Circular No. 1/00 - Voyage Surcharges for U.S. Trading Tankers - 2000 Policy Year


 




 


 

JANUARY 10, 2000

CIRCULAR NO. 1/00

TO MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Dear Member:

VOYAGE SURCHARGES FOR U.S. TRADING TANKERS: 2000 POLICY YEAR

The current system of charging voyage surcharges for tankers trading to the United States will continue for the next policy year. Happily, however, in light of a continuingly improved record for oil pollution claims over the decade since the EXXON VALDEZ accident, the surcharges for the 2000 policy year show significant reductions.

As is the case at present, a differential will apply as between those vessels which have segregated ballast tanks (SBT) and those which are not so equipped. In order to qualify for the lower rates applicable to the SBT category of tonnage, a vessel must be equipped with segregated ballast tanks as defined by Regulation 13 of Annex 1 to MARPOL 73/78.

Tankers with SBT will attract a surcharge of US $0.075 per gross ton per voyage in 2000, down from US $0.11 in 1999. Non-SBT tankers will pay US $0.085 per gross ton per voyage in 2000, down from US $0.13 in 1999. As is the case in the current year, a 20 voyage "cap" will continue to apply. Equally, the 50% reduction for tankers calling at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) or other designated lightening areas will continue.

Members may find the following table to be of assistance in setting out the 2000 policy year arrangements.

 

VESSEL CATEGORY

 

Non-SBT

 

SBT

 

Basis

 

(i) Tankers of 1,001 gt or more

 

LOOP/lightening

 

$0.085

 

$0.0425

 

$0.075

 

$0.0375

 

per gt per voyage

 

per gt per voyage

 

(ii) Tankers of 1,000 gt or less - either

    • or

 

$85

 

$1,700

 

$75

 

$1,500

 

per voyage

 

per annum

 

(iii) Parcel tankers carrying 5,000 or less of persistent oil as cargo

 

$255

 

$225

 

per voyage

 

(iv) Parcel tankers carrying 5,001 – 10,000 mt of persistent oil as cargo

 

$640

 

$560

 

per voyage

 

(v) Parcel tankers carrying 10,001 mt or more

of persistent oil as cargo

 

$0.085

 

$0.075

 

per gt per voyage

The footnote below contains the definitions which apply to the terms used on the previous page.

The Managers will be pleased to respond to any questions Members may have in regard to the above, or generally.


Yours faithfully,


Joseph E.M. Hughes, Chairman & CEO
Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., Managers for
THE AMERICAN CLUB

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