Plate Princess registration order set aside by the High Court

On 22 July 2015 after a one-day hearing, a Judge found in favour of the 1992 Fund and set aside an order of the English Court (dated 18 March 2015) which had had the effect of registering a Venezuelan judgment relating to the Plate Princess incident in England. For further details see circular IOPC/2015/Circ.3.
The Judge found that the English High Court had no jurisdiction to register a Venezuelan judgment against the 1992 Fund because the 2009 judgment by the Venezuelan Court did not apply to the 1992 Fund as it was against the (now dissolved) 1971 Fund.
In addition, the Judge found that the Venezuelan judgment was a judgment under the 1971 Fund Convention. As a result, the 1992 Fund was immune under the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1996 in any event.
The Director will report on this matter in further detail to the 1992 Fund Assembly at its next regular session in October 2015.