Bunker Holdings Ltd v The “YM Success” – US District Ct (Western District of Washington) (Benjamin H Settle DJ) – 6 June 2016

Admiralty jurisdiction – Action in rem based on maritime lien – Shipowners failing to pay for bunkers supplied to vessel – Whether physical bunker suppliers had maritime lien against vessel – Summary judgment

In the summer of 2014 the owner of the vessel YM Success , Yang Ming Liberia Corporation (Yang Ming), contacted OW Bunker Far East (OW Far East) to negotiate terms for the delivery of fuel to Yang Ming’s ships in Russia. OW Far East agreed to provide fuel at Nakhodka, Russia between September and October 2014.