Hyphen Trading Limited v BLPL Singapore Pte Ltd & 2 Ors

[2023] SGHC 302 High Court (General Division) 25 October 2023 HC/ADM 14/2023 ( HC/SUM 2034/2023 )

3 cases cited (2 SG, 1 foreign) Cited by 1 case

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	25 October 2023
Judge	S Mohan
Charges / claim	Admiralty and Shipping
Counsel	DennisMathiew, Helmsman LLC, Cheng Le En Leanne, Khng Una, Lim Min Isabel, Mathiew Christophe Rajoo, Tan Hui Tsing, Tan Yong Jin Jonathan, Teo Ke-Wei Ian

Source: [2023] SGHC 302, High Court (General Division), decided 25 October 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Admiralty and Shipping — Sale of cargo pendente lite under Order 13 rule 4 of the Rules of Court 2021 — Factors to consider in the exercise of the court’s discretion — Whether there was good reason for the cargo to be sold — Whether it was in the interests of justice for the cargo to be sold

Practice Areas

Admiralty and Shipping

Judges (1)

S Mohan Delivered

Counsel (9)

DennisMathiew Firm Helmsman LLC Firm

Cheng Le En Leanne Counsel for the defendant

Khng Una Counsel for the defendant

Lim Min Isabel Counsel for the plaintiff

Mathiew Christophe Rajoo Counsel for the plaintiff Tan Hui Tsing Counsel for the plaintiff

Tan Yong Jin Jonathan Counsel for the defendant

Teo Ke-Wei Ian Counsel for the defendant

Parties (4)

BLPL Singapore Pte Ltd Defendant

Hyphen Trading Limited Plaintiff

Trafigura India Pvt Ltd Defendant

Trafigura Pte Ltd Defendant

Case Significance

Hyphen Trading Ltd v BLPL Singapore Pte Ltd and others [2023] SGHC 302 is a grounds of decision of S Mohan J in the General Division of the High Court, delivered on 25 October 2023 in Admiralty in Personam No 14 of 2023 (Summons No 2034 of 2023). In HC/SUM 2034/2023, the claimant applied for the sale pendente lite of a cargo of nickel briquettes under O 13 r 4(1) of the Rules of Court 2021, with the proceeds to be paid into court or an escrow account, pending final determination of the underlying originating claim in which the parties dispute possession of the true original bills of lading and entitlement to the cargo stored at a Henry Bath LME warehouse in Port Klang, Malaysia. S Mohan J dismissed the application on 13 September 2023.

Summary

Hyphen Trading Limited applied under Order 13 rule 4 of the Rules of Court 2021 for the sale pendente lite of a cargo of nickel briquettes, subject to three contested bills of lading and stored in Port Klang, in an admiralty claim against BLPL Singapore Pte Ltd and the Trafigura entities. The issue was whether there was good reason and whether it was in the interests of justice to order the sale. The court found no good reason had been shown, dismissed the application, and fixed costs of S$14,000 against the claimant.

What was Hyphen Trading v BLPL Singapore [2023] SGHC 302 about?

It was an admiralty application by Hyphen Trading before S Mohan J for the sale pendente lite of a cargo of nickel briquettes stored in Port Klang, pending determination of a dispute over the bills of lading, decided on 25 October 2023.

How did the court rule in [2023] SGHC 302?

S Mohan J dismissed the claimant's application under O 13 r 4(1) of the Rules of Court 2021 for the sale of the cargo of nickel briquettes pendente lite on 13 September 2023, giving grounds on 25 October 2023.