Landmark Supreme Court Victory for Gold Bond Group in Maritime Transportation
In a pivotal ruling, the Israeli Supreme Court sided with logistics and transportation firm Gold Bond Group Ltd. in a case that redefines the application of the Hague Rules’ statute of limitations in maritime law.
The dispute originated from a claim by Orda Print, alleging cargo damage to a printing press shipped from Japan. Gold Bond, in turn, issued a third-party notice to Danish shipping giant Maersk, asserting shared liability. Maersk argued that the one-year limitation under the Hague Rules barred the claim.
Both the District Court and Supreme Court rejected Maersk’s position, clarifying that the one-year limit applies only to parties directly bound by the bill of lading or their legal equivalents—not to third-party defendants. The ruling establishes a crucial legal precedent, shielding external parties from overly restrictive time bars in maritime disputes.
Shibolet represented Gold Bond, with legal arguments led by Joseph Benkel, Nir Shamri, and Aviv Sheizaf.
