Maritime Conventions Act 1911

8 Limitation of actions. U.K.

No action shall be maintainable to enforce any claim or lien against a vessel or her owners in respect of any damage or loss to another vessel, her cargo or freight, or any property on board her, or damages for loss of life or personal injuries suffered by any person on board her, caused by the fault of the former vessel, whether such vessel be wholly or partly in fault, or in respect of any salvage services, unless proceedings therein are commenced within two years from the date when the damage or loss or injury was caused or the salvage services were rendered, and an action shall not be maintainable under this Act to enforce any contribution in respect of an overpaid proportion of any damages for loss of life or personal injuries unless proceedings therein are commenced within one year from the date of payment:

Provided that any court having jurisdiction to deal with an action to which this section relates may, in accordance with the rules of court, extend any such period, to such extent and on such conditions as it thinks fit, and shall, if satisfied that there has not during such period been any reasonable opportunity of arresting the defendant vessel within the jurisdiction of the court, or within the territorial waters of the country to which the plaintiff’s ship belongs or in which the plaintiff resides or has his principal place of business, extend any such period to any extent sufficient to give such reasonable opportunity.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 8 extended by S.I. 1979/305, arts. 7, 9

C2 S. 8 modified by Limitation (Enemies and War Prisoners) Act 1945 (c. 16), s. 1; extended by Crown Proceedings Act 1947 (c. 44), s. 30

C3 Ss. 1–3, 8, 9(4) extended by S.I. 1986/1305, art. 7