Volcafe Ltd and Others v Compania Sud Americana de Vapores SA – QBD (London Merc Ct) (David Donaldson QC, sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court) – 5 March 2015

Carriage of goods by sea – Consignments of bagged coffee beans in containers carried on LCL/FCL terms – Cargo found to be damaged by condensation – Temporal scope of Hague Rules – Burden of proof – Whether damage inevitable – Whether carrier failed properly and carefully to load and carry the goods

The claimant cargo consignees claimed damages against the defendant container line for condensate damage to nine consignments of coffee beans carried in 20 dry and unventilated containers each loaded with 275 hessian bags of 70 kg from Buenaventura in Colombia to destinations in north Germany.