Statistics
Statistics and General Overview 1st Q 2025
2.2. Statistics and Overview 1st Q 2025*
In addition to the statistics for the period from the second to the fourth quarters of 2024, we are also publishing the data for the first quarter of 2025. As in previous periods, the statistics cover maritime cases related to merchant shipping.
Cases before Commercial Courts of Cassation
One interesting case, No. A56-68487/2023, addresses the scope of a carrier’s liability under a contract formed by acceptance of a public offer. The bill of lading, published on the carrier’s website, granted the carrier the right to postpone the vessel’s departure without notifying the customer. The court of cassation upheld the decisions of the lower courts and dismissed the cargo owner’s claim for compensation of container storage costs, rejecting the argument that the carrier’s actions were unlawful.
In case No. A56-31526/2023, the court of cassation considered whether Russian courts have jurisdiction to hear disputes involving contracts that contain an arbitration or jurisdiction clause. This case is another example of how Article 248.1 of the Commercial Procedure Code of the Russian Federation is being interpreted in the context of carriage of goods and freight forwarding relationships.
| District Commercial Court | Case Categories |
|---|---|
| Commercial Court of the Urals District | Total: 1 case – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea |
| Commercial Court of the Far Eastern District | Total: 3 cases – Recovery under a maritime agency agreement – Recovery under a time charter agreement – Challenge to a decision increasing the customs value of goods |
| Commercial Court of the Moscow District | Total: 4 cases – Recovery under freight-forwarding contracts (2) – Recovery under a contract for the purchase of a small-sized vessel – Recovery for damage caused to a water body |
| Commercial Court of the North-Western District | Total: 3 cases – Recovery under contracts for the carriage of goods by sea (2) – Recovery of expenses for cargo storage |
| Commercial Court of the North Caucasus District | Total: 2 cases – Recovery under a time charter agreement – Recovery under a freight forwarding contract |
| Commercial Court of the Volga District | Total: 1 case – Recovery under a time charter agreement |
| Commercial Court of the Central District | Total: 2 cases – Recovery under a bareboat charter agreement – Application of preliminary security measures |
| Commercial Court of the West Siberian District | Total: 1 case – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea |
Cases before the Commercial Courts of Appeal
During the period under analysis, the commercial courts of appeal heard 37 cases, 6 of which involved public law issues and 31 concerned private law matters. The majority of public law cases focused on challenging liability for violation of border crossing rules. In private law, most cases traditionally involved penalties under various contracts, including time and bareboat charters, as well as contracts for the carriage of goods by sea. A significant portion of the disputes also concerned recoveries under freight forwarding contracts.
| Court of Appeal (CCA) | Case Categories |
|---|---|
| 1st Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 1 case – Recovery of demurrage |
| 2nd Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 1 case – Recovery of demurrage |
| 5th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 8 cases – Recovery under a time charter agreement – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea – Preliminary security measures (arrest dismissal) – Recovery under a contract for transhipment and storage of cargo – Challenge to liability for violation of border crossing rules – Ship classification – Challenge to liability for violation of transport security requirements – Recovery for cargo storage |
| 6th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 4 cases – Recovery of demurrage – Recovery under a contract for lease of a small-sized vessel (time charter) – Recovery under a supply contract – Recovery under a freight forwarding contract |
| 9th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 6 cases – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea (3) – Recovery under a freight forwarding agreement – Recovery of demurrage – Challenge to a decision increasing the customs value of goods |
| 11th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 1 case – Recovery for delay in returning a ship |
| 12th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 2 cases – Recovery under a time charter agreement – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea |
| 13th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 5 cases – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea – Recovery under a freight forwarding contract – Correction of an error in the ship register – Recovery for the evacuation of a sick crew member from a ship – Challenge to a decision to amend a customs declaration |
| 14th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 2 cases – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea – Challenge to liability for violation of border crossing rules |
| 15th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 4 cases – Recovery under a maritime agency agreement – Recovery under a time charter agreement – Recovery of a salvage reward – Recovery of mooring costs |
| 17th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 1 case – Recovery under a contract for the carriage of goods by sea |
| 18th Commercial Court of Appeal (CCA) | Total: 1 case – Distinction between a contract of carriage of goods, charter, and leasing a vehicle |
An interesting judgment from the Sixth Commercial Court of Appeal in case No. A80-490/2023 addresses the performance of a contract for the supply of petroleum products in Arctic ice conditions. The court emphasized that ice conditions are a foreseeable phenomenon and highlighted the obligation of a professional market participant to account for the risks associated with operating in the Arctic. The court also rejected the argument that the rules governing the carriage of goods should apply to this contract. This conclusion was based on the fact that the shipowner was transporting goods to the buyer and was not restricted in the choice of transport means.
Cases in the Commercial Courts of First Instance
During this period, the commercial courts of first instance heard 74 maritime cases. Of these, the majority — 48 cases — concerned private law issues, with the most common category being disputes over recovery under contracts for the carriage of goods. A notable number of disputes also arose from ship charters and freight forwarding contracts. In public law, 26 cases were heard, with the predominant categories being illegal border crossings and challenges to administrative liability for violations of transport safety requirements.
Conclusions
Between January and March 2025, commercial courts heard a total of 128 maritime cases, 100 of which were private law cases and 28 were public law cases. The distribution of cases by category remained consistent with previous periods. The majority of private law disputes involved payment recovery under various maritime contracts. In public law, cases related to illegal border crossings continued to be the most prevalent category.