HONGKONG FIR SHIPPING LTD v KAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA*

The charterers hired a ship for 24 months, 'being in every way fitted for ordinary cargo service'. The ship was delivered on 13 February 1957, and sailed that day to pick up a cargo in the United States and take it to Osaka. Because of the age of the ship's machinery, it needed to be maintained by an experienced, competent, careful, and adequate engine-room staff. There were insufficient numbers of staff and the chief engineer was incompetent. As a result, there were many serious breakdowns in the…