Orient Ins. v. Flota Mercante Del Estado

CHRISTENBERRY, Chief Judge.

This is a libel against Flota Mercante del Estado, a department of the government of Argentina, which operates the merchant fleet of the Republic of Argentina. The libel is brought by Orient Insurance Company, a subrogee of the rights of Sidney-Ross Company, Inc., shipper of certain barrels of acetyl salicylic acid. The damage is alleged to have been sustained as a result of the breakage and wetting of some of the barrels.

Jurisdiction was obtained by service on the manager of the local office of Flota Mercante del Estado. As originally brought, the libel was also in…