i-law

Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly

CONTRACTING CARRIERS, HIMALAYA CLAUSES AND TORT IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

The Starsin
In a keenly awaited development,1 a strong appellate committee of the House of Lords has given judgment in The Starsin, 2 reversing in part the majority decision of the Court of Appeal.3 The three issues raised by the appeal generated nearly 70 pages of reasoned judgment from their Lordships.4 The first issue was whether the shipowners or charterers were the carriers under the bills of lading, an intractable point litigated frequently5 and sorely in need of their Lordships’ guidance.6 The second issue was whether the shipowners were liable in tort. The third issue7 concerned what, if any, protection was afforded to the shipowners by the terms of the Himalaya clause8 in the bills of lading.

Facts

The facts were uncontroversial. The Starsin, a vessel of about 27,000 tonnes, was demise chartered by her registered owners to Agrosin. Agrosin fixed the Starsin on NYPE terms to Continental Pacific Shipping Ltd (“CPS”). Various cargoes of timber and timber products were loaded at Malaysian ports and, although some of the cargo was wetted by rain before shipment, clean bills of lading were issued. The cargo was also improperly stowed and 17 consignments were out-turned seriously damaged by water.


LLOYD’S MARITIME AND COMMERCIAL LAW QUARTERLY

312

The rest of this document is only available to i-law.com online subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, click Log In button.

Copyright © 2024 Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited. Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited is registered in England and Wales with company number 13831625 and address 5th Floor, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD, United Kingdom. Lloyd's List Intelligence is a trading name of Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited.

Lloyd's is the registered trademark of the Society Incorporated by the Lloyd's Act 1871 by the name of Lloyd's.