Laycan: Meaning in Ship Chartering

Laycan is short for "laydays and cancelling": the first and last date between which the ship must arrive and be ready to load the cargo.

What the two dates mean

The laydays date is the earliest day the ship may be ready to load. The cancelling date is the latest day: if the ship is not ready by then, the charterer normally has the right to cancel the charter. A laycan is written as a range, for example "laycan 15-20 November".

Why it matters

For the charterer the laycan matches the ship to the date the cargo is ready. For the ship operator it is the window to plan the previous voyage so that the ship arrives in time. A narrow laycan gives the charterer certainty but leaves the ship operator less room; a wide one is easier to meet.

What if the ship is early or late

A ship that arrives before the laydays date is usually not entitled to start loading, and the charterer may or may not accept the ship early. A ship that is not ready by the cancelling date gives the charterer the option to cancel. The exact rights are in the charter party.

On Shipfixing

When you post a ship request you give the laydays and the cancelling date, so ship operators know the window. Once the ship is ready the notice of readiness starts the laytime.

Post your ship request with your laycan
Shipfixing connects charterers and ship operators. We scan for suitable ships. Voyage requests for ships below 10,000 DWT need no signup and no membership.

Post your ship request with your laycan

Related guides

Shipfixing is a digital platform. We are not a ship broker, ship agent or carrier, and we are not a party to any charter.