2026 Maritime Digest of Arbitration Awards and Court Rulings
GENERAL AVERAGE – WHETHER VESSEL WAS UNSEAWORTHY – OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE DUE DILIGENCE – WHETHER PASSAGE PLAN WAS DEFECTIVE Cargo interests refused to contribute to general average after the Vessel was grounded. It claimed the grounding was the result of the Owner’s failure to exercise due diligence in providing a seaworthy vessel. When the container...
PIRACY – HIRE – APPEAL – WHETHER CAPTURE AND ARREST CLAUSE APPLIED – WHETHER PIRACY CLAUSE APPLIED Owner claimed for lost hire from Charterer totaling about $5.6 million, the majority of which was lost due to the Vessel being captured by pirates. To support their claim, the Owner stated the capture and arrest clause did...
DAMAGES – LOSS OF CARGO – WHETHER SEAWORTHINESS IS AN ABSOLUTE OBLIGATION – EXCLUSION CLAUSE – BILL OF LADING Cargo interests claimed damages against Owner for loss of deck cargo during the voyage. It was asserted that the Owner was liable due to negligence and its failure to ensure the vessel was seaworthy upon commencing...
DEMURRAGE – ASBATANKVOY – ARBITRATION CLAUSE – WHETHER ARBITRATORS HAD JURISDICTION – SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT Charterer contended Owner’s demurrage and heating cost claim after it was brought to arbitration. It asserted that the claim was not in the arbitrator’s jurisdiction as it arose from the settlement agreement, which did not contain an arbitration clause. Under an...
SPEED AND CONSUMPTION WARRANTIES – PERFORMANCE CLAIMS – GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS – DOUGLAS SEA STATE – SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT The Charterer claimed for damages for breach in the speed and performance warranty against Owner. Owner contended that there were no periods of time that satisfied “good weather” conditions. Charterer issued a performance claim against Owner...
DUE DILIGENCE – SAFE PORT SAFE BERTH WARRANTY – OIL SPILL – THIRD PARTY DAMAGES – SINGLE-POINT MOORING BUOY – PARTIAL FINAL AWARD Owner claimed against Charterer for hire and indemnity from a pollution incident during discharging operations. The basis of the Owner’s claim was the Charterer failed to exercise due diligence in nominating a...
TIME CHARTER – OFF-HIRE – HULL CLEANING – PERFORMANCE CLAIMS – OVERCONSUMPTION OF BUNKERS – GOOD WEATHER DAY – EXERCISE OF LIEN – DELAY Several disputes arose between Owner and Charterer under a time charter voyage with respect to off-hire, vessel performance, delays after discharging, and exercising liens. [dropcap]T[/dropcap]his arbitration covered several disputes arising from...
PERFORMANCE CLAIMS – SPEED AND CONSUMPTION – “ABOUT” TOLERANCES – CURRANT FACTORS – WEATHER ROUTING SERVICES – AIS – OFF-HIRE Charterer claimed against Owner for issues regarding vessel performance and off-hire. [dropcap]C[/dropcap]harterer claimed the vessel underperformed and overconsumed on a voyage, which was chartered under an amended NYPE form for a time charter. The Charterer...
PARTIAL FINAL AWARD – TIME BAR – HAGUE-VISBY RULES – COGSA – TRANSSHIPMENT – INDEMNITY – WHETHER CLAIM WAS RELATED TO CARGO DAMAGES OR INDEMNITY – UNSEAWORTHY Under a voyage charter the vessel became disabled whilst proceeding to the discharge port. Charterer incurred costs relating to salvage and transshipment of the cargo and claimed the...
DEMURRAGE – AMENDED FINAL AWARD – NO OBJECTION TO CLAIM – NO RESPONSE FROM RESPONDENT Owner initiated arbitration proceedings against Charterer over an unpaid demurrage amount. Charterer issued no response or objection to the claim. [dropcap]B[/dropcap]BC Chartering Carriers GmbH Co. KG (hereinafter, “Owner”) claimed the demurrage balance from The Shopping Metal USA, Inc. (hereinafter, “Charterer”)...
