Newcastle Port Corporation v Pevitt & Ors [2003] NSWSC 888

Reported Decision : 58 NSWLR 548

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Newcastle Port Corporation v Pevitt & Ors [2003] NSWSC 888 HEARING DATE(S) : 29 August, 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 1 October 2003

JURISDICTION: Equity Division Admiralty List JUDGMENT OF : Palmer J DECISION : Declarations and orders constituting the limitation fund should be made; declarations as to the construction of the 1976 London Convention in accordance with the reasons for judgment.

CATCHWORDS : ADMIRALTY - LIMITATION OF SHIPOWNERS' LIABILITY - 1976 LONDON CONVENTION - COSTS - Whether on true construction of 1976 London Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims a claim on a limitation fund constituted under the Convention is inclusive or exclusive of any award of costs to the claimant in proceedings to establish that claim - history of the Convention discussed. HELD: A claim against a limitation fund is exclusive of the legal costs of establishing that claim - Noferi v Smithers ([2002] NSWSC 508) not followed. - Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules relating to the Limitation of Liability of Owners of Sea-going Vessels, 1924 - Convention relating to the limitation of liability of owners of sea-going ships, 1957 - Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Act 1989 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED : - London Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976 - Merchant Shipping Act 1894 (UK) - s.503. s.504, s.505 - Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act, 1958 (UK) - Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) - s.330, s.333, Schedule 6 - Responsibility of Shipowners Act (1733) 7 Geo 2, c.15 - The "Amalia" (1863) 1 Moo PC (NS) 471 [15 ER 778] - Beauchamp v Turrell [1952] 1 Lloyd's Rep 266 - Caspian Basin Specialised Emergency Salvage Administration v Bouygues Offshore SA (No 4) [1997] 2 Lloyd's Rep 507 - The "Ettrick" (1881) 6 PD 127 - James Patrick & Co Ltd v Union Steamship Co of New Zealand (1938) 60 CLR 650 - Noferi v Smithers [2002] NSWSC 508 CASES CITED : - The "Stonedale No 1" [1955] 2 Lloyd's Rep 9 - Wheeler v London & Rochester Trading Co Ltd [1957] 1 Lloyd's Rep 69 - "Australian Law Reform Commission Report No.75, 'Costs shifting - who pays for litigation, 1995', Appendix C" - Griggs and Williams "Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims" (3rd Ed., 1998) - Marsden's "The Law of Collisions at Sea" (11th Ed, 1961) - Meeson "Admiralty Jurisdiction and Practice" (2nd Ed, 2000) - Lord Mustill "Ships Are Different - Or Are They?" [1993] LMCLQ 490 - D. Steel QC "Ships Are Different - The Case for Limitation of Liability" [1995] LMCLQ 17 Newcastle Port Corporation - Plaintiff PARTIES : Gary Pevitt - First Defendant Nicola Jayne Wallace - Second Defendant Darren Schlenert - Third Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 001/03 COUNSEL : M. McHugh - Plaintiff I.G. Roberts - First and Second Defendants Withnell Hetherington - Plaintiff SOLICITORS : Palmieri Law Firm - First and Second Defendants Cantle Carmichael Lawyers - Third Defendant