Lloyd's Maritime Law Newsletter

Agency – Intermediate brokers negotiating charterparties – Scope of duty owed by brokers to principals – Whether rate of hire inflated by secret commissions – Whether commission agreements enforceable

Arbitration – Application for extension of time to commence arbitration – Claimant bank alleging misdelivery of cargo without production of bills of lading – Bills of lading incorporating one-year Hague Rules time bar – Claimant commencing timeous arbitration against registered owners – Claimant’s lawyers subsequently ascertaining that carrier was not registered owner but was a demise charterer – Whether claimant entitled to extension of time to bring arbitration against demise charterer – Arbitration Act 1996, section 12(3)(a) and (b)

Contract – Shipbuilding contract – Buyer cancelling contracts on ground of excessive delay by shipbuilder in delivering two of a series of 14 vessels – Seller not operating any contractual machinery for extending delivery dates – Seller contending that delay was caused by buyer’s wrongful rejection of earlier vessels – Whether seller entitled to extend delivery dates – Whether “prevention principle” applied