Bank of Scotland plc v The Owners of the MV “Union Gold” – QBD (Admlty Ct) (Teare J) [2013] EWHC 1696 (Admlty) – 19 June 2013

Admiralty practice – Application by mortgagee for sale of vessels pendente lite – Mortgagee obtaining its own valuations and asking that vessels be sold at a certain price to a certain buyer – Whether court should depart from usual order that the Admiralty Marshal sell a vessel by appraisement, advertisement and inviting bids

The applicant mortgagee (the bank) applied for an order that four small cargo vessels be sold pendente lite (ie before judgment). It also applied for an order that the Admiralty Marshal, instead of appraising and selling the vessels to the highest bidder in accordance with his usual practice, should sell the vessels at a certain price to a certain buyer.