By Raphaël MORENON
26 July 2025
The arrest of a vessel is a spectacular measure and a powerful lever for a creditor seeking to recover his debt. However, detaining the vessel is only the first step. A fundamental question arises immediately afterwards: which court will have jurisdiction to judge the merits of the dispute, i.e. to rule on the existence and amount of the claim itself? For a long time, French law accepted a pragmatic solution known as forum arresti, which gave jurisdiction to the court in the place where the debt was seized. This apparently simple rule has been the subject of a major reversal in case law, placing France in a unique position on the international scene. Understanding this development is essential for any creditor or shipowner faced with the legal and historical framework of ship seizures in France. Given the complexity of these rules, it is essential to be assisted by a lawyer specialising in ship seizures...
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