Category: U.S. Maritime Cases
NYPE -- GROUNDING -- SAFE PORT WARRANTY -- GOOD NAVIGATION AND SEAMANSHIP -- OFF HIRE -- REPAIR COSTS -- Charterer Award
The Vessel grounded on an uncharted reef on her approach to the discharge port, Makassar, Indonesia, causing hull damage, loss of time, additional bunker consumption and other related expenses. At issue is whether Charterer breached the safe port warranty or whether Owner failed in exercising good navigation and seamanship.
AMERICANIZED WESLSH COAL CHARTERPARTY -- FAILURE TO PROVIDE CARGO -- DEMURRAGE -- LOST PROFITS -- Partial Owner Award
Despite Charterer’s ongoing promise to supply cargo, after waiting 95 days, the Owner canceled the contract. Demurrage was awarded up to the time of contract cancellation, however, Owner’s claim for lost profits did not succeed owing to a lack of supporting evidence.
CONTRACT OF AFFREIGHTMENT (COA) -- CONTRACT PRECEDENCE -- CHARTER CONSTRUCTION -- FREIGHT CALCULATION AND REIMBURSEMENT -- CARGO RELET -- Partial Owner Award
Four years into an eight-year COA, Charterer started charging security and docking fees for vessels loading/discharging at their owned, nominated berth. In a previous award, the Panel held that Charterer had established a precedent which precluded them from charging Owner for these costs on time chartered vessels. This award covers the decis spot fixed relet voyages where these costs were factored into higher freight rates against and the calculation.
GENCON -- DETENTION DUE TO VESSEL GROUNDING -- UNPAID FREIGHT BEFORE BREAKING BULK (BBB) -- CARGO LEIN -- OUTSTANDING LIABILITY -- Owner Award
Owner commenced Shortened Arbitration Procedures to recover $33K in demurrage, detention, and ancillary costs under two voyages. At issue under the first voyage concerned the Charterer’s “safe berth, safe port, always afloat” obligation as it relates to the Vessel’s grounding at the loadport, subsequent hull inspection costs, and departure delay. Under the second voyage the Owner enforced a lien on the cargo while awaiting Charterer’s freight payment and seeks compensation for detention.
AGENCY AGREEMENT -- CHOICE OF LAW -- JURISDICTION OF DISPUTE -- LEGAL AUTHORITY OF SIGNATORY -- CONTRACT AMBIGUITY -- Partial Owner Award
For over seven years, the contract partners performed under an Agency Agreement dated 1 July 2005. During that time, some issues arose with regard to the formation and legality of the Contract, whether to apply U.S. or Austrian law, as well as questions of conduct like infringements and monetary claims. In this award the Panel must determine the governing law and jurisdiction.
ASBATANKVOY -- AMBIGUITY OF OWNER NAMED IN CHARTER PARTY -- CONTRACT REFORMATION -- DEMURRAGE -- Partial Owner Award
This partial final award addresses the claimant’s right to assert a demurrage claim against Charterer, when the claimant is not expressly named as the Owner in the fixture recap. Star Tankers, as disponent Owner, filed a demurrage claim with Charterer which was rejected on the basis that the charter party names the Owner as Scerni Di Navigazion.
GENCON -- FAILURE TO PROVIDE CARGO -- BEST EFFORTS -- DAMAGES -- Owner Award
After the Vessel’s arrival at the loadport, the Charterer’s representative notified the Disponent Owner that they were unable to provide a cargo for the Vessel and had to cancel the charter party. The Disponent Owner brought arbitration proceedings against the Charterer to recover costs associated with their breach.
NYPE -- CHAIN OF TIME CHARTERS -- CONTAMINATED BUNKERS -- WHETHER CHARTERER PREJUDICED BY FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE IN EARLIER CONSOLIDATED DISPUTE -- Owner Award
After bunkering, the Vessel sailed to the next port prior to receiving the bunker test results showing that the bunkers were off-spec (after the bunkers were already partially consumed). At the consolidated proceedings, the Owner was deemed liable for the resultant machinery damage but was awarded costs for debunkering, tank cleaning, rebunkering, and associated costs. At issue in this dispute is whether the last Charterer in the chain, who freely chose not to participate in the consolidated proceedings, is liable to indemnify the Time Chartered Owner.
ASBATANKVOY -- CARGO CONTAMINATION -- CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY SEA ACT (COGSA) -- Owner Award
Charterer alleged that their cargo of Acrylonitrile (ACN) was allegedly contaminated onboard the Vessel resulting in a yellowing to a color rating of APHA 13 (exceeding the maximum resale spec of APHA 10).
SHELLTIME 4 -- TIME CHARTER -- OIL MAJOR APPROVALS -- WRONGFUL EARLY REDELIVERY -- MEASURE OF DAMAGES -- Owner Award
At dispute is whether the Charterer’s clause requiring three Oil Major approvals throughout the duration of the time charter is ambiguous when blanket approvals are no longer given; and, whether Charterer’s early redelivery was wrongful.
