MUR Shipping v RTI: Force Majeure, Sanctions and Payment Currency

Q: What is MUR Shipping v RTI about?

The case concerns whether a buyer could rely on force majeure when sanctions affected payment in the contract currency and the seller offered payment in an alternative currency.

Q: Why does this case matter for contract drafting?

It shows how force majeure, sanctions compliance and reasonable endeavours clauses interact when performance may be possible through non-contractual alternatives.

Q: Can students use the ContractBot simulator for this case?

Yes. The Academy simulator includes a MUR Shipping preset to explore force majeure, sanctions and payment currency risk in classroom exercises.

A landmark force majeure dispute on whether a party must accept alternative performance — including payment in a non-contractual currency — when sanctions disrupt the agreed payment route.

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What the case is about

MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd arose in a commodities context where sanctions affected the buyer's ability to pay in US dollars as the contract required. The seller argued force majeure or frustration; the buyer contended that payment in euros offered a workable alternative. The Supreme Court analysed whether a reasonable endeavours obligation required acceptance of non-contractual performance.

Why it matters for contract drafting

Cross-border contracts increasingly combine sanctions clauses, currency choice, banking routes and force majeure. Drafters cannot treat these as boilerplate. This case teaches that "reasonable endeavours" may require parties to consider alternative performance — but not every alternative, and not at any price.

Legal issue

Can a party rely on force majeure when performance may be possible through alternative payment arrangements, and does a reasonable endeavours clause require acceptance of non-contractual performance?

Contract clause focus

Force majeure definition and causation
Sanctions compliance and illegality
Payment currency and banking channels
Reasonable endeavours / mitigation
Notice and cooperation obligations

Student discussion question

Should a reasonable endeavours clause require acceptance of payment in euros when the contract specifies US dollars and sanctions affect dollar clearing? What commercial and legal factors would you weigh as counsel?

How the ContractBot simulator analyses this risk

The Academy simulator preset for MUR Shipping lets students adjust force majeure wording, sanctions triggers and payment currency clauses, then compare risk signals for buyer and seller positions. It is a frontend teaching tool — not legal advice — designed for classroom debate before reading the judgment outcome.

FAQ

What is MUR Shipping v RTI about?

Force majeure and reasonable endeavours when sanctions affect contract-currency payment and alternative currency is offered.

Why does this case matter for contract drafting?

It links sanctions, currency, force majeure and mitigation in one commercial dispute — common in cross-border trade.

Can students use the ContractBot simulator for this case?

Yes — open the MUR Shipping simulator preset.

Educational content only. ContractBot Academy does not provide legal advice. Case summaries support teaching and simulation.