New section 47C – Competence of arresting cargo
793.Section 47C(1) provides that an arrestment of cargo can be executed only where the cargo is on board a ship when the arrestment is executed. Cargo which is not on board a ship is subject to the diligence of attachment (provided the nature of cargo does not make it exempt from attachment on some other ground). The amendment of section 11 of the 2002 Act made by paragraph 10 prevents cargo from being attached when it is on board a ship.
794.Arrestment of moveable property is normally competent only when the property is in the hands of someone other than the debtor. Attachment is usually the appropriate diligence to use when moveable property is in the hands of the debtor. Subsection (2) makes it clear that, as an exception to the normal position, cargo on board a ship can be arrested where it is in the hands of the debtor or a person acting on the debtor’s behalf.
