Bareboat Chartering – Greece
A type of charter is the time charter of a bare vessel, where the owner charters to the charterer a seaworthy vessel, without equipment or crew. Such vessel can be used under any lawful way of exploitation known under maritime practice.
Further, in a sub-charter, the initial charterer, acting as owner, allows a third party (sub-charterer) to use the vessel as above. Duration of such sub-charter cannot exceed the duration of the initial charter. Piraeus Court of Appeal Judgment no 874/ 2013, President: P. Tsandekidou, Rapporteur Judge: L. Morfis, Attorneys at law: A. Semitekoglou, M. Sarris, Maritime Law Review vol. 41, p. 422.
NOTE: Bareboat (Demise) Charterparties can often be the initial contract, from which a series of contracts covering various ways of vessel exploitation can begin: An owner bareboat charters out his vessel, the charterer can equip and crew her and time, sub-charter her further, the time sub charterer can further voyage sub-charter her and the voyage sub-charterer may carry on bill of lading terms. Maritime reality has offered more complex combinations of charters.
The legal column was written by Manolis Eglezos, Attorney at law, Manolis Eglezos & Associates Law Firm, Attorneys at Law and Consultants.