Lloyd's Maritime Law Newsletter

Admiralty practice – Foreign insolvency proceedings – Vessel sold by order of court – Cargo owners asserting maritime lien and issuing caution against release of proceeds of sale – Whether caution should be struck out or withdrawn on basis that cautioner failed to commence arbitration proceedings in time and shipowner was longer beneficial owner of vessel

Admiralty practice – Time bar – Whether plaintiffs entitled to mandatory extension of two-year limitation period to bring collision action

Admiralty practice – Stakeholders – Bunker suppliers becoming insolvent – Ship operators facing competing claims for price of bunkers supplied – Whether ship operators entitled to rely on “Stakeholders” rule to pay money into court to secure claims and prevent vessels being arrested

Practice – Service out of jurisdiction – Cargo interests bringing cargo claims in Morocco – Shipowner bringing London arbitration and court proceedings in England – Whether bill of lading incorporated charterparty arbitration clause – Whether bills of lading governed by English law – Whether service should be set aside – Whether claimant entitled to anti-suit injunction in favour of London arbitration – Whether claimant entitled to anti-suit injunction in favour of English court proceedings

Practice – Claim form – Service – Buyer bringing claim against shipbuilder for breach of Option Agreement – Whether claim form validly served in England – Forum non conveniens – Companies Act 2006, section 1139(2)

Charterparty - Addendum - Disponent owners chartering vessel for single voyage - Vessel unable to discharge cargo because of absence of receivers - Parties agreeing addendum substituting different discharge port - Charterers agreeing toindemnify disponent owners against losses and expenses arising from charterers' failure to discharge cargo - Whether charterers bound to indemnify disponent owners in respect of costs incurred in transiting Suez Canal

Demurrage – Notice of readiness – Whether valid – Whether vessel legally ready to discharge part cargo – Whether laytime suspended due to “fault” on part of owners – Point of time at which laytime resumed