PRESSCRETE ENGINEERING PTE LTD v SSANGYONG-WAI FONG JOINT VENTURE

[2023] SGHC 8 High Court (General Division) 10 January 2023 HC/OC 28/2022 ( HC/RA 269/2022 )

3 cases cited

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	10 January 2023
Judge	S Mohan
Charges / claim	Arbitration
Counsel	Central Chambers Law Corporation, Selvam LLC, Luis Inaki Duhart Gonzalez, Simone Bamapriya Chettiar, Twang Kern Zern

Source: [2023] SGHC 8, High Court (General Division), decided 10 January 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Arbitration — Stay of court proceedings — Section 6 of the Arbitration Act 2001 — Whether the dispute fell within the scope of the arbitration agreement

Practice Areas

Arbitration

Judges (1)

S Mohan Delivered

Counsel (5)

Central Chambers Law Corporation Firm Selvam LLC Firm Luis Inaki Duhart Gonzalez Counsel for the defendant

Simone Bamapriya Chettiar Counsel for the claimant

Twang Kern Zern Counsel for the claimant

Parties (2)

Presscrete Engineering Pte Ltd Claimant

SsangYong-Wai Fong Joint Venture Defendant

Case Significance

Presscrete Engineering Pte Ltd v SsangYong-Wai Fong Joint Venture [2023] SGHC 8 was decided in the General Division of the High Court by S Mohan J, heard on 29 September and 10 October 2022 and delivered on 10 January 2023. HC/RA 269/2022, in Originating Claim No 28 of 2022, was the defendant's appeal against the Assistant Registrar's dismissal of its application (HC/SUM 2805/2022) for a stay of court proceedings in favour of arbitration, together with an appeal against costs. The defendant joint venture was the main contractor for a project involving the North South Corridor tunnel between Victoria Street and Kampong Java Road (the N102 Project), and the claimant Presscrete Engineering Pte Ltd was its subcontractor for ground improvement works, having quoted for Jet Grout Pile and Wet Speed Mixing works by letter dated 11 July 2019. The catchwords concern a stay under s 6 of the Arbitration Act 2001 and whether the dispute fell within the scope of the arbitration agreement.

Summary

Presscrete Engineering Pte Ltd, a subcontractor for ground improvement works on the North South Corridor tunnel project, claimed damages against the main contractor SsangYong-Wai Fong Joint Venture for unpaid works. The defendant appealed against the Assistant Registrar's refusal to stay the court proceedings in favour of arbitration under s 6 of the Arbitration Act 2001. The court held the entire dispute fell within the scope of the arbitration agreement, allowed the appeal, ordered a stay in favour of arbitration and reversed the costs order below.

What was Presscrete Engineering Pte Ltd v SsangYong-Wai Fong Joint Venture [2023] SGHC 8 about?

Decided by S Mohan J on 10 January 2023, it was the defendant's appeal against the Assistant Registrar's refusal to stay court proceedings in favour of arbitration under s 6 of the Arbitration Act 2001, and whether the dispute fell within the arbitration agreement's scope.

What project gave rise to the Presscrete Engineering dispute ([2023] SGHC 8)?

The defendant joint venture was main contractor for a design and construction project involving the North South Corridor tunnel between Victoria Street and Kampong Java Road (the N102 Project). Presscrete Engineering Pte Ltd was its subcontractor for ground improvement works, including Jet Grout Pile and Wet Speed Mixing.