The Hill Harmony, a bulk carrier of 15,622 gross tons, was sub-chartered on an amended New York Produce form incorporating the Hague-Visby Rules. In January and again in April 1994, the master ignored orders from the sub-charterers (based on the advice of a weather routing service) to use the great circle route for a voyage from Vancouver to Japan and sailed instead by the more southerly and longer rhumb line route, considerably extending the time taken for each voyage. The sub-charterers deducted from hire in respect of the extra time used and bunkers consumed, claiming that the disponent owners were in breach of Clause 8, in that the master had failed to prosecute the voyages with the utmost despatch and had not obeyed their orders as regards employment.