Belgo Nineira Commercial Exportadora S.A. et. al. v. Hadley Shipping Co. Ltd. et.al.

In Admiralty Practice, In Rem Actions and Arrest on (Updated )

In this matter the Plaintiff had commenced action against the wrong-doing vessel and three sister ships. One of the sister ships had been in the jurisdiction but it had not been served by the Plaintiff who subsequently obtained an order extending the time for service of the Statement of Claim. The same sister ship later returned to the jurisdiction. The Defendant brought a motion to set aside the time extension and strike the Statement of Claim as against that sister ship. Counsel agreed that the time extension should be set aside but could not agree on whether the Statement of Claim should be struck as against that sister ship. The Prothonotary noted that a Plaintiff could renew a Statement of Claim as against only those ships that had not come in the jurisdiction. The Prothonotary ordered that the Plaintiff file an amended Statement of Claim deleting the sister ship from the style of cause.