The court ruled that the municipality of Land van Cuijk does not have to pay €12.7 million in compensation claimed by the curator of a shipyard in Grave that went bankrupt in 2012. The municipality had acknowledged acting unlawfully by not allowing the company to build larger ships, and an earlier ruling had found it liable in principle for financial loss. However, the court said it had not been demonstrated that the municipality’s decision caused the shipyard to lose major orders or led to the claimed millions in damage.

The municipality, which has included Grave since a 2022 merger, said it was relieved that it would not have to use public funds for the case. The curator was ordered to pay nearly €20,000 in legal costs. Former owner Robert van Kessel said the ruling was difficult to understand, while welcoming the earlier finding that the municipality had acted unlawfully. The curator had not yet responded.