MAERSK (GH) LTD vs. HONESTY FISHERIES LTD [1999]DLCA338

Date	1999-04-22
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1999]DLCA338

SAPONG JSC

ESSILFIE-BONDZIE JA

AFREH JA

HAYIBOR FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANTS.

N. KUENYEHIA FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENTS.

[1999]DLCA338
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">MAERSK (GH) LTD<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">HONESTY FISHERIES LTD<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1999-2000] 1 GLR 627<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black .5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Date: 22 APRIL 1999<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>HAYIBOR FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANTS.N. KUENYEHIA
FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENTS.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________CORAM:SAPONG JSC,
ESSILFIE-BONDZIE AND AFREH JJA___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________JUDGMENT OF ESSILFIE-BONDZIE J.A.<o:p></o:p>By its writ of summons filed on 22 December 1995, the
plaintiff-respondents (hereinafter referred to as the plaintiffs) initiated an
action against the defendant-appellants (hereinafter referred to as the
defendants) for two reliefs namely:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“(1) An order to enforce the arbitration award dated 21 November
1995 made by the Greater Accra Region Fisheries Department against the
defendants which the defendants have failed and or refused to comply with. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2) General and special damages for the injuries, loss and damage
suffered by the plaintiffs as a result of the negligence of the defendants’ MV
Clara Maersk.”<o:p></o:p>Before I examine the facts, it will be well to relate them. On 6
September 1995, whilst the plaintiffs’ vessel TF 430 “Honesty” was on a fishing
expedition and had cast its net, and was in the process of hauling it in, the
defendants’ vessel Clara Maersk steamed towards them and despite warning lights
given out by the crew, the defendants’ vessel continued to proceed on its
course and eventually steamed through the net and cut it into three parts. The
captain of the vessel reported the matter to the managing director of the
plaintiffs’ company, one Mensah Sosu and wrote a report dated 6 September 1995
to the Regional Fisheries Officer, Tema. The report was tendered in evidence
and marked as exhibit A.<o:p></o:p>The defendants denied the plaintiffs’ claim in their entirety.
Their main defences were:<o:p></o:p>(1) That what took place at the Fisheries Department cannot be
described as an arbitration but an abortive attempt at a negotiated settlement.<o:p></o:p>(2) That without admitting any involvement in the incident, the
act of the plaintiffs in engaging in fishing at a time when it was dark without
placing lighted markings on the net allegedly damaged as required by law was in
contravention of the relevant provisions of the laws governing fishing.<o:p></o:p>(3) They denied any involvement of the vessel Clara Maersk in the
alleged incident.<o:p></o:p>In his judgment, the trial judge, dismissed the first relief of
the plaintiffs’ claim which sought to enforce an arbitration award made in
favour of the plaintiffs by the Fisheries Department on 1 November 1995. I have
read the proceedings of the said Fisheries Department as contained in exhibit
F, and entirely agree with the trial judge’s reasons for dismissing the
plaintiffs’ first relief. I have nothing more to add to his conclusions.<o:p></o:p>In their second relief as stated above, the plaintiffs claimed
“General and special damages for the loss and damage suffered by the plaintiffs
as a result of the negligence of the defendants’ MV Clara Maersk.” (The
emphasis is mine.)<o:p></o:p>In the judgment, the learned trial judge found the defendants
negligent for the injuries, loss and damage suffered by the plaintiffs. He
concluded his judgment as follows: <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“In sum, the plaintiffs’ action succeeds and they are awarded:<o:p></o:p>