The International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has urged its shipmanager members to seek legal advice before entering into any contracts with owners relating to the laying-up of vessels. ITIC said there has been a recent sharp increase in the number of lay-up contracts which it has been asked to review. Some of these agreements are based on amended shipmanagement contracts, where the manager acts as agent for and on behalf of the owner. Other agreements involve the manager offering lay-up services to the owner as a principal rather than as agent. ITIC points out, “Where the manager offers these services as an agent of the owner, it will arrange for the appropriate anchorage to be sourced and also arrange for the maintenance and repair of the vessel.