The Saqr Jubail - Q.B.D. (Adm.Ct.) (Sheen J.) - 18 February 1985

Admirality practice - Arrest of vessel - Test for deciding whether continuance of arrest wrongful after relevant facts known

The plaintiff cargo interests wished to bring proceedings in respect of a claim for cargo carried in the vessel Al-Fajr Al-Saudi I . They arrested another vessel, the Saqr Jubail , in England on the basis that the Saqr Jubail was a sister-ship. The plaintiffs were informed by the defendant owners of the Saqr Jubail that she was not a sister-ship. The defendants brought a notice of motion for the vessel to be released from arrest. The plaintiffs made their own enquiries, and before the defendants’ motion was heard the plaintiffs conceded that there was some evidence that the Saqr Jubail was not a sister-ship and that therefore the arrest could not properly be maintained.