Tonzip Maritime Ltd v 2Rivers PTE Ltd [2025] EWHC 2036 (Comm) 31 July 2025

Under a voyage charter, the Claimant Owners refused Charterers’ orders to load a cargo from shippers, Neftisa, relying on a real risk of exposure under the EPS Sanctions clause. Owners relied on screening software indicating links between Neftisa and a Mr Gutseriev, sanctioned by the EU and UK for ties to Belarus’ Lukashenko regime (albeit that he had transferred ownership and stepped down from the board some months earlier). Owners treated Charterers’ consequent cancellation of the C/P as a repudiatory breach. The Court found in Charterers’ favour, ruling that the refusal was not a reasonable or objective assessment of the risk and the Sanctions clause had been wrongly invoked.

Read the full judgment here.