FIVE OCEANS SALVAGE LTD v WENZHOU TIMBER GROUP CO (THE “MEDEA K”)

[2012] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 289

QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION (COMMERCIAL COURT)

Before Mr Justice Field

Arbitration — Jurisdiction — Serious irregularity — Salvage arbitrator making salvage award against cargo owners — Cargo owners contending they had not authorised representatives to act for them in the arbitration — Whether arbitrator retained jurisdiction to remedy breach of natural justice — Whether innocent failure by arbitrator to give cargo owners opportunity of putting their case constituted serious irregularity — Arbitration Act 1996, sections 32 and 68.