Norwegian bulker owner Spar Shipping has created a legal first in China (PRC) in its long-running charter claim against Grand China Logistics (GCL).

For a number of years, Spar has made efforts to collect $25.3m following a series of judgments in the UK.

The owner terminated three long-term charters to a GCL subsidiary on the grounds that the charterer had persistently failed to pay hire in advance.