Eerste aanleg - enkelvoudig van Rechtbank Arnhem, 12 de Octubre de 2011

• Spreker: gepubliceerd
• Datum uitspraak: 12 de Octubre de 2011
• Uitgevende instantie: Rechtbank Arnhem

Vonnis

RECHTBANK ARNHEM

Sector civiel recht

zaaknummer / rolnummer: 215317 / HA ZA 11-680

Vonnis in incident van 12 oktober 2011

in de zaak van

de besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid

RAVESTEIN B.V.,

gevestigd te Deest, gemeente Druten,

eiseres in de hoofdzaak,

verweerster in het incident,

advocaat mr. A.C.M. Verhoeven te Rotterdam,

tegen

de rechtspersoon naar het recht van Ierland

L&M KEATING LTD.,

gevestigd te Shyan, Kilmihill, Co. Clare,

gedaagde in de hoofdzaak,

eiseres in het incident,

advocaat mr. O.G. Trojan te ‘s-Gravenhage.

Partijen zullen hierna Ravestein en L&M Keating genoemd worden.

1. De procedure

   1.1. Het verloop van de procedure blijkt uit:

   - de dagvaarding

   - de incidentele conclusie tot onbevoegdverklaring

   - de incidentele conclusie van antwoord

   - het pleidooi gehouden op 20 september 2011.

   1.2. Ten slotte is vonnis bepaald in het incident.

2. De feiten in het incident

   2.1. L&M Keating is een Iers constructiebedrijf, gespecialiseerd in maritieme projecten.

   2.2. Ravestein houdt zich bezig met scheepsbouw en constructiebouw ten behoeve van de maritieme sector. Zij bouwt onder andere pontons, steigerconstructies en hefplatforms.

   2.3. In 2008 is L&M Keating in opdracht van het Ierse ministerie van landbouw, visserij en voedsel begonnen met de ontwikkeling van een ferry terminal in Rossaveel te Ierland.

   2.4. L&M Keating heeft Ravestein ingeschakeld om als onderaannemer ten behoeve van dit project drie pontons te bouwen en te leveren. Partijen hebben op 21 augustus 2008 ter zake hiervan een overeenkomst gesloten (hierna: de overeenkomst). Ravestein wordt in de overeenkomst aangeduid als ‘the Sellers’ en L&M Keating wordt aangeduid als ‘the Buyers’. De prijs voor de te leveren pontons is vastgesteld op EUR 4.242.000,-- exclusief VAT.

   2.5. In artikel 3 van de overeenkomst is - voor zover thans relevant - het volgende opgenomen:

   ‘The Sellers shall deliver the Goods to the Buyers on terms issued by the Metaalunie and referred to as METAALUNIE CONDITIONS (…). The METAALUNIE CONDITIONS are an integral part of this contract (Appendix B of the present Contract) (…).’

   2.6. Het artikel somt vervolgens een aantal bepalingen op uit de ‘Metaalunie conditions’ (hierna: de Metaalunievoorwaarden) die niet van toepassing zijn.

   2.7. In artikel 13 van de overeenkomst, getiteld ‘Disputes’, is het volgende opgenomen:

   ‘13(a) Notice to Refer

   (1) If a dispute arises between the parties in connection with or arising out of the Sub-Contract, either party may, by notice to the other, refer the dispute for arbitration by serving on the other a Notice to Refer. The Notice to Refer shall state the issues in dispute. The service of the Notice to Refer will be deemed to be the commencement of arbitration proceedings. Either party may within a period of 21 days of the Notice to Refer give notice to the other of further disputes and, if such notice is given, those further disputes will be deemed to be included in the reference to arbitration.

   (2) If the notice to Refer is served by the Sub-Contractor, and the Contractor is of the view that the issues in dispute relate in whole or in part to a dispute between the Contractor and the Employer, provided the Contractor so indicates by notice to the Sub-Contractor in writing within 21 days of service of the Notice to Refer, the dispute, as between the Contractor and the Sub-Contractor in respect of those issues will be dealt with under sub-clause 13(d) hereof.

   (3) Except to the extent that the disputes which are the subject matter of the Notice to Refer have been the subject of notice served by the Contractor under the preceding sub-clause 13 (a)(2) hereof, no step will be taken in the arbitration after the notice to Refer has been served until the disputes have first been referred to mediation and, if mediation does not resolve the dispute, then to conciliation.

   13(b) Mediation

   (1) Either party may activate the mediation process by giving written notice to the other party seeking the appointment of a mediator at any time after the expiry of 21 days from service of the Notice to Refer.

   (…)

   13(c) Conciliation

   (1) If the mediation is concluded without the dispute(s) having been resolved, either party may activate the conciliation process by giving written notice to the other party seeking the appointment of a conciliator.

   (…)

   (4) If a party fails to comply with the conciliator’s recommendation which is

   binding, the other party may take such court proceedings as are appropriate to force compliance with the conciliators recommendation without availing further of the conciliation or arbitration process.

   13(d) Joint Disputes

   Any disputes the subject matter of the Contractor’s notice under sub-clause

   13(a)(2), hereof will be dealt with jointly with the dispute under the Main Contract on the following basis:-

   (…)

   (vi) the Contractor and the Sub-Contractor will be bound by the outcome of any such binding conciliation or arbitration between the Employer and Contractor in so far as it relates to diputes connected with the Sub-Contract.

   13(e) If the mediation and conciliation processes are concluded without the dispute(s) having been...