Citation: 4A_240/2012 E. A

Le 16 juillet 2007, la société de droit suisse X.________ SA, dont le siège est à A.________, et la société de droit néerlandais Y.________ BV, dont le siège est à B.________, ont signé, avec la banque suisse Y.________ SA, dont le siège est à ..., et avec un tiers, un contrat intitulé " Collateral Management Agreement " (ci-après: CMA). Par ce contrat, les deux sociétés prénommées se sont vu confier le soin de contrôler la délivrance et le stockage de céréales achetées par le tiers en question en ... et dans d'autres pays au moyen de crédits alloués par la susdite banque. Le CMA contient notamment les clauses reproduites ci-après. On précisera, à ce propos, que, par suite d'une inadvertance, son art. 14.4 a été omis dans la citation insérée à la page 8 de la sentence où figure erronément, sous ce numéro, le texte de l'art. 14.5. Il sera donc procédé à la rectification nécessaire sur le vu de la photocopie du contrat versée au dossier de la cause. " 14. ARBITRATION 14.1 Save in regard to claims for payment of liquidated amounts or where application may legitimately be made to a court of competent jurisdiction in Switzerland for urgent relief, any dispute between the parties relating to: The interpretation of; or 14.1.1 The effect of; or 14.1.2 The implementation of; or 14.1.3 Any other matter arising directly or indirectly out of the agreement or the breach of any provision hereof shall be referred to arbitration. 14.2 The arbitration shall take place informally at Geneva or such other place as the parties may, in writing, agree but otherwise under the provisions of the arbitration laws then in force in Switzerland and wherever possible the arbitration shall be completed within 21 (twenty one) days after the matter has been referred to arbitration. Each of the parties shall be entitled to be represented during the arbitration. 14.3 The arbitrator shall be, when the dispute is: 14.3.1 Principally an accounting matter, a chartered accountant with at least 10 (ten) years' experience as a practicing auditor, as agreed to by the parties; 14.3.2 A legal matter or any other matter, a practicing senior barrister or a practicing solicitor with at least 15 (fifteen) years' experience, agreed upon between both parties. 14.4 If the parties cannot reach agreement within 3 (three) days after any party has declared a dispute in writing as to the category in clause 16.3 to which the matter belongs, the dispute will be dealt with in terms of clause 16.3.2 14.5 If the parties cannot agree upon an arbitrator within 5 (five) days of a dispute being declared in terms of clause 16.1, the dispute will be referred to the most senior executive officer of the professional body which represents the profession concerned, for appointment of an arbitrator. 14.6 The arbitrator shall have the power to decide on the procedure to be followed for the speedy finalization of the dispute. The arbitrator shall have the sole discretion to decide whether it is necessary to file pleadings, discover documents or to hear oral evidence. 14.7 The decision of the arbitrator, including any order as to costs, shall be binding on the parties and shall be executed by all parties as though it were an order of court. 14.8 The parties agree to keep the arbitration, including the subject matter of the arbitration and the evidence heard during the arbitration, confidential and not to disclose it to anyone except for purposes of obtaining a court order. 14.9 The parties waive any right they may have to dispute the stated location of the arbitration on the grounds that it is an inconvenient forum. " *** " 15. DOMICILIUM CITANDI ET EXECUTANDI 15.1 The parties choose as their domicilia citandi et executandi for all purposes under this agreement, whether in respect of court process, notices or other documents or communications of whatsoever nature (including exercise of any option), the following addresses: 15.1.1 - 15.1.3 [liste d'adresses pour chacune des parties au CMA] 15.2 Any notice or communication required or permitted to be given in terms of this agreement shall be valid and effective only if in writing but is [sic] shall be competent to give notice by facsimile." *** " 16. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION The validity of this agreement, its interpretation, the respective rights and obligations of the parties and all other matters arising in any way out of this agreement or its performance shall be determined in accordance with the Laws of Switzerland. The parties consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of Geneva, Switzerland for the purposes of legal proceedings in terms of clause 15.1"