Mariner fails again to establish personal jurisdiction

In an unpublished decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that plaintiff mooring master failed to prove the court had personal jurisdiction over a foreign ship management company. In the instant case, plaintiff asserted that he was injured while transferring from one ship to another on the high seas off Galveston when the crane that was carrying him failed, dropping him into waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The ship management company is incorporated in Switzerland and headquartered in Bermuda. It has no offices or business operations in Pennsylvania, where this suit was filed. This suit is one of at least five filed in various U.S. courts by this plaintiff involving this incident. All have failed due to lack of personal jurisdiction. One has to admire his pluck, if nothing else. Saudi v. Acomarit Maritime Services, S.A., No. 03-1609 (3rd Cir. - HK Law)