What is ATDNSHINC and When Is It Used?

The business of vessel chartering is known for having many types of acronyms and abbreviations. This is because there are various types of terms and conditions that govern a time charter agreement. One common delivery term is ATDNSHINC. 

ATDNSHINC: Any Time Day/Night Sundays and Holidays INCluded

ATDNSHINC stands for Any Time Day/Night Sundays and Holidays Included. This acronym is typically used in time charter agreements and indicates vessel delivery terms by the vessel owner to the charterer, or when the charterer redelivers the vessel back to the vessel owner. 

In essence, if the delivery terms state ATDNSHINC, it means that the charter duration commences the moment the vessel arrives, which can be at any time during day or night, even on Sundays or public holidays.

It forms part of the information for the booking, offer and contract of chartered vessels. Additionally, it’s also mentioned in the time charter agreement itself, as well as the terms and conditions. This article will further explain how and where the ATDNSHINC term is indicated and why it’s used instead of exact dates and times. 

How and Where is ATDNSHINC Indicated?

When booking charter vessels, requirements, rates and conditions need to be very specific so that the shipowners can provide a firm offer to the charterer. As such, there are often long abbreviations and acronyms in the vessel charting business such as the term ATDNSHINC.

Below is an example of a firm offer from a shipowner to a company who wishes to charter one of their vessels for a 6 month period. Take note of how and where the delivery term ATDNSHINC is mentioned in the agreement. 

• Vessel: Chipolbrok Pacific I
• Owners: EastWest Ships Ltd.
• Dely: afsps Antwerp atdnshinc
• Laycan: May 24-31, 2021, 00:01-23:59 hrs LT
• Duration: 6 months
• Cargo and trading exclusions: To be discussed and agreed upon.
• Hire rate: $9,000.00 pdpr

Based on the example given, the firm offer presented is for the vessel Chipolbrok Pacific I owned by EastWest Ships Ltd for delivery upon arrival at the first sea pilot station (asps) in Antwerp any time of day and night, Sundays and holidays included (atdnshinc). 

The laycan (laydays canceling) period is from May 24 – 31, 2021. The charter period is 6 months and the cargo and trading exclusions are to be discussed and mutually agreed upon at a later stage. The agreement also stipulates a hire rate of $9,000 per day pro-rata (pdpr).

Why is ATDNSHINC Used Instead of Exact Dates?

You may be wondering why the term ATDNSHINC is used, instead of indicating a firm delivery date and time, for example May 21, 2021. There are several reasons for that, which we will explore in the following segment. 

Ship charter or tramp services do not have a permanent service call compared to liner services. Ships do not have a fixed route to service and are subject to the next charter agreements. 

These charter agreements may indicate a specific delivery or redelivery location that requires repositioning of the vessel. As it’s hard to time the exact arrival of an ocean vessel, the charter agreement typically commences with the delivery terms and location. 

Here are some of the reasons why it’s hard to time vessel arrivals to exact dates, and why sometimes the ATDNSHINC is opted for:

• Whether conditions during voyage
• Port congestion 
• Heavy marine traffic 
• Delayed inspections

Instead, ATDNSHINC is used and means that the charter duration starts upon the arrival of the vessel to the nominated delivery location, at any time whether it’s day or night, weekends or on a public holiday.