Citi-March Ltd and Anr v Neptune Orient Lines Ltd and Ors (The “Humber Bridge”) - QBD (Com Ct) (Colman J) - 29 January 1996

Stay of proceedings - Exclusive jurisdiction clause - One foreign and three English defendants - Claims time-barred in contractual forum - Court’s approach to exercise of discretion on application to set aside service of writ out of jurisdiction

The first defendant was the carrier on board the vessel Humber Bridge of consignments of clothing from Hong Kong to London under bills of lading which contained a Singapore exclusive jurisdiction clause. The containers were discharged at Felixstowe. They were collected by the second defendant and taken, first, to their own premises, then to the third and fourth defendants’ bonded warehouse for a customer’s inspection, then carried back to the second defendant’s premises and then carried on to the plaintiffs’ agents premises in London. When the containers were opened, following delivery in London, a total of 800 cartons of clothing were missing from all three containers.