Detention certificate for imported goods issued to support a claim for waiver or reduction of demurrage charges.

A detention certificate may be issued where imported goods remained detained and the certificate is needed to support a claim for waiver or reduction of demurrage charges. The Court treated the request as limited to recording the detention and release of the goods for use before the shipping agency or cargo custodian, without creating liability against the respondents. As the objection that such certificates were not ordinarily issued was not adequately established on the material before it, the Court directed issuance of the certificate within the stipulated time for the restricted purpose of seeking demurrage relief.

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Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to a detention certificate for the period during which the imported goods remained detained, so as to enable a claim for waiver or reduction of demurrage charges.

Analysis: The dispute was confined to the prayer for a certificate recording the detention and subsequent release of the goods. The Court noted that the certificate was sought only for use before the shipping agency or cargo custodian and not to fasten any liability on the respondents. It also observed that the respondents' objection that no such certificate was ordinarily issued was not sufficiently established on the material placed before the Court. In the limited factual setting, and having regard to the petitioner's need to support a claim for demurrage relief, the Court found it appropriate to direct issuance of a certificate referring to the relevant detention and release events.

Conclusion: The petitioner was entitled to the certificate, and the first respondent was directed to issue it within the stipulated time, for the limited purpose of seeking waiver or reduction of demurrage charges.

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