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Virtus Law successfully assisted Oldendorff in court of appeal case on conversion
Virtus Law has successfully assisted Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co KG (“Oldendorff”), one of the world’s largest dry bulk shipping companies, in its appeal in the Court of Appeal case of Valency International Pte Ltd v JSW International Tradecorp Pte Ltd and others and another appeal [2026] SGCA 1.
The case centred on a claim brought against Oldendorff for conversion, alleging that Oldendorff’s instructions to the discharge port agent to issue delivery orders wrongfully interfered with the claimant’s rights to the cargo.
In the lower court, the firm had successfully defended Oldendorff on the ground that the claimant did not have the requisite standing to sue Oldendorff for conversion. However, the trial Judge also found that Oldendorff’s act of providing instructions to the discharge port agent to issue delivery orders constituted conversion.
On appeal, the claimant challenged the trial Judge’s decision, arguing that it did have standing to sue Oldendorff for conversion, while Oldendorff filed a cross-appeal on the issue of whether its act constituted conversion. The team from Stephenson Harwood succeeded in defending against the claimant’s appeal and in Oldendorff’s cross-appeal, resulting in a victory for Oldendorff.
The case was led by Virtus Law Managing Partner Lauren Tang, supported by Virtus Law Associate Chit Yee Ooi.