Sea Master Shipping Inc v Arab Bank (Switzerland) Ltd (The “Sea Master”) – QBD (Comm Ct) (Popplewell J) [2018] EWHC 1902 (Comm) – 25 July 2018

Arbitration – Jurisdiction – Whether holder of bill of lading bound to submit to arbitration of demurrage dispute notwithstanding it had not exercised rights of suit

A cargo of Argentine extracted toasted soyabean meal in bulk was shipped on board the vessel Sea Master at San Lorenzo, Argentina, on 24 June 2016. The shippers had sold the cargo on fob terms to Glencore Grain BV, who had in turn sold it on fob terms to Agribusiness United DMCC (Agribusiness).