Lay-can

Lay-can (short for "laydays / cancelling date") is the window of dates during which a vessel must arrive at the loading port and be ready to load cargo under a voyage or contract-of-affreightment charter. It has two endpoints:

• Laydays: the earliest date the vessel can present and be required to load (vessel cannot tender Notice of Readiness before this)
• Cancelling date: the latest date by which the vessel must be ready — if the vessel doesn't arrive by then, the charterer has the option to cancel the contract without penalty

Lay-can negotiation is one of the most consequential elements of any charter party. A wide lay-can gives the shipowner flexibility but penalises the charterer's scheduling; a narrow lay-can binds the owner tightly. Disputes over lay-can compliance are common in shipping arbitration.