The Sonia S - Q.B.D. (Adm.Ct.) (Sheen J.) - 14 July 1982

Whether claim relating to lease of containers within Admiralty jurisdiction of High Court

The issue before the Court was whether the plaintiff’s claims came within the Admiralty jurisdiction of the High Court as defined in section 20(2) of the Supreme Court Act 1981. The dispute arose out of an agreement dated 23 April 1980 under which the plaintiff leased to the defendants containers for carriage on the defendants’ vessel Sonia S and other vessels. The plaintiff’s claim was for $333,513 being rental, handling, insurance and repair charges due from the defendants in respect of this agreement. The agreement provided for the rate per day, for the way and the place in which the containers could be collected, and for the fact that they could be re-delivered at certain depots, all of which were ports.