The owners, demise charterers and time charterers of the ship “Western Neptune” v The owners and demise charterers of the ship “Philadelphia Express” – QBD (Admlty Ct) (David Steel J with nautical assessors) – 25 June 2009

Collision action – Seismic survey vessel towing array of streamers – Defendant vessel colliding with towed array at night – Whether array subject to Collision Regulations – Whether survey vessel partially to blame

In September 2007 the claimants’ seismic survey vessel Western Neptune was carrying out a survey in the Gulf of Mexico. She was towing a spread of 10 streamers and six gun arrays (“the array”). Each streamer extended for about 8,030 metres (4.34 miles) astern of the vessel. With each of the streamers maintained about 120 metres apart the total width of the spread was some 1,080 metres. They were being towed at a depth of 12 metres.