Euronav NV v Repsol Trading SA (mt MARIA) [2021] EWHC 2565 – 24 September 2021 (The Honourable Henshaw J)

Owners’ USD500,000 demurrage claim under a cp in Shellvoy 6 form was time barred pursuant to Clause 15(3) providing for notification “within [here 30] days after completion of discharge”. Discharge had completed late Christmas Eve local time (PST) in California, already Christmas Day in Europe (CET or GMT). Owners’ notice had been served within 30 days only of the latter, which Owners argued was the most closely connected time zone, being that of sender (Owners, Belgium), recipient (Charterers, Spain) or the law of the CP (England). The Court disagreed, finding that the relevant event was completion of discharge, the time of which is determined according to the discharge place time zone.