Standard-form LNG voyage charters are here to stay

There are some in the industry who question whether there is any need for a standard-form LNG voyage charter but the landscape is changing.

First there was the International Group of LNG Importers (GIIGNL) form and soon the Baltic and International Maritime Council (Bimco) will release their LNG voyage charter form. So will the industry use them?

Parties who are shipping commodities such as oil use voyage charters every day and there are numerous standard forms such as BPVOY4 [devised by energy major BP].