AI Georgis Oil Trading Ltd v AG Shipping & Energy Pte Ltd (The “Marquessa”) – QBD (Comm Ct) (Henshaw J) [2021] EWHC 2319 (Comm) – 17 August 2021

Charterparty – Charterers failing to pay hire promptly – Owners treating charterers’ conduct as repudiatory – Owners claiming accrued hire up to termination of charter and for damages for charterers’ breach – Summary judgment

The claimant owners chartered their vessel Marquessa to the defendant charterers on an amended Shelltime 4 form dated 1 June 2020. The vessel was delivered into the charterers’ service on 15 June 2020. The charterers failed to pay the first three monthly instalments of hire when due. On 24 August 2020 the charterers paid the euro equivalent of US$236,940, leaving a balance of US$1,688,263 outstanding.