P&O Princess Cruises International Ltd v The Demise Charterers of the Vessel “Columbus” – QBD (Admlty Ct) (Mr Admiralty Registrar Davison) [2021] EWHC 113 (Admlty) – 26 January 2021

Admiralty – Port dues – Cruise vessels laid up at Port of Tilbury following suspension of cruise operations caused by Covid-19 pandemic – Port agreeing preferential lay-up rate – Port subsequently stating that rates were to be as per Port’s published tariff – Very significant difference between agreed rate and tariff rate – Whether Port entitled to increase rate to tariff rate

The cruise ships Columbus and Vasco da Gama were owned by Carnival plc (Carnival). They formed part of the Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) fleet and were managed by Global Cruise Lines Ltd (GCL), which was part of the CMV Group. Both vessels were demise-chartered to a Liberian single-purpose company within the group. The demise charterer of Columbus was Lyric Cruise Ltd (Lyric) and that of Vasco da Gama was Mythic Cruise Ltd (Mythic).