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Friday, 06 February 15
SHIP DAMAGED BY FIRE CAUSED BY PIRATES FOUND TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE TOTAL LOSS - TAYLOR WESSING
 KNOWLEDGE TO ELEVATE
The High Court was asked to determine a number of preliminary issues, including whether a vessel was a constructive total loss (“CTL”), whether the claimants had lost the right to claim for a CTL by selling the vessel, and whether the claimants were entitled to an indemnity for salvage, tug hire and port expenses under a war risks policy.
Background
The first claimant was the owner of the tanker Brillante Virtuoso (the “vessel”). The vessel was insured against war risks under a policy underwritten by the defendants. The second claimant was the mortgagee of the vessel and the co-assured under the policy. The value of the vessel under the hull and machinery section of the policy was US$55 million, and a further US$22 million under the increased value section of the policy.
In July 2011, whilst en route from the Ukraine to China, the vessel (carrying a cargo of fuel oil) stopped off in Aden in order for an unarmed security team to embark ahead of their journey through the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean where there is a risk of pirate attacks. However, whilst the vessel was waiting, it was in fact boarded by armed pirates who detonated an explosive device causing a fire on board and destroying a substantial proportion of machinery and equipment. The vessel subsequently became a dead ship with no power.
The crew were rescued by the US navy and the owners engaged a salvage company the same day to extinguish the fire. The owners’ consultant surveyor inspected the ship and sought quotations from shipyards in the Middle East and China for the cleaning and repairs of the vessel. He formed the opinion that the cost of repair would exceed the insured value of US$55 million. Accordingly, the owners tendered a notice of abandonment (“NOA”) to the insurers declaring the vessel a CTL. The insurers rejected the NOA.
The owners instructed shipbrokers to sell the vessel to a suitable buyer for scrap, however, the shipbrokers struggled to find a purchaser, and only managed to secure an offer of US$700,000 for the vessel. The insurers did not object to the sale at the time (in spite of being given an opportunity to do so) and the vessel was subsequently sold.
The claimants’ case was that the vessel suffered loss and damage by reason of an insured peril or perils (i.e. the acts of pirates and/or persons acting maliciously, alternatively terrorists and/or persons acting from a political motive and/or the vessel suffered loss and damage by reason of piracy, vandalism, sabotage, violent theft and/or malicious mischief).
The claimants claimed an indemnity for:
(i) a CTL;
(ii) if the vessel was not a CTL for partial loss and loss of hire and
(iii) sue and labour expenses incurred.
The insurers’ defence was that the claimants were not entitled to cover under the policy because, by delaying transit through the Gulf of Aden and/or calling at a port or place within the Gulf, the owners were in breach of the Talbot Gulf of Aden warranty which prevented vessels calling at any port or place or delaying their passage when transiting and/or the owners were in breach of the warranty by failing to apply Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy. The claimants denied this allegation.
Issues examined by the Court
Was the vessel a Constructive Total Loss?
The Court analysed the law on CTL and, in particular, examined section 60(2)(ii) of the Marine Insurance Act 1906 which states that a vessel is a CTL “where she is so damaged by a peril insured against that the cost of repairing the damage would exceed the value of the ship when repaired.” Clause 19 of the Institute Time Clauses-Hulls also qualifies this further by stating:
“The measure of indemnity in respect of claims for unrepaired damage shall be the reasonable depreciation in the market value of the Vessel at the time this insurance terminates arising from such unrepaired damage, but not exceeding the reasonable cost of repairs…”
The Court held that in order to succeed in establishing that the vessel was a CTL, the claimants had to prove that the cost of repairing the vessel would have exceeded the insured value of US$55 million.
The Court held that in assessing the costs of repair to the vessel, the question to be asked is what a prudent uninsured shipowner in the position of the claimants would have done in deciding whether or not to repair the vessel, and where and how the repair should be carried out.
