ANTONIO GRAMSCI SHIPPING CORPORATION AND OTHERS v STEPANOVS

[2011] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 647

QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION (COMMERCIAL COURT)

Before Mr Justice Burton

Conflict of laws — Jurisdiction — Claimant shipowners alleging fraud on part of charterers — Claimants alleging that defendant was alter ego of chartering companies and perpetrated the fraud — Claimants seeking to pierce corporate veil to hold defendant liable — Claimants relying on English jurisdiction clause in charterparties to establish jurisdiction against defendant — Dispute as to which law governed issue of identity of parties to relevant contracts — Whether claimants and defendant consented to English jurisdiction — Regulation (EC) No 44/2001, article 23.