In a bareboat charter, who has full control of the vessel and who is responsible for maintenance?

In a bareboat charter, who has full control of the vessel and who is responsible for maintenance?

• A. The charterer has full control of the vessel and is responsible for maintenance.
• B. The owner retains full control of the vessel and is responsible for maintenance.
• C. The crew is provided by the owner.
• D. The vessel operates under a voyage charter.

Answer: (A)

In a bareboat charter, the charterer takes possession and control of the vessel for the charter term, effectively operating it as if they were the owner. Because of that, the charterer is responsible for all day-to-day management, including crewing, provisioning, and maintenance to keep the vessel seaworthy. The owner only retains title and a residual obligation to provide a seaworthy vessel at the start (and to handle certain overarching liabilities), but does not run the ship or handle ongoing maintenance during the charter. This is why the answer that the charterer has full control and is responsible for maintenance is the best fit. The other options don’t align with bareboat structure: the owner wouldn’t be providing the crew for a bareboat, a bareboat is not a voyage charter, and the owner does not maintain day-to-day control.

In a bareboat charter, the charterer takes possession and control of the vessel for the charter term, effectively operating it as if they were the owner. Because of that, the charterer is responsible for all day-to-day management, including crewing, provisioning, and maintenance to keep the vessel seaworthy. The owner only retains title and a residual obligation to provide a seaworthy vessel at the start (and to handle certain overarching liabilities), but does not run the ship or handle ongoing maintenance during the charter. This is why the answer that the charterer has full control and is responsible for maintenance is the best fit. The other options don’t align with bareboat structure: the owner wouldn’t be providing the crew for a bareboat, a bareboat is not a voyage charter, and the owner does not maintain day-to-day control.