My force majeure clause was useless until I added a concrete trigger list

Last spring a supplier in Ohio hit a strike and claimed force majeure to dodge a 30 day delay. My contract just said 'events beyond reasonable control' so they walked. I rewrote it to name specific triggers like labor stoppages, shipping port closures, and utility outages with a 72 hour notice requirement. Next time they tried it on a smaller shipment last month and failed because the port was open. Anyone else had a vague clause come back to bite them?

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mason_murray817d ago

and the REAL trick is pairing that trigger list with a force majeure notice that has teeth. I got burned once because the clause listed events but said NOTHING about what happens if they don't prove it. So now I put in a line that says if they claim it, they gotta show me the specific port closure order or strike notice within 72 hours or the claim dies. That little addition saved my ass last year when a trucking company tried to claim "labor shortage" but couldn't show me a single union notice. It turned their vague excuse into a paperwork hurdle they couldn't jump. plus the burden of proof flips to their side, which makes them think twice before even trying.