Navision Shipping A/S v Precious Pearls Ltd (The “Mookda Naree”) – QBD (Comm Ct) (Andrew Baker J) [2021] EWHC 558 (Comm) – 10 March 2021

Charterparty – Off hire – Vessel arrested at discharge port pursuant to cargo claim by third party against sub-charterer – Whether arrest occasioned by act or omission of sub-charterer – Whether vessel off hire – Whether head charterer in breach of clause requiring head charterer to accept responsibility “for cargo claims from third parties” in West African ports

The vessel Mookda Naree was time-chartered by Precious Pearls Ltd (the owners) to Navision Shipping A/S (Navision). Navision sub-chartered her to Conti Lines Shipping NV (Conti); and Conti sub-sub-chartered her to Cerealis, a French wheat trading company.