Umbichy Ltd v. Hede Navigation (Pte)Ltd.(Owners of M.V.’Shantha Rohan’) – SLR – 284, Vol 1 of 2000 – sllr 2000 volume 1 page 284

In the case between UMBICHY LTD and HEDE NAVIGATION PTE LTD (Owners of M. V. “SHANTHA ROHAN”), the court addressed whether the High Court of Colombo possessed admiralty jurisdiction on 31.8.1983 to entertain claims related to the arrest of a vessel for damage to cargo and breach of the contract of carriage. The court held that such jurisdiction did exist at the relevant time, reaffirming the principle that judicial continuity and statutory interpretation should avoid uncertainties in established admiralty jurisdiction. This decision relied on the analysis of the Admiralty Rules, the Administration of Justice Law, the Judicature Act, and the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act, emphasizing that statutory developments did not abrogate the High Court’s admiralty jurisdiction. The appeal was allowed wi