Lantic Sugar Ltd and Anr v Baffin Investments Ltd (The “Lake Michigan”) – QBD (Com Ct)(Gross J) – 18 December 2009

Arbitration – Commencement – Whether notice of arbitration served in time – Agency - Whether P&I Club had ostensible authority to accept notice on behalf of shipowners - Whether court should extend time for commencement of arbitration

In October 2004 the first claimant (“Lantic”) as buyers concluded a sugar sale and purchase agreement with the second claimant (“Copersucar”) as sellers. At about the same time Lantic concluded a contract of affreightment (“COA”) with Fednav International Ltd (“FIL”) as disponent owners, which provided for the carriage of about 525,000 mt raw cane sugar in 15 shipments.