Category: English Maritime Cases

Shipping industry court rulings and arbitration awards under English law.

Current / English Maritime Cases

London Arbitration 1/24

NORGRAIN FORM - CHANGE OF PORTS – CHANGE IN FREIGHT DUE TO CHANGE OF PORTS - DESPATCH TERMS – DO LOCAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS COUNT FOR LAYTIME PURPOSES A vessel chartered under an amended Norgrain agreement was to transport dense grains from Paranagua, Brazil, to China. The discharge points were initially Zhoushan and Taixing but were later changed to Tianjin. Disputes arose over outstanding freight charges and despatch claims.
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Current / English Maritime Cases

London Arbitration 2/24

TIME CHARTER – NYPE FORM – BUNKERS UPON REDELIVERY – SPEED AND CONSUMPTION CLAIM – WEATHER ROUTING COMPANY – ALLEGED ADDITIONAL / UNAUTHORIZED PORT CALL In a time charter dispute based on an amended NYPE 1946 form, Owners claimed a balance of hire for $79,103.27, while Charterers denied responsibility and counterclaimed for $100,000, alleging the vessel had traveled an extra 250 miles and did not meet speed and consumption warranties.
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Current / English Maritime Cases

London Arbitration 3/24

FORCE MAJEURE - “LAWSUIT” DEFINITION – TIME-BARRED CLAIMS – TIME-CLAUSE – AGREEMENTS ON CHARTER – ARBITRATION In March 2022, a vessel sustained propeller damage on the way to its first load port, leading to the charter party cancellation through force majeure.  Charterers did not initiate arbitration proceedings until over a year later in April 2023. The dispute focused on whether arbitration proceedings were time-barred. Charterers contended that the one-year time bar did not apply due to circumstances surrounding the voyage's cancellation.  
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Current / English Maritime Cases

London Arbitration 17/23

TIME CHARTER – INTER-CLUB AGREEMENT – DISCHARGE TO THREE RECEIVERS - CARGO SHORTAGE – OVER DISCHARGE – DETAINED BY RECEIVERS – OFF HIRE – REIMBURSEMENT OF CREW BONUS FOR DANGEROUS WATERS Disputes in a wheat transport time charter from Ukraine to East Africa involved cargo shortage claims, off-hire due to port delays, and crew bonus issues under an amended NYPE 1946 form. Owners sought $2278K in unpaid hire fees, while charterers counterclaimed for $31K.
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Current / English Maritime Cases / Singapore Maritime Cases

Marchand Navigation Co v Olam Global Agri Pte Ltd and Another –Singapore High Court – 29 Nov 2023

BUNKERS – MARITIME LIEN – DEMURRAGE DEBT – ARBITRATION CLAUSE – SUB-CHARTER – NYPE FORM – VOYAGE CHARTER – FAILURE TO PAY HIRE – ARREST The MARIA THEO I was chartered by Sinco from disponent owners, Marchand Navigation Co. on a NYPE form under English law and with the arbitration in London. Sinco then sub-chartered the vessel to Olam under a voyage charter. Olam incurred demurrage charges, which they agreed to pay Sinco, however, Marchand exercised a lien against Olam, stating breach of the charterparty by Sinco for the failure of Sinco to pay hire and for unpaid bunkers.
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Current / English Maritime Cases

London Arbitration 6/24

TIME CHARTER – NYPE 93 FORM – FAILURE TO TENDER NOR FOR FIVE DAYS – DELAY TO TENDER NOR - LIABILITY OF OWNERS FOR DEMURRAGE NOT EARNED UNDER SUB-CHARTER - CLAUSE 8 – NEGLIGENCE OF AGENTS – DEMURRAGE On a voyage chartered under an amended NYPE 93 form, a dispute arose due to the master's delayed submission of the Notice of Readiness (NOR), leading sub-charterers to contest the commencement of demurrage. Owners contended that the delay was neither deliberate nor negligent, attributing any loss to negligence on the part of the Charterers' agents. Charterers argued that the master's failure constituted a breach of contract and negligence.
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Current / English Maritime Cases

RTI Ltd v MUR Shipping BV – UK Supreme Court – 15 May 2024

APPEAL – US SANCTIONS – CONTRACT OF AFFREIGHTMENT – FORCE MAJEURE AFFECTING DELAY IN LOADING AND DISCHARGE – REASONABLE ENDEAVORS – DOLLAR PAYMENTS REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACT – OFFER TO PAY IN EUROS – OVERCOMING SANCTIONS MUR Shipping sought to overturn a previous decision by the Court of Appeal by focusing on a force majeure clause in their contract with RTI. MUR invoked force majeure due to US sanctions preventing payments in dollars. The appeal examined contractual clarity, contractual rights, and the application of force majeure clauses.
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Current / English Maritime Cases / Featured

London Arbitration 18/23

WEATHER ROUTING COMPANY – DELIVERY AND REDELIVERY TIME – WEATHER LOGS – IN-PORT CONSUMPTION – AIS DATA This arbitration examined disagreements over the delivery of a vessel, its redelivery conditions, in-port fuel consumption, and performance under a charterparty written on a modified NYPE 1946 form. Issues included AIS monitoring, fuel consumption and vessel performance claims.
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English Maritime Cases / Featured

London Arbitration 13/23 

TIME CHARTER – DEATH OF MASTER – COVID-19 – QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS – PANAMA CANAL – OFF-HIRE – CANAL TRANSIT AUTHORITIES – DELAY DUE TO COVID TESTING – HEALTH AUTHORITY HOLD – DETENTION – AMENDED NYPE FORM

Shortly before its arrival at the Panama Canal in May 2021, complications arose on a time charter due to the unfortunate death of the vessel’s master. The vessel was placed on hold until PCR test results were available, delaying transit through the Panama Canal and prompting claims by Charterers of off-hire and detention.

English Maritime Cases

London Arbitration 14/23 

TIME CHARTER – ANCHORAGE IN MISSISSIPPI – HURRICANE IDA – GROUNDING – 360-DEGREE SWING ANCHOR CHAIN ENTANGLEMENT – TUG ASSISTANCE – DELAYS – OFF-HIRE – UNSAFE ANCHORAGES –INDEMNIFICATION OF OWNERS – CLAUSE 8 OF NYPE FORM – BREACH OF WARRANTY – VESSEL ALWAYS AFLOAT – ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE OF MASTER – HULL FOULING – FRESH OR BRACKISH ANCHORAGE WATER – LATE EVIDENCE.

A vessel was chartered for an 80-90 day one-way trip from the US Gulf to China under an amended NYPE 1946 form with additional clauses. Berthing in New Orleans/Mississippi River was delayed by Hurricane Ida, leading to a 34-day wait at Alliance Anchorage. After loading bulk corn, the vessel sailed on September 27, 2021, and was redelivered in China on December 7, 2021. Arbitration was sought to resolve disputes over final hire accounts, grounding of the vessel, fouling of the hull, and alleged negligence of the master.