London Arbitration 22/21

Sale of goods – Bunkers – Non-payment – Construction of clause providing for payment of interest – Bunker sale contract providing for conferring of maritime lien – Whether open to arbitration tribunal to declare existence of maritime lien – Costs

This was a claim by the claimant bunker suppliers relating to non-payment for bunkers supplied by the claimants to the subject vessel at a Russian port on 28 December. The claim was brought against four respondents, namely: (1) the vessel “in rem”; (2) the former registered owners; (3) the new registered owners; and (4) the ship operators.