“Court refuses to revisit "unless" order striking out owners' claim of a vessel CTL against underwriters, due to owners' failure to disclose full electronic archives.”

“Owners served notice of arbitration to the email of a person related to, but distinct from Charterers. That was not valid service on charterers, even if in practice the person was handling the entirety of the contract on behalf of charterers. Also, although Charterers later became aware of the award but failed to react, neither their silence nor their inaction could be considered ratification.”

“Following repudiatory breach of charter by a charterer, its guarantor was unable to convince the Court that the charter was procured by bribery so as to render the guarantee unenforceable by the disponent owner beneficiary. The Court found that evidence was insufficient and confessions of bribery unreliable, as they may have been obtained by torture.”

“The Supreme Court dismissed Owners' appeal and confirmed that OWB's contract with Owners was such that Owners could not withhold payment and so Owners remained liable to pay OWB/ING.”

“The Supreme Court by a 4:1 majority reversed the Court of Appeal to hold that under the time charter, the vessel was off-hire throughout the period of an arrest caused by a dispute down the charterparty chain involving sub charterers and/or the parties to the commodity contract. Under the Charter, an arrest would not render the vessel off hire if caused by "Charterers or their Agents", but the Court found that those causing the arrest did not qualify as Charterers' agents.”

“Under a Shelltime 4 Charterparty, the Vessel was not off hire when detained by Venezuelan authorities following illegal voyage orders (provided via Charterers' agents); further Charterers were liable pursuant to clause 13 to Owners in respect of the continued detention of the Vessel following redelivery by Charterers on expiry of the Charter term. Permission to appeal was refused.”