The Court acknowledged that in this case, it was not possible to determine with complete accuracy the actual extent of damage to the vessel. In cases such as this, where matters cannot be determined with precision, the Court has to apply a “large margin” to any repair estimate. The Court recognised that a margin of error has to be applied in relation to the extent of the damage where it was not possible to investigate fully and the assessment of the cost of repair has to take account of the fact that the items which were not opened up and tested might well have required replacement, so that a prudent uninsured owner would have replaced them.
Where should the repairs have been carried out?
The Court also held that whilst cost is an important factor in determining where the prudent uninsured owner would have carried out the repairs, it is not determinative. Accordingly, the Court considered that the prudent uninsured owner would consider all the other factors which might well make the closer (whilst more expensive) yard the proper and appropriate place for repair. Hence, the Court considered that the prudent uninsured owner would have favoured repair in these circumstances in Dubai rather than China, even though the quotations for repairs in China were much lower than in the Middle East. Accordingly, the Court found that the vessel was a CTL.
Had the owners lost the right to claim for CTL by selling the vessel?
The Court held that the owners had not lost the right to claim for a CTL by selling the vessel, as the insurers were well aware throughout that the owners were proposing to sell the vessel and did not object to it. By selling the vessel, the owners were acting in the interests of both themselves and the insurers.
Sue and labour costs
In considering whether an indemnity was payable to the claimants for expenditure in relation to the costs of salvage, tugs and agency fees, the Court disagreed with the insurers’ case that once the vessel had been redelivered by the salvors, any insured peril which had been operating (e.g. violent theft, piracy, vandalism, sabotage and malicious mischief) ceased to operate. The Court found that until the vessel was in a place of safety, the insured peril continued to operate, even after redelivery by the salvors. The Court also held that the cost of the standby tugs and the associated agency expenses were incurred not only for the benefit of the owners, but for the benefit of the insurers, so that they were recoverable as sue and labour expenses.
However, the Court agreed with the insurers that the entitlement to recover sue and labour expenses ceased once the claim form was issued. The Court applied the decision in Kuwait Airways v Kuwait Insurance2 that the issue of the claim form (or writ) crystallises the rights and obligations of the parties to the contract of insurance, so that the relations between the parties are thereafter governed by the Civil Procedure Rules, rather than the contract of insurance. Hence the duty of utmost good faith ceases once proceedings are issued and sue and labour expenses incurred in that period are not recoverable as they were incurred solely for the owner’s benefit.
Source: Taylor Wessing Hellenic Shipping
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Friday, 30 January 15
CAN BULKER CONVERSIONS SPOIL THE TANKER MARKET'S PARTY? - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Oversupply of tonnage has always been in the back of the head of ship owners when it comes to taking advantage of favorable market conditions. As s ...
Thursday, 29 January 15
CHINA ENERGY DEMAND MUST BE REVIEWED DUE TO FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC CHANGES - WOOD MACKENZIE
New patterns emerging as energy demand growth decoupled significantly from GDP growth for the first time in 2014
Wood Mackenzie says 2014 was ...
Thursday, 29 January 15
CAPE MARKET IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH LOW DEMAND AND LOW COMMODITY PRICES
Handy
Supramax rates are heading south with slipping rates all across the block. USG activity is slow with mid-week levels in the mid 8.000s, Fea ...
Wednesday, 28 January 15
MARKET INSIGHT - STELIOS KOLLINTZAS
With most traders having returned to action from year end festivities, we have already seen signs of activity in the specialized product markets. L ...
Wednesday, 28 January 15
CAPES CONTINUED THEIR UPWARD MOVEMENT LAST WEEK - INTERMODAL
COALspot.com: The Dry Bulk market displayed a mirror performance of that of the week prior, with the Capesize market correcting further upwards and ...
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- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
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- VISA Power Limited - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Planning Commission, India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- PTC India Limited - India
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- White Energy Company Limited
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- The University of Queensland
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Economic Council, Georgia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Australian Coal Association
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
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