Insights

The Managers have received a number of queries concerning owners’ obligations in respect of the RightShip vetting scheme, a joint venture formed in 2001 between BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Cargill, which describes itself as “a boutique ship vetting specialist, promoting safety and efficiency in the global maritime industry.”

In a recent English High Court ruling, The Grain Board of Iraq v Tsavliris Salvage [2008] EWHC 612 (Comm), a department of the Iraqi government was unable to rely on state immunity to defeat a claim for contribution to salvage.

Many standard charter wordings require demurrage claims to be submitted within a limited time following discharge and supported with a number of specified documents.