Opinion ID: 552797
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Nathaniel's Claims

Text: 62 Nathaniel appeals the district's court's refusal to award damages for (i) garbage disposal costs, (ii) the costs of Nathaniel's local agent, and (iii) lost profits. Such findings of fact by the district court are not to be overturned unless found to be clearly erroneous. 39 63 1. Where's the Garbage? --Nathaniel's first claim is straightforward: Nathaniel points out that the district court found that it was entitled to recover for garbage disposal fees in the amount of $19.50 per diem, but failed to include this amount in its actual calculation of damages. G.E. does not dispute this point as a factual matter. Our review of the district court's otherwise careful opinion reveals that Nathaniel is correct. Because this is essentially a clerical error that is manifest on the face of the district court's opinion, we need not remand the matter to the lower court; instead, we find merely that this would properly be a part of Nathaniel's damages, if otherwise allowable. 64 2. Who's the Agent Here? --Second, Nathaniel challenges the district court's finding that the SERENA did not need the services of both Hong Kong Shipping Agencies, its Hong Kong manager, and Biehl & Co., its local agent, arguing that both were erroneously classified as the SERENA's agents. However, the district court's opinion showed that it was aware of the different roles played by the two entities: in its opinion, it noted that Biehl was paid an agency fee, while Hong Kong Shipping received a daily management fee. Nathaniel offers no other evidence sufficient to show that the district court erred in finding that Biehl's costs were not recoverable, and its judgment on this issue is affirmed. 65 3. Where Did the Profits Go? --Third, Nathaniel claims that the district court erred in its calculation of Nathaniel's claim for loss of use of the ship for 56 days by failing to include the average daily earnings of the vessel. The basis of Nathaniel's contention is that the court was misled by the inaccurate testimony of G.E.'s expert witness on damages, who calculated damages according to a time charter method by deducting the expenses incurred on the deadend empty return voyage from Rotterdam to New Orleans. Nathaniel, phrasing it in more likely terms of a voyage chartered method, in which automatically such costs are excluded from profits; however, it claims that, if the former method is used, it must also be entitled to add these costs to its total detention costs, and so reach the same amount of lost profits as calculated under its own method. 66 Because we detect faulty reasoning by the expert for G.E. on which the trial judge seemed to rely, we hold the Court's findings are well within the Plimsoll line of F.R.Civ.P. 52(a) as clearly erroneous. This is shown by Exhibit P-13, which on its face reflects earnings and expenses for the full round voyage from New Orleans to Rotterdam to New Orleans. For that full voyage of 46 days (steaming 32 days, in port 14 days) the earnings were precisely $1,377.86 per day, as claimed. 67 The fact that the vessel returned empty on the return to New Orleans, was not, as asserted by the G.E. expert, ignored or concealed. So, on the face of things Nathaniel supports its claim to the dollar. Consequently, we think it unnecessary that the case be remanded for the District Court, to reconsider the detention claim since our conclusion is fully supported by the principles set out at length in Delta S.S. Lines, Inc. v. Avondale Shipyards, Inc. 40 68