Days. When a charterparty provides for laytime to be fixed or calculable this can be referred to a number of “days”. The number of days is sometimes called “laydays” but this term is better used for the “Laydays and Cancelling” clause.
Laytime can also be described in such a manner that it is neither fixed nor calculable, such as that the cargo is to be loaded “as fast as the ship can receive”. This has less certainty than the use of “days” (or hours). Under this heading in this chapter, different varieties of “days” will be discussed.
The word “day” is defined “in the Charterparty Laytime Definitions 1980” as: “a continuous period of 24 hours, which, unless the context otherwise requires, runs from midnight to midnight”.
All purposes. (“d.a.p.”). When laytime can be added together by the Charterer fur loading and discharging operations as if one total time is specified to cover both operations, this is “reversible laytime” and is referred to as the number of days. far all purposes In a laytime calculation based on reversible laytime a specific clause must the charterer the option and the charterer must exercise the option after declaring that he is doing so. Alternatively, some conduct of his may imply that he does not wish to exercise the option. An example of the latter situation would be where a charterparty contains the option to reverse laytime but the charterer claims and receives despatch at the loading port if the loading operations are completed before the laytime expires.
The expression “all purposes” should not be taken to refer to periods used which are exceptions to laytime, such as Sundays and Holidays.
