Unicredit Bank AG v Euronav NV [2022] EWHC 957 (Comm) (28 April 2022)

Unicredit Bank AG v Euronav NV [2022] EWHC 957 (Comm) (28 April 2022)

The Bill of Lading did not contain or evidence a contract of carriage between Owners and BP after the charterparty was novated to Gulf; therefore, no contractual liability arose for alleged misdelivery. Even if a contract existed, the Bank implicitly approved discharge without production of the Bill, and would have suffered the same loss regardless of any breach.

Citation
[2022] EWHC 957 (Comm)
Parties
Claimant: UniCredit Bank A. G.; Defendant: Euronav N. V.
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
28 April 2022
Procedural Posture
Commercial Damages Claim / Final Judgment
Outcome
Claim dismissed
Legal Topics
Bills of Lading, Contract of Carriage, Novation, Misdelivery, Damages

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

UniCredit Bank A. G.

Claimant

Euronav N. V.

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Commercial Damages Claim / Final Judgment

  1. 1 Whether the Bill of Lading contained or evidenced a contract of carriage after novation of the charterparty
  2. 2 Whether Owners' obligations were contained exclusively in the Charterparty and/or Novation Agreement
  3. 3 Causation of loss and whether the Bank caused its own loss

Ratio Decidendi

The Bill of Lading did not contain or evidence a contract of carriage between Owners and BP after the charterparty was novated to Gulf; therefore, no contractual liability arose for alleged misdelivery. Even if a contract existed, the Bank implicitly approved discharge without production of the Bill, and would have suffered the same loss regardless of any breach.

Court Disposition

Claim dismissed