Nautica Marine Ltd v Trafigura Trading LLC (The “Leonidas”) – QBD (Comm Ct) (Foxton J) [2020] EWHC 1986 (Comm) – 28 July 2020

Charterparty – Consensus ad idem – Preliminary recap setting out terms of fixture “subject to suppliers’ approval” – Whether “subject” was pre-condition or performance condition – Whether parties concluded fixture – Whether owners entitled to damages for breach of charter

The claimant (Nautica) was the registered owner of the vessel Leonidas. Between 8 and 13 January 2016 Nautica and the defendant (Trafigura) were engaged in negotiations for the chartering of the vessel for the carriage of crude oil from the Caribbean to the Far East.