Priminds Shipping (HK) Co Ltd v Noble Chartering Inc (The “Tai Prize”) – QBD (Comm Ct) (HHJ Pelling QC, sitting as a Judge of the High Court) [2020] EWHC 127 (Comm) – 31 January 2020

Carriage of goods by sea – Master invited to sign bill of lading stating cargo shipped in apparent good order and condition – Cargo found to be damaged on discharge – Chinese courts holding shipowner liable to receivers – Head charterers settling with shipowner – Head charterers claiming indemnity from sub-charterers – Whether misrepresentation by master – Whether sub-charterers liable to indemnify head charterers

Noble Chartering (the disponent owners) were the head time charterers of the vessel Tai Prize. They sub-chartered the vessel to Priminds Shipping (the charterers) for the carriage of a cargo of soyabeans in bulk from Brazil to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (the sub-charter).