2025 Question 3 — LawShortcut Independent Model Answer
Ship Collision · Possessory Interests · Relational Economic Loss
Scenario summary
Mr A owns a cargo ship which he hires out to others on a bare-boat basis. Under that arrangement the person hiring the vessel bears the cost of repairs while it is at sea, though Mr A remains the owner.
In the summer of 2022, Mr B took the ship on hire in order to carry containers holding vintage cars worth €2 million. A second cargo ship, commanded by Mr C, negligently collided with the vessel Mr B had hired. The containers and the cars sank, and Mr A's ship needed €250,000 of repairs, a cost for which Mr B is contractually liable under the hire.
Advise Mr B on his tort causes of action and on quantum.
This is a LawShortcut scenario summary written in our own words. For the exact examined wording, use the official King’s Inns paper linked above.
What this model answer covers
Issues and structure addressed in the full LawShortcut model answer:
- 1. Negligence of Mr C
- 2. Pure and Relational Economic Loss
- 3. The €250,000 Ship Repair Liability
- 4. The €2 Million Vintage Cars
- 5. Concurrent Fault
Read the complete LawShortcut model answer to this question — reading the question, issue spotting, the applicable law, application to the facts and conclusions — inside the King’s Inns Tort Model Answer Vault.
Part of the King’s Inns Tort Model Answer Vault — 30 independently authored model answers, 2020—2025.