') right .25rem center no-repeat content-box border-box #25303b;color:#fff;border:0;padding:.5rem 1rem;font-size:1rem}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters form .search{margin:0 0 1rem;width:100%;text-align:left;padding:.5rem 1rem;height:2.5rem;background:rgba(37,48,59,.6);font-size:1rem}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters form .search::before{float:right;font-size:1.1rem}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters form .search span{padding:0;display:block}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter div.categories ul li{background-image:none;padding:0}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter span.field{display:block;padding:0;width:100%}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter span.label{display:none}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter span.field input.radio,div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter span.field input.checkbox{width:auto}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters button{margin-bottom:1.4em;clear:both}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li{float:left;margin:0;width:2.7em;height:2.7em;line-height:2.7em;background:#f2f2f2;color:#666}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li span{float:left;background-image:none;background-color:rgba(0,59,117,.3);color:rgba(255,255,255,.75);padding:0;margin:0;width:2.7em;height:2.7em;line-height:2.7em;text-align:center}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li a span{background-color:#003b75;color:#fff;-webkit-transition:background .2s;-moz-transition:background .2s;transition:background .2s}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li a:hover span{background-color:#25303b}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li.active,div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li.active a span{background-color:#fff;color:#003b75}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li.active a{color:currentColor}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li.active span,div.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li.active span{background-color:#fff;color:currentColor}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.ilters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li.active span{color:#000}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul{margin:0}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.users.filters div.filter.alphabetical div.options ul li a{background-image:none;padding:0}.knowledge.filters form{margin-bottom:1rem}.knowledge.filters button{margin-left:0}.knowledge.filters .filter{width:100%}.knowledge.filters .filter+.search{float:none}.knowledge.filters .filter .label{display:block;width:100%}.knowledge.filters .filter .field{width:100%}.knowledge.filters .filter.keywords .label{display:block;padding-bottom:.5em}.knowledge.filters .filter.keywords input{border:thin solid #ccc;padding:.5rem 1rem;min-height:2.5rem;max-width:100%}.filters .filter.keywords+.search{display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;font-size:1rem;width:100%;max-width:none;padding:0 1rem;margin:0}.filters .filter.keywords+.search::before{font-size:100%;display:inline-block}.knowledge.filters form select{-webkit-appearance:none;-moz-appearance:none;appearance:none;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8, ");background-origin:content-box;background-position:right 0 center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:.5625rem .375rem;border-radius:0;border:0;font-size:1rem;margin-bottom:0;min-height:2.5rem;padding:.5rem 1rem;width:100%}.knowledge.filters form select:focus,.knowledge.filters form select:active{outline:0}.knowledge.filters form .search{width:100%}.knowledge.filters form .search span{margin-left:.5rem}div.knowledge.filters button.search span{display:inline-block}div.offices div.mapContainer{width:auto}div.tx-llcatalog-pi div.offices{margin-left:0}div.quote{border:0;background-color:#e2e2e2}div.quote blockquote{line-height:1.5;color:#003b75;font-size:1.1rem;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;padding:1rem 1.5rem}div.quote blockquote::after{display:none}div.quote p.author{color:#25303b;font-style:normal;padding:0 1.5rem 1.5rem}div.featureBox>div.content h2{color:#000;background:0 0;padding:0}div.featureBox .csc-textpic-intext-left .csc-textpic-imagewrap{margin-right:0;clear:both;display:block;float:none;padding-top:1.5rem}div.featureBox .csc-textpic-intext-left .csc-textpic-imagewrap img{max-height:11.5rem;width:auto;display:block;margin:0 auto;-webkit-box-shadow:0 .1rem 1rem 0 rgba(17,17,17,.25);box-shadow:0 .1rem 1rem 0 rgba(17,17,17,.25)}#secondaryNavigation~div>a.download.pdf{padding:0}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content{padding:0 0 .1em;border:0;background:#f4f4f4;color:#003b75;font-size:105%}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne a>.featureBox>.content{-webkit-transition:.4s;-moz-transition:.4s;transition:.4s}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne a>.featureBox>.content:hover>div:not(.csc-textpic){background-color:#003b75;color:#fff}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne a>.featureBox>.content:hover img{-webkit-transform:scale(1.05);-moz-transform:scale(1.05);-ms-transform:scale(1.05);transform:scale(1.05);opacity:.8}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne a>.featureBox>.content img{will-change:transform,opacity;-webkit-transition:.4s;-moz-transition:.4s;transition:.4s}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne a>.featureBox>.content>div{-webkit-transition:.4s;-moz-transition:.4s;transition:.4s}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox .csc-textpic-text,.