Lloyd's Maritime Law Newsletter

Charterparty – Frustration – Vessel chartered for carriage of fuel oil from Turkmenistan to Russia via Volga-Don Shipping Canal – Vessel being refused entry to Canal before winter closure – Vessel having to retrace steps – Vessel ordered to discharge cargo at port in Caspian Sea – Whether owners at fault – Whether owners entitled to additional freight and costs incurred in consequence of deviation – Construction of Interim Port Clause

Sale of goods – Bunkers – Non-payment – Construction of clause providing for payment of interest – Bunker sale contract providing for conferring of maritime lien – Whether open to arbitration tribunal to declare existence of maritime lien – Costs

Docks and harbours – Vessel grounding on sandbar at mouth of River Boyne – Sandbar within limits of Drogheda Harbour managed by defendant port company – Whether defendant liable – Whether breach of statutory duty – Whether defendant “occupier” of entrance to harbour – Whether defendant in breach of duty – Whether grounding caused by alleged incorrect advice on part of defendant as to maximum sailing draft

Demurrage – Time bar – Charterparty providing for demurrage claims to be notified to charterers within 30 days after completion of discharge – Whether “date of completion” to be ascertained according to local time at place of discharge or according to time zone which had the closest and most real connection with the provision in question – Whether claim time-barred