Freightlift Private Limited v. Entrepot DMS Warehouse Inc.,

In Admiralty Practice, Pleadings on (Updated )

The plaintiff in this action was an Indian freight forwarder who had been retained to arrange shipment of four containers of clothing to Montreal. The bills of lading for the containers named the plaintiff as consignee because the purchaser had not paid for the cargo. The purchaser was in fact unable to pay for the cargo when it arrived and, as a consequence, arrangements were made by the purchaser and its freight forwarder for the containers to be stored while another buyer could be found. The cargo, however, mysteriously disappeared from the warehouse. The plaintiff brought this action alleging the defendants had conspired to release the goods to the purchaser. The defendants brought this motion to strike the Statement of Claim on the grounds that it was premature in that the plaintiff was not the owner of the goods and had not suffered a loss. The plaintiff was, in fact, being sued by its customer in India and was defending that suit. At first instance and on appeal the motion was dismissed.