Lloyd's Maritime Law Newsletter
The London Steam-Ship Owners’ Mutual Insurance Association Ltd v The Kingdom of Spain (The “Prestige”) (No 4) – QBD (Comm Ct) (Butcher J) [2020] EWHC 1920 (Comm) – 24 July 2020
Conflict of laws – Jurisdiction – State immunity – P&I Club bringing actions against Spain and France to enforce arbitration awards and English judgments – Whether states entitled to immunity – Whether court had jurisdiction
In 2002 the vessel
Prestige broke in two and sank off Cape Finisterre. The vessel’s cargo of fuel oil escaped and polluted the Atlantic coastline of
Spain and France, causing significant damage. The incident led to the institution of criminal proceedings in Spain in late
2002.