Seaworthiness has three legal aspects:
(1) technical seaworthiness, relating to the vessel’s design, condition of her hull and machinery, and her stability, etc.; (2) “cargoworthiness”, relating to her suitability for the intended cargo and the condition of her cargo spaces; and (3) “fittedness for the intended voyage” (or “voyage-worthiness”), relating to her equipment (including charts), safe manning, bunkering and stores for the intended voyage. If a claim of alleged unseaworthiness is to be successfully defended by the carrier, charts must be available and corrected up to date, crew must be properly qualified, etc.
