Fixture Recap Checks: Catch Errors Before You Sign Off a Recap
Check every fixture recap line by line against agreed terms and the base charter party so mistakes are caught before they become disputes.
This is for chartering managers, brokers and post-fixture teams who confirm fixture recaps. A recap that quietly differs from what was negotiated, such as a wrong laycan, a missing rider clause or a changed commission, can sit unnoticed until a claim arrives. Then the recap, not the negotiation, is what binds both sides. This post gives you a structured way to check every recap against the agreed terms and the base charter party, with clear ownership and a short list of fields that must never be waved through.
Negotiation runs over two days across a dozen emails and calls. Subjects are lifted late in the evening, and the broker sends a recap stitched together from the offers and counters. The chartering manager skims it on a phone, sees the freight rate and laycan look right, and replies to confirm.
Weeks later, a demurrage question arises and the team discovers the recap refers to an older pro forma, omits an agreed amendment to the laytime clause and states a different address commission from the one negotiated. Everyone agrees what was meant, but the recap is the document on record, and correcting it now means a commercial argument.
A product tanker charterer in Chennai confirmed recaps quickly, often from a phone. After a dispute where the recap referred to an outdated rider, the commercial head introduced a one-page check of high-risk fields and asked the confirming manager to open the final counter alongside each recap. Fixtures above an agreed value now needed a second reviewer. In the first months, the team caught several small discrepancies, including a commission figure and a missing laytime amendment, and corrected them with the broker within the hour. Recaps took slightly longer to confirm, but post-fixture teams stopped finding surprises during laytime and claims work, and broker relationships improved because queries were raised early and politely.
What is a fixture recap?
A recap is the written summary of all terms agreed during negotiation, usually sent by the broker once subjects are lifted. It references the base charter party and riders and becomes the working contract until the full CP is drawn up and signed.
Who is responsible for checking the recap?
Both principals should check it. On each side, the person who negotiated is best placed to compare it with the agreed terms, and a second reviewer adds protection for high-value or unusual fixtures.
What if we find an error after confirming the recap?
Raise it in writing with the broker and counterparty as soon as possible, explaining what was agreed and attaching the relevant counter. Whether it can be corrected depends on the facts, so take advice from counsel if it is disputed.
Does the recap override the charter party?
Usually the recap incorporates the base CP with agreed amendments, and the final CP should reflect the recap. Where they conflict, the outcome depends on the wording and governing law, so check with your legal adviser.
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