i-law

Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly

PIRACY, NEGOTIATION PERIOD EXPENSES AND ALLOWANCE IN GENERAL AVERAGE

Samuel Walpole* and Aaron Moss

The Longchamp
Over the past decade, the impact of piracy off the coast of Somalia upon maritime commerce and, indeed, maritime law has been keenly felt. In Mitsui & Co Ltd v Beteiligungsgesellschaft LPG Tankerflotte mbH & Co KG (The Longchamp),1 the UK Supreme Court answered the commercially important question whether operating expenses incurred whilst negotiating a lower ransom for the release of a hijacked vessel are allowable in general average, so that they are shared proportionately amongst all involved in the maritime adventure. In so doing, the Court was presented with a rare opportunity to clarify the rules of general average. By majority, the Supreme Court held that such expenses are allowable in general average under Rule F of the York-Antwerp Rules (“YAR”). Marking the Court’s first exegesis of Rule F, The Longchamp is a clear


CASE AND COMMENT

35

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.