Union Transport P.L.C. v. Continental Lines S.A. - House of Lords (Lord Keith, Lord Ackner, Lord Goff, Lord Jauncey and Lord Lowry) - 12 December 1991

Civil Jurisdiction Convention - Jurisdiction depends on place where principal obligation of contract to be performed - Nature of principal obligation where shipowners fail to nominate and provide a vessel under a “t.b.n.” charter

The appellant shipowners were domiciled in Belgium. They concluded a fixture with the respondent charterers by telex, fax and telephone exchanges. The fixture provided for the carriage of a cargo of telegraph poles from Florida to Bangladesh. The relevant provisions were: