Aground

Resting on the bottom.

The situation of a ship when her bottom, or any part of it, rests in the ground.

The bottom of the ship may touch the ground in a loading or discharging port because of tidal changes in the water level. If a charter allows the Charterer to send the ship to a pert where it can safely touch the ground it will contain a clause describing the ship as being “. . . not always afloat but safely aground . . .” (NAABSA)