Legal Definitions - layday

Definition: A day allowed by a voyage charterparty for the charterer to load or unload cargo. If more time is used, the vessel's owner is entitled to compensation for the delay, usually in the form of demurrage. If less time is used, the owner may pay dispatch.

Example: A ship is chartered to transport goods from one port to another. The charterparty specifies that the charterer has 5 laydays to load the cargo. If the cargo is not loaded within those 5 days, the shipowner can charge demurrage for each additional day of delay.

This example illustrates how laydays are used in maritime law to specify the time allowed for loading or unloading cargo. If the laydays are exceeded, the shipowner can charge demurrage to compensate for the delay.