Recovery Vehicle 1 v Industries Chimiques: Service Out of Jurisdiction & Forum Conveniens

1. Case Overview

2. Parties and Outcomes

3. Judges

4. Counsels

4. Facts

1. RV1, a Singapore company, was assigned debts owed by ICS to Affert Resources Pte Ltd.
2. Affert, also a Singapore company, engaged in manufacturing, trading, and chartering businesses.
3. ICS is a Senegal-incorporated company involved in producing and exporting phosphate fertilizer products.
4. The dispute arose from six unpaid contracts between Affert and ICS for the purchase of sulphur.
5. ICS claimed Affert waived the debt as part of an acquisition of Senfer's stake in ICS by Indorama.
6. RV1 argued the waiver was a sham and lacked consideration.
7. ICS commenced proceedings in Senegal, obtaining a default judgment based on the waiver defense.

5. Formal Citations

1. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal and another appeal and another matter, , [2020] SGCA 107
2. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, Civil Appeal No 31 of 2020, Civil Appeal No 31 of 2020
3. Industries Chimiques Du Senegal v Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd, Civil Appeal No 32 of 2020, Civil Appeal No 32 of 2020
4. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, Summons No 84 of 2020, Summons No 84 of 2020
5. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, Suit No 724 of 2018, Suit No 724 of 2018
6. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, Registrar’s Appeal No 179 of 2019, Registrar’s Appeal No 179 of 2019
7. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, Summons No 86 of 2020, Summons No 86 of 2020
8. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd v Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, , [2019] SGHC 289
9. Recovery Vehicle 1 Pte Ltd, Summons No 4699 of 2018, Summons No 4699 of 2018
10. Industries Chimiques Du Senegal, Summons No 383 of 2019, Summons No 383 of 2019
11. The Liquidators, Originating Summons No 544 of 2019, Originating Summons No 544 of 2019
12. Solvadis, Companies Winding Up No 17 of 2017, Companies Winding Up No 17 of 2017
13. Transfert FZCO v Affert Resources Pte Ltd, Suit No 1072 of 2014, Suit No 1072 of 2014

6. Timeline

7. Legal Issues

1. Service Out of Jurisdiction
   • Outcome: The court found that RV1 failed to satisfy the jurisdictional requirement under O 11 r 1(e).
   • Category: Procedural
   • Sub-Issues:
     • Failure to comply with duty of full and frank disclosure
     • Satisfaction of jurisdictional gateway
2. Forum Non Conveniens
   • Outcome: The court found that Senegal was the forum conveniens to try the dispute.
   • Category: Procedural
   • Sub-Issues:
     • Availability of alternative forum
     • Connection to Singapore
3. Governing Law of Contract
   • Outcome: The court found that the Sulphur Contracts were governed by Senegalese law.
   • Category: Substantive
   • Sub-Issues:
     • Express choice of law
     • Inferred intention of parties
     • Closest and most real connection
4. Limitation Period
   • Outcome: The court found that RV1's claim was time-barred under Senegalese law and that the undue hardship exception did not apply.
   • Category: Substantive
   • Sub-Issues:
     • Applicable limitation period under Senegalese law
     • Exceptions to limitation period
     • Undue hardship

8. Remedies Sought

1. Repayment of sums due under the Sulphur Contracts

9. Cause of Actions

• Breach of Contract

10. Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation

11. Industries

• Commodities Trading
• Fertilizer Production

12. Cited Cases

13. Applicable Rules

14. Applicable Statutes

15. Key Terms and Keywords

17. Areas of Law

16. Subjects

• Contract Law
• Civil Procedure
• Conflict of Laws