DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST CO AMERICAS V OWNERS OF THE MOTOR VESSEL "SERTAO"

[2018] EWHC 1013 (Admlty), Queen's Bench Division, Admiralty Court, Mr Justice Teare, 4 May 2018

Admiralty - Ship sale - Sale pendente lite - Choice of ship broker - Commission

MV Sertao, a drill ship, was owned by the defendants and mortgaged to the claimant bank. She had been arrested and laid up in England and the claimants sought a sale pendente lite provided the sale achieved the appraised value; if it did not they wished to wait for an upturn in the market for similar ships. Claimants also requested the use of specialised ship brokers who had been involved in the matter for the last two years, instead of the firm traditionally used by the Admiralty Marshal.