UBS SWITZERLAND AG v KOCH SHIPPING PTE LTD & Anor

[2025] SGHCR 34 High Court Registrar 1 October 2025 • HC/OC 173/2025 ( HC/SUM 1108/2025 ) • 76 min read
23 cases cited (22 SG, 1 foreign)

Catchwords

Civil Procedure — Stay of proceedings — Forum non conveniens

Practice Areas

Civil Procedure

Judges (1)

Gerome Goh Teng Jun Delivered

Counsel (9)

LVM Law Chambers LLC Firm Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP Firm Lim Yong'en Nathanael Counsel Plaintiff Lok Vi Ming Counsel Defendant Mohammad Haireez bin Mohameed Jufferie Counsel Defendant Ow Jiang Meng Benjamin Counsel Defendant Ravi Dharini Counsel Plaintiff Toh Kian Sing Counsel Plaintiff Zhuang Wenxiong Counsel Defendant

Parties (3)

Koch Refining International Pte Ltd Defendant Koch Shipping Pte Ltd Defendant UBS Switzerland AG Plaintiff

Case Significance

[2025] SGHCR 34 is a High Court Registrar decision dated 1 October 2025 concerning Civil Procedure, specifically addressing stay of proceedings. The judgment was delivered by Gerome Goh Teng Jun. The case was brought by UBS Switzerland AG (plaintiff) against Koch Refining International Pte Ltd and others (defendant). Legal representation was provided by Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP and LVM Law Chambers LLC. The judgment cites 23 cases (22 Singapore, 1 foreign) and references 1 statutory provision, namely the Foreign Limitation Periods Act.

Summary

UBS Switzerland sued Koch Shipping and Koch Refining in Singapore for wrongful conversion of cargo and inducement of breach of contract. The Koch entities applied for a stay on forum non conveniens grounds arguing Switzerland was the more appropriate forum. The court granted the stay, finding Switzerland was clearly the more appropriate forum given that the key contracts, the warehouse where the cargo was stored, and the governing law were all connected to Switzerland.

What was decided in [2025] SGHCR 34?

[2025] SGHCR 34 (UBS SWITZERLAND AG v KOCH SHIPPING PTE LTD & Anor) is a High Court Registrar decision from 1 October 2025 addressing Civil Procedure, specifically stay of proceedings. The judgment was delivered by Gerome Goh Teng Jun.

Who were the parties in UBS SWITZERLAND AG v KOCH SHIPPING PTE LTD & Anor?

The plaintiff in [2025] SGHCR 34 was UBS Switzerland AG, and the defendant was Koch Refining International Pte Ltd, Koch Shipping Pte Ltd. Legal representation included Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP and LVM Law Chambers LLC. The case was decided on 1 October 2025 in the High Court Registrar.

Which judge decided [2025] SGHCR 34?

[2025] SGHCR 34 was delivered by Gerome Goh Teng Jun in the High Court Registrar on 1 October 2025. The case concerned Civil Procedure.

What cases and statutes does [2025] SGHCR 34 cite?

[2025] SGHCR 34 cites 23 prior decisions, including 1 from foreign jurisdictions. It references Foreign Limitation Periods Act.

Statutes Cited

Foreign Limitation Periods Act

Cases Cited (23)

SG (6)
[2013] SGHCR 6 [2015] SGHC 330 [2015] SGHCF 10 [2022] SGHC 299 [2022] SGHCR 8 [2023] SGHCR 12
SLR (16)
[1992] 2 SLR(R) 345 [2007] 1 SLR(R) 377 [2008] 4 SLR(R) 543 [2009] 4 SLR(R) 1101 [2010] 3 SLR 1007 [2011] 1 SLR 391 [2011] 4 SLR 503 [2012] 2 SLR 289 [2015] 2 SLR 1020 [2017] 1 SLR 907 [2017] 2 SLR 265 [2017] 2 SLR 814 [2018] 2 SLR 655 [2019] 2 SLR 372 [2020] 2 SLR 638 [2024] 3 SLR 476
UK (1)
[1987] AC 460

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.

Read on eLitigation

Source: eLitigation ([2025] SGHCR 34)