Icelandic appeals court upholds dismissal of Alcoa lawsuit against Eimskip and Samskip
Iceland’s Court of Appeal has upheld the dismissal of a compensation liability lawsuit brought by Alcoa Fjarðaál against Eimskip and Samskip-related companies, marking a further development in a legal dispute involving the shipping operators.
According to an announcement issued by Eimskip on November 9, 2026, the ruling confirms an earlier decision by Reykjavík District Court to dismiss the second lawsuit filed by Alcoa Fjarðaál sf. The proceedings named Eimskipafélag Íslands hf., Eimskip Ísland ehf., Samskip hf. and Samskip Holding B.V. as defendants.
The dispute dates back to an earlier legal action that Alcoa discontinued in May 2025, when it also agreed to pay the associated litigation costs. In December 2025, Alcoa initiated a new case concerning the same underlying matter, but changed the form of its claim to seek recognition of liability for compensation without specifying a monetary amount.
Reykjavík District Court dismissed the second case in June 2026. Alcoa subsequently appealed that decision, but the Icelandic Court of Appeal has now confirmed the dismissal.
Eimskip maintains that Alcoa’s claim is without merit and that the legal requirements for establishing liability in tort have not been satisfied. The shipping company also disputes the evidentiary basis of the alleged financial loss, stating that the claimed damage has not been supported by established documentation.
These statements represent Eimskip’s position in the dispute. The latest announcement does not provide the Court of Appeal’s detailed legal reasoning or establish that the underlying allegations were adjudicated on their merits.
The decision represents a favourable procedural outcome for the defendant companies in the second lawsuit. However, Eimskip’s announcement does not specify whether any further legal remedies remain available to Alcoa.
The ruling concludes the appeal against the District Court’s dismissal, following a series of legal proceedings involving the Icelandic shipping and logistics companies.
