs departures from the route.
Commercial effect
The clause supports efficient bunkering by letting the ship take fuel at advantageous ports without risking a deviation claim, which benefits whichever party bears the fuel cost by allowing fuel to be bought where it is cheaper or more convenient. It removes a legal obstacle to sensible fuel procurement during the voyage.
The scope of the liberty matters, since a bunkering call still involves some time and a possible detour, and the other party has an interest in the voyage not being unduly prolonged for fuel convenience. The clause is read alongside the deviation and liberty provisions, which set the broader limits on departures, and it sits within the bunker-cost economics that make the bunkering choice worthwhile.
Owner's perspective
The owner wants the freedom to bunker at convenient and economical ports without the call being treated as an unjustified deviation that could strip its contractual defences. Where it bears fuel cost, it values being able to buy fuel where it is cheaper, and even where the charterer supplies bunkers, it wants operational flexibility to take fuel safely and efficiently.
The owner therefore wants the liberty clearly granted and consistent with the general liberty and deviation provisions, so that bunkering calls are authorised conduct. It treats the liberty as a practical necessity for operating the ship and negotiates it so that ordinary bunkering does not expose it to the severe consequences a wrongful deviation can carry.
Charterer's perspective
The charterer accepts that the ship must bunker but wants the liberty confined to reasonable calls and detours, so that the voyage is not unduly prolonged or the cargo delayed for bunkering convenience. It is conscious that excessive bunkering detours could add time and, on a voyage charter, affect its interests in a timely voyage.
The charterer therefore wants the liberty tied to genuine bunkering needs and reasonable routing, consistent with the deviation and general liberty provisions. It negotiates the clause so the ship can bunker efficiently without the liberty becoming a licence for departures that serve fuel economics at the expense of the voyage the charterer bargained for.
Negotiation points
- The scope of the liberty to call at ports for bunkering.
- Whether and how far a deviation for bunkering is permitted.
- The consistency of the liberty with the deviation and general liberty provisions.
- Limits to prevent bunkering calls unduly prolonging the voyage.
Common variations
- A liberty to call at any convenient port to take on bunkers.
- A bunkering liberty incorporated within a wider general liberty clause.
- A clause permitting bunkering deviations that are reasonable in the circumstances.
- A provision confirming bunkering calls are not a breach of the route obligation.
Charter party clause wordings vary between standard forms, riders and individual fixtures. This library explains the commercial concept, not your contract — always check the actual charter party you are working with. This is general information, not legal advice.