Occidental Chartering Inc v Progress Bulk Carriers Ltd (The “Chada Naree”) – QBD (Com Ct) (Cooke J) – 6 December 2012

Arbitration – Award – String of charters including internal charter between companies in same group – Disponent owners bringing separate sets of arbitrations against charterers for breach of safe port warranty – No arbitration brought under internal charter – Whether successful disponent owners entitled to recover costs of head arbitration notwithstanding absence of arbitration under internal charter

Arbitration – Award – String of charters including internal charter between companies in same group – Disponent owners bringing separate sets of arbitrations against charterers for breach of safe port warranty – No arbitration brought under internal charter – Whether successful disponent owners entitled to recover costs of head arbitration notwithstanding absence of arbitration under internal charter

The vessel Chada Naree was the subject of a string of charterparties. Precious Garnets Ltd, the registered owners, time-chartered her to Occidental Services Corporation (“OSC”) which entered into an internal re-let of the vessel to Occidental Chartering Inc (“OCI”), a company in the same group.