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Head owners refuse to allow vessel to proceed to Duluth after Valleyfield Bridge failure in 1984 - Whether disponent owners liable to sub voyage charterers

In early November 1984, as the vessel was making her way west towards Montreal, her disponent owners entered into a sub-voyage charter for the carriage of a cargo from Duluth to Europe. On 21 November 1984 the Valleyfield Bridge failed, with the result that by the time the vessel reached Chicago to discharge the last of her inbound cargo she was running some 18 days behind schedule. She arrived at Chicago on 18 December, on which date the sub-charterers confirmed the fixture and waived their right to cancel.