Legal Definitions - touch

In the context of marine insurance, the term "touch" refers to a vessel making a temporary stop at a port during its insured voyage. This stop is typically brief and for a specific, limited purpose, such as refueling, taking on provisions, making minor repairs, or awaiting better weather, rather than for the primary loading or unloading of its main cargo.

• Example 1: Refueling Stop

  A large container ship, insured for its journey from Singapore to Rotterdam, makes a planned stop for several hours at a port in Sri Lanka. The sole purpose of this stop is to take on additional fuel (bunkers) before continuing its long voyage across the Indian Ocean and through the Suez Canal.

  Explanation: The vessel "touches" at the Sri Lankan port because it makes a temporary, brief halt during its insured voyage for a specific operational need (refueling), not for its main cargo operations.

• Example 2: Shelter from Storm

  A bulk carrier, insured for transporting grain from Argentina to China, encounters an unexpected severe storm system while navigating off the coast of South Africa. To ensure the safety of the crew and the integrity of the cargo, the captain decides to divert and anchor for two days in a sheltered bay of a nearby port until the tempest passes.

  Explanation: The vessel "touches" at the South African port by making a temporary stop for shelter, which is an incidental but necessary deviation from its direct route during the insured voyage.

• Example 3: Crew Change and Provisions

  A specialized offshore support vessel, insured for a multi-month project in the North Sea, has a scheduled stop at a small port in Scotland. During this stop, which lasts less than a day, a few crew members are exchanged, and fresh food supplies and spare parts are loaded onto the ship. No project equipment is loaded or unloaded at this port.

  Explanation: This brief stop for crew rotation and provisioning, without engaging in its primary project activities or cargo operations, qualifies as a "touch" under marine insurance terms.