Legal Definitions - farvand

Farvand is a historical term used in maritime law that refers to the specific journey or passage by water that a vessel undertakes as agreed upon in a charterparty.

A charterparty is a specialized contract in which a shipowner leases their vessel, or a portion of it, to another party (known as the charterer) for a particular period or a defined voyage. Therefore, "farvand" describes the actual sea journey, including its route, ports of call, and duration, as stipulated within that contractual agreement.

• Example 1: International Cargo Shipment

  A manufacturing company in China charters a container ship to transport a large consignment of electronics to a distribution hub in Los Angeles. The detailed route, including the departure from Shanghai, the specific ports of call, and the final arrival in Los Angeles, all as laid out in their charterparty agreement, would collectively be referred to as the farvand for that particular shipment.

  This example illustrates "farvand" as the specific, contractually defined voyage for commercial cargo transport.

• Example 2: Offshore Energy Support

  An energy company operating an offshore wind farm charters a specialized service vessel to transport technicians and equipment from a coastal port to the wind turbines in the North Sea for maintenance operations. The series of trips between the port and the wind farm, as specified in the charterparty for the duration of the maintenance project, would constitute the farvand.

  This demonstrates "farvand" applying to a set of recurring, contractually obligated voyages supporting offshore operations.

• Example 3: Historical Exploration Voyage

  In the 18th century, a trading company entered into a charterparty with a shipowner to send a vessel on an expedition to explore new trade routes to the East Indies. The entire journey, from the ship's departure from London, its intended stops for resupply, its passage through various oceans, and its eventual return, all meticulously planned and documented in the charter agreement, would have been known as the farvand.

  This example highlights the historical context of the term, showing its application to a complex, multi-stage voyage defined by a charter contract.