Introduction

10.1 The Marine Insurance Act 1906 provides that the adventure insured must be prosecuted with reasonable despatch and in the absence of a lawful excuse, the insurer is discharged from liability when the voyage is not so prosecuted.1 It is also provided that if the cause excusing the delay ceases to operate, the ship must resume her course and prosecute the voyage with reasonable despatch.2 The purpose of those provisions is ‘to minimise the period of risk while the ship and goods are at sea’.3