El Greco (Australia) Pty Ltd v Mediterranean Shipping Co SA [2004] FCAFC 202

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

El Greco (Australia) Pty Ltd v Mediterranean Shipping Co SA [2004] FCAFC 202 ADMIRALTY AND MARITIME LAW – carriage of goods by sea – Hague-Visby Rules – Australian COGSA Art 3 Rules 3, 4 and 8 – method for assessing value of cargo – where no 'commodity exchange price' or 'current market price' – where 'normal value' of goods at destination not determined. ADMIRALTY AND MARITIME LAW – limitation of liability – bill of lading – how to treat posters and prints enumerated as 'pieces' – whether an enumeration of packages or units – whether contractual limitation applies. STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – construction of Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1991 (Cth), Art 4 Rule 5(c) – meaning of 'enumeration of packages or units' – meaning of 'as packed'. Admiralty Act 1988 (Cth) ss 4, 9, 12 and 13 Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1936 (USA) Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1991 (Cth) ss 7, 8 and 10, Schedule 1A, Art 3 rr 3, 4 and 8, Art 4 r 5 Carriage of Goods by Water Act 1970 (Canada) Harter Act 1893 (USA) Sea Carriage of Goods Act 1924 (Cth) Sea-Carriage Documents Act 1996 (Qld) s 6 International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Bills of Lading, 25 August 1924 (the Hague Rules) International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Bills of Lading, 25 August 1924, as amended by the Protocol of 23 February 1968 and the Protocol (SDR Protocol) of 21 December 1979 (the Hague-Visby Rules) Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, Vienna, 23 May 1969 Arts 31, 32 and 33 Anticosti Shipping Co v Viateur St. Amand [1959] SCR 372; [1959] 1 Lloyd's Rep 352 considered Applicant A v Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs (1997) 190 CLR 225 applied Australasian United Steam Navigation Co Ltd v Hiskens (1914) 18 CLR 646 referred to Bekol BV v Terracina Shipping Corporation 13 July 1988 QBD, unreported discussed Binladen BSB Landscaping v M.V. 'Nedlloyd Rotterdam' 759 F.2d 1006 (2nd CCA, 1985) considered Chan v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1989) 169 CLR 379 referred to Chapman Marine Pty Ltd v Wilhelmsen Lines A/S [1999] FCA 178 referred to Chellaram & Co Ltd v China Ocean Shipping Co [1989] 1 Lloyd's Rep 413 referred to Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul Railway Co v McCaull-Dinsmore Co 253 US 97 (1920) referred to Dessert Service Inc v M/V MSC Jamie/Rafaela 219 F.Supp. 2d 504 (S.D.N.Y., 2002) referred to Effort Shipping Co Ltd v Linden Management SA [1998] AC 605 referred to Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd v Chimo Shipping Ltd [1974] SCR 933; [1973] 2 Lloyd's Rep 469 considered Franke v CIC General Insurance Ltd ('The "Coral"') (1994) 33 NSWLR 373 discussed Hunter Douglas Australia Pty Ltd v Perma Blinds (1969) 122 CLR 49 followed Leather's Best Inc v The 'Mormaclynx' 451 F.2d 800 (2nd CCA, 1971); [1971] 2 Lloyd's Rep 476 discussed M.B. Pyramid Sound N.V. v Briese Schiffahrts G.M.B.H. and Co. ('The "Ines"') [1995] 2 Lloyds Rep 144 discussed Matsushita Electric Corp of America v SS Aegis Spirit 414 F. Supp 894 (1976) considered Mitsui & Co Ltd v American Export Lines 636 F.2d 807 (2nd CCA, 1981) considered Nathan Trotter v Delta Steamship Lines [1985] AMC 2783 referred to O'Hanlan v Great Western Railway (1865) 6 B & S 484 cited Patrick v Russo-British Grain Export Company Limited [1927] 2 KB 535 discussed Royal Typewriter Co v M.V. 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Carver on Bills of Lading, 1st ed., LBC Information Services, Sydney, 2001 EL GRECO (AUSTRALIA) PTY LIMITED AND JOHN THEODORAKOPOULOS V MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING CO SA Q 116 OF 2003 BLACK CJ, BEAUMONT & ALLSOP JJ 10 AUGUST 2004 SYDNEY (HEARD IN BRISBANE)