​KembaraXtra – Legal Terms – Lay Days (Lying Days)


Lay days, also known as lying days, refer to the number of days agreed in a charterparty during which a charterer is allowed to load or unload cargo without incurring additional charges. These days begin once the ship becomes an “arrived ship,” meaning it has reached the designated berth or is otherwise at the disposal of the charterer.


If loading or unloading is completed within the agreed lay days, the charterer may even receive a reward known as dispatch money. However, if the lay days are exceeded, the charterer may be liable to pay demurrage, which is a form of compensation for the delay. Unless otherwise specified, lay days run continuously, including weekends and holidays.