What is force majeure?

Force majeure is a legal clause found in many shipping and terminal contracts. It says that if an extraordinary event outside a party’s control prevents it from doing what it promised, it is not in breach for as long as the event lasts.

Where you see it

A port operator may declare force majeure after a cyberattack that stops its systems, a storm that closes the port, or a strike. The declaration tells customers that the operator will not be held to normal delivery or handling terms until it lifts the declaration.

How we treat it

A force majeure notice is a dated statement by the party that made it, so it is useful evidence of when a disruption began and ended, and we cite it as that. It is a claim by the operator, not a finding about cause. Where an operator gives a reason we attribute it to them, and where an authority has investigated we cite the authority.

See how events are recorded and the event archive.