Opinion ID: 693478
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 2 The case was dismissed on what was called a motion for summary judgment based on lack of jurisdiction, but more properly should be considered a motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2). The district court did not hear testimony or make findings of fact. Instead, each side submitted declarations, deposition testimony and other evidence, and the district court dismissed based on the evidence submitted. The affidavits are not in conflict. Because the quantum of proof necessary for the plaintiff, where the district court receives only written submissions such as these, is whether the plaintiff presented a prima facie showing of jurisdictional facts, we set out the facts on the assumption that the matters so set forth could be proved. Data Disc, Inc. v. Systems Tech. Assoc., Inc., 557 F.2d 1280, 1285 (9th Cir.1977); Farmers Ins. Exch. v. Portage La Prairie Mut. Ins. Co., 907 F.2d 911, 912 (9th Cir.1990). 3 Omeluk, a seaman on the ship F/V ACONA, was gravely injured when a grate on the deck for storing fishing nets gave way. It dropped like a trap door, so that he fell onto a ramp a deck below, and then overboard. The accident occurred in the Bering Sea, in international waters off Alaska. Omeluk sued his employer, Panpac Corporation, and also the Norwegian company which rebuilt the fishing vessel, Langsten Slip & Batbyggeri A/S. The suit was brought in the District Court for the Western District of Washington. Only the dismissal of his claims against Langsten is before us. 4 Langsten is a Norwegian corporation. It runs a shipyard in Tomrefjord, Norway, where it refurbished the vessel, and installed the welds on the grate which failed. Its business is repair and rebuilding of special purpose vessels, mostly on referral from brokers and others. Langsten does not advertise or solicit business in the United States, though it occasionally advertises in Fishing News in England. It does not maintain any offices, employees, property or bank accounts in the United States. Langsten is aware that some of the vessels it works on may be used in the United States, and has worked on three United States-bound vessels in the last fifteen years, including the one at issue. Almost all of the work on the vessels is done in Norway, and they are redelivered to the owners in Norway, not the United States. 5 Langsten personnel make no regular trips to the United States, though they have come four times for vessel christenings and cocktail receptions. Occasionally Langsten employees will travel to the United States on a specific repair request from an owner. One such trip was made when Langsten employees travelled to Dutch Harbor, Alaska to install a roe machine on the Acona. One year Langsten personnel attended fish expo in Washington for informational purposes, but no evidence of any sales activity was offered. 6 When Langsten agreed to refurbish the Acona, the owner was AJVS, an Alaska firm. AJVS and a broker in Norway contacted Langsten, and delivered the vessel to Norway for the work. The contract was negotiated and signed in Norway. About a year later, AJVS sold its interest in the vessel and assigned the contract to Panpac, Omeluk's employer. Panpac is a New Zealand corporation with an office in Washington. Panpac negotiated certain changes in the contract, including a change to the part of the net storage deck which failed. All the negotiations took place in Norway and Denmark, and the Panpac contract modification was signed in Copenhagen. The contract provided for delivery of the vessel in Norway. The contract provided that any disputes would be arbitrated in Norway according to Norwegian law. 7 The vessel was being prepared to fish in waters off New Zealand and Alaska. At Panpac's direction, some electronic parts for the vessel were purchased from a Washington firm. Panpac officers thought that since the electronics on a ship are the parts that require service most often, it was important to have repair services in the Pacific for a boat that would fish off Alaska and New Zealand and be home ported in Seattle. At least 90% of the electronics installation was performed in Norway, but up to 10% was performed in Seattle. Langsten also bought the fishing nets in Washington, at Panpac's request. Some time during the rebuilding process, Langsten became aware that Panpac intended to use Seattle as the home port for the vessel.