Arbitral Digest

Matter

Charterer v Shipowner (Commercial Court [2026] EWHC 2136 (Comm))

  1. 2 January 2025Arbitration

    2 January 2025Arbitration

    Arbitral Award concerning the Grande Island charterparty

    Decision summary
    The arbitral tribunal held that piracy risk at Warri made the shipowner's departure from Warri and temporary return to Lagos a reasonable preventative measure under clause 81(c)(i) of the BIMCO Piracy Clause. The vessel therefore remained on hire; the tribunal granted the shipowner's claim and dismissed the charterer's defence and counterclaim.

    Supporting details

    2 participants
    Charterer
    Shipowner

    5 months and 7 days later · 158 days

  2. 9 June 2025England and Wales

    9 June 2025England and Wales

    Permission ruling of the High Court dated 9 June 2025

    High Court

    Decision summary
    His Honour Judge Pelling KC, sitting as a Judge of the High Court, granted the charterer permission to appeal under section 69 of the Arbitration Act 1996.

    Supporting details

    3 participants
    Charterer
    Shipowner
    High Court
  3. Date not availableEngland and Wales

    Date not availableEngland and Wales

    Judgment of the Commercial Court in the case [2026] EWHC 2136 (Comm)

    Commercial Court of the High Court of Justice

    Case no.
    [2026] EWHC 2136 (Comm)
    Citation
    [2026] EWHC 2136 (Comm)
    Decision summary
    The Commercial Court dismissed the charterer's section 69 appeal from the arbitral award. It held that clause 81(c)(i) of the BIMCO Piracy Clause permitted the shipowner to leave the approach to Warri and return to Lagos as a reasonable preventative measure against piracy, with the vessel remaining on hire. The court held that deleting clauses 81(a) and (b) did not narrow clause 81(c)(i), and dismissed the appeal.

    Supporting details

    18 authorities · 4 participants
    Charterer
    Representative
    Steven Berry KC (For: Charterer)
    Shipowner
    Representative
    Alexander Wright KC (For: Shipowner)
    Commercial Court of the High Court of Justice

    Authorities cited

    18
    • Arbitration Act 1996
      statute
    • Aston Martin MENA Ltd v Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd ([2025] EWHC 2531 (Comm))
      case-law
    • Berkeley Community Villages Ltd v Pullen ([2007] EWHC 1330)
      case-law
    • Cordell v Second Clanfield Properties Ltd ([1969] 2 Ch 9)
      case-law
    • HMV UK Ltd v Propinvest Friar LP ([2012] 1 Lloyd's Rep 416)
      case-law
    • Mopani Copper Mines plc v Millennium Underwriting Ltd ([2008] EWHC 1331 (Comm), [2008] 1 CLC 992)
      case-law
    • Narandas-Girdhar v Bradstock ([2016] EWCA Civ 88, [2016] 1 WLR 2366)
      case-law
    • Lukoil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd v Ocean Tankers Pte Ltd ([2018] EWHC 163 (Comm), [2018] 1 Lloyd's Rep 654)
      case-law
    • Abu Dhabi National Tanker Co v Product Star Shipping Ltd ([1993] 1 Lloyd's Rep 397)
      case-law
    • Reliance Industries Ltd v The Union of India ([2018] EWHC 822 (Comm), [2018] 1 Lloyd's Rep 562)
      case-law
    • Osmium Shipping Corporation v Cargill International SA ([2012] EWHC 571 (Comm), [2012] 2 Lloyd's Reports 46)
      case-law
    • Transocean Drilling UK Ltd v Providence Resources plc ([2016] EWCA Civ 372, [2016] 2 Lloyds Rep 51)
      case-law
    • Wood v Capita Insurance Services Ltd ([2017] AC 1173)
      case-law
    • Zermalt Holdings SA v Nu-Life Upholstery Repairs Ltd ([1985] 2 EGLR 14)
      case-law
    • London Arbitration 13/18
      case-law
    • The Captain Stefanos
      case-law
    • Time Charters (8th edn.)
      academic
    • Lewison, The Interpretation of Contracts (8th edn.)
      academic

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Charterer v Shipowner (Commercial Court [2026] EWHC 2136 (Comm)) · Matter