Crossoceanic Navigational Services Pte. Ltd. v. The owners of and other persons interested in the vessel Enfield (The Enfield) - Singapore Court of Appeal - 28 May 1982

Admiralty jurisdiction - Whether vessel in same beneficial ownership

The plaintiffs were ship agents in Madras employed by the defendants in respect of their vessel Enfield . The plaintiffs claimed to be owed money for disbursements made on behalf of the Enfield and arrested the vessel at Singapore on 15 May 1980. The plaintiffs’ affidavit deposed that Enfield Shipping Corporation S.A. owned the vessel at the time the causes of action had accrued and at the date of the writ. The defendants applied to set aside the arrest on the ground that since the accrual of the causes of action, the ownership of the vessel had been transferred to Barbury (Panama) S.A. with the result that the requirements of section 4(4)(1)(a) of the High Court (Admiralty Jurisdiction) Act had not been complied with.