Spamat SrL v The Owners and All Persons Claiming an Interest in “The Almirante Storni” – Court of Appeal (McGovern, Haughton and Collins JJ) [2020] IECA 58 – 9 March 2020

Admiralty jurisdiction – Claim by ship’s agent against demise charterer for disbursements made to vessel on orders of time charterer – Whether maritime claim established – Whether court had in rem jurisdiction

The plaintiff claimed €38,314.07 from the defendant NSC Atlantic Trading GmbH & Cie KG (NSC Atlantic) in respect of a debt said to be due and owing in respect of disbursements made on behalf of the ship Almirante Storni or her owner in respect of towage, pilotage, master’s disbursements, including disbursements made by shippers, charterers or agents or goods or materials supplied to the ship for her operation or maintenance, at the port of Bari, Italy. NSC Atlantic was the demise charterer of the vessel.