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content>div>.wrapper{padding:.7em 1em .7em 3em;background:url('/assets/uk-defence/img/icon-chevronCircleBlue.png') 1em .8em no-repeat;min-height:2em;color:inherit}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox .csc-textpic-text{padding-top:0;background-position-y:.1em}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content h2,.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content h3,.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content h4{background:0 0;font-size:110%;padding:0;margin-bottom:.2em}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content p{line-height:1.4;margin-bottom:0}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content p a{color:#fff;padding:0;background:0 0}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content .csc-textpic,.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content img{margin-bottom:0}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content .csc-textpic-center-outer,.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .featureBox>.content .csc-textpic-center-inner{position:static;float:none}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .floatingBox{border:.2em solid #dedfe0;padding:1em 1em 1em 6.5em;min-height:4em;background:#fff}.pageLayout>div>.columnOne .floatingBox>.content{padding-top:.5em}div.userList div.twoColumnLayout.thirtySeventy div.columnOne,div.userSingle div.twoColumnLayout.thirtySeventy div.columnOne{max-width:75px}#c41179 .box.page.grey{margin-bottom:0}#c41391 div.box.page.grey{clear:both;background:url('/assets/uk-defence/img/map.png') 50% top no-repeat #f4f4f4;height:200px;text-align:center;margin-bottom:0;border-top:4px solid #d5d8db;border-bottom:4px solid #d5d8db}#c41391 div.box.page.grey div.content{text-align:center;width:90%;padding-top:2em}#c41391 div.box.page.grey h2{text-transform:uppercase;color:#003b75;border-bottom:1px solid #b4b4b4;letter-spacing:.3em;background-image:none;font-size:120%}#c41391 div.box.page.grey p{font-size:110%;color:#4d4d4d}#home #c41391 div.box.page.grey h2{font-size:150%;font-weight:400}div.columnTwo #c41391 div.box.page.grey{height:auto;margin-bottom:1em;border:4px solid #d5d8db;float:none;width:auto}div.columnTwo #c41391 div.box.page.grey div.content{padding-top:1em}.box.page.grey p.button{margin-bottom:1.5rem}#home div.pageLayout{padding-bottom:0}#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout{margin:4rem 0 1rem;text-align:center}#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout h3{color:#003b75;font-weight:400;font-size:1rem}#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout img{margin-bottom:1rem;height:4rem!important;width:auto}#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout .column{width:50%;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;margin-left:-.5rem;padding:0 .5rem;-webkit-box-sizing:border-box;-moz-box-sizing:border-box;box-sizing:border-box}#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout .column.columnTwo,#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout .column.columnFour{border-left:.125rem solid #e2e2e2}#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout .column.columnThree,#home .box.page div.fourColumnLayout .column.columnFour{border-top:.125rem solid #e2e2e2;padding-top:1rem}#home .box.page.grey{margin-bottom:2rem}#home .box.page.grey>.content{padding:2rem 1rem}#home .box.page.grey .csc-textpic-text{margin-top:1em}#home div.knowledgeBaseList.summary ul li{background:0 0;padding-left:0}#home div.knowledgeBaseList.summary ul li:not(:last-child){margin-bottom:1rem;padding-bottom:1rem;border-bottom:.125rem solid #e2e2e2}#home div.layout.twoColumnLayout.seventyThirty div.fiftyFifty div.column div.columnWrapper p{line-height:1.5em}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .columnTwo .csc-firstHeader::before{content:'';background-image:url('/assets/uk-defence/img/icon-twitter.png');background-position:left center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:1.6rem;padding-left:2rem}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .article{text-align:center;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:50%;padding:1rem;-webkit-box-sizing:border-box;-moz-box-sizing:border-box;box-sizing:border-box}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .article:nth-child(odd){border-right:.125rem solid #e2e2e2;clear:left}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .article h4{clear:both;padding-top:1rem}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .article h4 a{font-weight:400;font-size:.8rem;color:#25303b;line-height:1.5}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .article h4 a:hover{color:#003b75}#home .box.page.grey .twoColumnLayout .article img{width:auto;max-width:100%;border:0;padding:0;max-height:11.5rem}#home .box.page .threeColumnLayout .csc-textpic .csc-textpic-image img{-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover;height:100%!important;width:100%}#home .box.page .threeColumnLayout .csc-textpic .csc-textpic-text{padding:1rem}#home .box.page .threeColumnLayout .csc-textpic .csc-textpic-text h3{font-weight:400}#home .box.page .threeColumnLayout .csc-textpic .csc-textpic-text p{color:#47bcca;margin-bottom:.5rem}#home .box.page .threeColumnLayout .csc-textpic .csc-textpic-text p:last-child{color:#111;margin-bottom:0}#home div.royalSlider{position:relative;background-color:#e2e2e2}#home div.royalSlider.contentSlider>div{max-height:none}#home div.royalSlider .rsContainer{background-color:#003b75;max-height:none}#home div.royalSlider .rsContainer div.image img{position:absolute;left:50%;-webkit-transform:translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);-moz-transform:translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);-ms-transform:translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);transform:translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);min-width:100%;top:50%;min-height:30vh;width:auto}#home div.royalSlider .rsContainer .rsSlide{max-height:none}#home div.royalSlider.overlay div.content{min-height:13rem;max-width:73em;margin:0 auto;position:relative;padding:3rem 1rem}#home div.royalSlider.overlay div.content div.contentWrapper{position:absolute;bottom:3rem}#home div.royalSlider.overlay div.content div.contentBox{padding:0;color:#fff;font-weight:400;margin:0;background:0 0;text-shadow:0 0 1rem rgba(0,0,0,.5);font-size:2em;line-height:1.3;position:relative}#home div.royalSlider.overlay div.content div.contentBox::before{display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(/assets/uk-defence/img/sprite.svg?1614687539);background-size:12.688em 10.75em;width:5.062em;height:5.75em;background-position:-7.344em -4.719em;content:'';font-size:.5rem}#home div.royalSlider span.rsTmb{display:none}#home div.royalSlider.rsDefault .rsNavContainer{float:none;bottom:.5em;top:auto;left:0;right:0}#home div.royalSlider.rsDefault .rsNav{float:none;padding:0;text-align:center}#home div.royalSlider.rsDefault .rsBullet{margin:0 7px}#home div.royalSlider.rsDefault .rsNav .rsNavSelected span{background-color:#47bcca}#home div.royalSlider.rsDefault .rsNav span{background:#fff}#home div.royalSlider div.videoPlayer>video{display:none}#home div.royalSlider .contentBox>*{color:currentColor;font-size:1.5rem;line-height:1.3;font-weight:400;text-shadow:0 0 1rem rgba(74,74,74,.5);background:0 0;margin-bottom:1rem;max-width:-webkit-calc(100% - 4rem);max-width:-moz-calc(100% - 4rem);max-width:calc(100% - 4rem)}#signup label{width:10em;float:left}#signup input[type=submit]{width:auto;border:none;background-color:#aaa;color:#fff;padding:.5em .8em;margin:0 0 1em;overflow:visible;border-radius:.4em}#signup input[type=checkbox]~label{width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2rem);width:-moz-calc(100% - 2rem);width:calc(100% - 2rem);float:none;margin-left:0;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top}div.alertModal a{color:#47bcca}div.alertModal .button{background:#47bcca}div.alertModal>.wrapper{background-color:#003b75;border-top-color:#47bcca}.fwFeaturedQuote.fwBox{background:#25303b}.fwFeaturedQuote.fwBox blockquote{font-size:150%}.fwFeaturedQuote.fwBox .quote{border:0}.fwFeaturedQuote.fwBox .quote blockquote{color:#fff}.fwFeaturedQuote.fwBox .quote p.author{opacity:1}.fwFeaturedQuote.fwBox .quote p.author::before{background-color:#47bcca}.fwBreakout.fwBox[style*=background]::before{background:-webkit-gradient(linear,left top,right top,color-stop(30%,rgba(0,59,117,.9)),to(rgba(0,59,117,.5)));background:-webkit-linear-gradient(left,rgba(0,59,117,.9) 30%,rgba(0,59,117,.5));background:-moz-linear-gradient(left,rgba(0,59,117,.9) 30%,rgba(0,59,117,.5));background:linear-gradient(to right,rgba(0,59,117,.9) 30%,rgba(0,59,117,.5))}.routingBoxGroup>div>div>a .routingBox::after{-webkit-filter:invert(1) grayscale(.1) brightness(5.2) opacity(.8);filter:invert(1) grayscale(.1) brightness(5.2) opacity(.8)}
This case provides a useful opportunity to consider the position under English law when Members contract with state entities.
English law provides a presumption that a state is immune from English court proceedings. However this is subject to a number of exceptions. These include commercial transactions entered into by that state, which are defined to include any contract for the supply of goods or services. This exception should therefore embrace most shipping transactions.
However the majority of shipping contracts contain arbitration clauses. An arbitration agreement should amount to a waiver of sovereign immunity, but occasionally intervention by the English court may be needed to enforce the agreement. In this scenario a further exception to the principle of
state immunity applies, provided the arbitration agreement is in writing.
Occasionally there might be the need to secure or enforce a claim against the assets of a state. Difficulties may be encountered when dealing with diplomatic assets or those of a central bank. However ships owned by a state can be arrested in England to enforce a claim against that state, provided that at the time the cause of action arose, the ship was in use or intended for use for commercial purposes.
It follows therefore that state immunity can rarely be invoked successfully in the context of a shipping transaction. As the recent ruling shows however, this has not stopped some states from claiming immunity to avoid debts and Members should consider these risks when contracting with state owned entities.
Newsletter Our newsletter update gives you insight into what's going on in the maritime industry
Subscribe
You are currently offline. Some pages or content may fail to load.