Contact details

Michelle Yong

T: +65 6622 9691 M: +65 9765 2936 Email Michelle | vCard Office: Singapore

Awards

Up and coming individual for Shipping: International: Litigation - Singapore

Up and coming individual for Shipping: International: Litigation - Singapore

Shipping: International: Litigation

Shipping: International: Litigation

Recommended lawyer for Shipping: Singapore

Recommended lawyer for Shipping: Singapore

Michelle Yong Partner

Contact details

Michelle Yong

Michelle Yong
Partner

T: +65 6622 9691 M: +65 9765 2936 Email Michelle | vCard Office: Singapore

Michelle is a partner at our Singapore office. Her core areas of specialisation are energy, shipping and international trade.
  • Profile
  • Services
  • Sectors

Michelle's practice encapsulates the entire lifespan of the shipping cycle – she reviews and negotiates complex ship and rig building contracts, has drafted numerous sale and purchase agreements for both buyer and seller, assists owners in reviewing financing arrangements, provides risk management and litigation advice in various charterparty, ship management and other disputes and is regularly instructed by banks or owners in the most high profile restructurings, insolvencies and enforcements in the market.

Michelle also acts for commodities traders in trade finance, bill of lading disputes and other supply problems involving force majeure and quality and quantity disputes, where her deep understanding of shipping issues has proven particularly helpful.

Michelle has represented clients in SCMA, SIAC, HKIAC, LMAA, LCIA and ICC arbitrations and mediations. Michelle is a dual qualified lawyer in Singapore and in England and Wales. She sits on the committee of the Singapore chapter of the Women's International Shipping and International Trade Association and the Women in Practice committee of the Law Society of Singapore where she is committed to doing her part to level the playing field for women in the shipping, trade and legal industries.

“Michelle Yong is an absolute stand-out partner. She is dedicated, fierce, and focuses very intently on getting the best possible outcome for her clients. She is able to zero in on the critical heart of an issue and is a formidable negotiator.”

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023

  • Shipbuilding and offshore construction
  • Marine and international trade
  • Restructuring and insolvency

Acting for the buyers under various shipbuilding contracts with Chinese shipyards. The disputes involves rescission of the contract, claims for return of installments, claims on refund guarantees, issues on delays, design responsibilities and construction milestones.

Acting for a multi-national owner in claiming rescission of a shipbuilding contract for delays in delivery, dealing with claims on refund guarantees against a Chinese shipyard.

Acting for rig owners in complex multi-million dollar disputes under with errant charterers under ICC, LMAA and ad hoc arbitration proceedings, successfully obtaining an arbitration award in excess of US$30 million.

Acting for shipyard in respect of shipbuilding dispute with an Australian governmental organisation claiming for costs of variation works, damages for the failure to take delivery of the vessel, prolongation costs and extension of time for owners' delays.

Acting for leading dry bulk shipowner SIAC arbitrations over shipbuilding contracts with a Chinese shipyard with total claims exceeding US$25 million. The dispute involved rescission of the contract, claims for return of instalments, and on refund guarantees, issues on delays, design responsibilities and construction milestones.

Advising Opus Offshore Ltd on the acquisition of the 'Songa Mercur' and 'Songa Venus', two semi-submersible drilling units totalling over US$200 million, and their existing commitments from Songa Offshore SE (Marine Money Offshore M&A deal of the year 2015).

Advising Panalpina World Transport Ltd on a claim by PSS Consultants Pte Ltd for consultancy fee pursuant to an alleged agreement worth over US$1.4 million. PSS Consultants claimed that there was an agreement by which Panalpina had agreed to pay commissions for assistance in securing a deal with Modec group of companies.

 Advising an international energy company on the issues and claims arising out of the collision between the vessel and a jetty and pipeline at a wharf in South Korea, with oil pollution, property damage and business interruption claims in excess of US$170 million

Assisting a listed offshore operator in arbitration proceedings for their claims for unpaid charter hire against an Egyptian charter, in excess of US$5 million.

Helping world's 2nd largest container leasing company with their recovery efforts of leased containers, dues and demurrage in India, Vietnam, Iran, Singapore, Malaysia and elsewhere.

Assisting in arbitration claims in respect of demurrage claims where the demurrage claims arose due to delays in loading and delivery of cargo on board the vessels. 

More: Marine and international trade

Acting on various issues arising out of the Hanjin rehabilitation proceedings in Korea and elsewhere, including acting for lenders, mortgagees, shipowners, freight forwarders and cargo owners on a multitude of issues such as enforcement of securities, transhipment and delivery of cargoes, termination of charters, settlement of bunker claims, etc.

Advising various creditors of Swiber after Swiber collapsed and applied first for winding up and then judicial management in 2016.

Advising various creditors of Swissco, including lenders and joint venture partners, since Swissco started facing signs of trouble in the declining oil & gas market.

  • Offshore
  • International trade

Advising Opus Offshore Ltd on the acquisition of the 'Songa Mercur' and 'Songa Venus', two semi-submersible drilling units totalling over US$200 million, and their existing commitments from Songa Offshore SE (Marine Money Offshore M&A deal of the year 2015). It was on Euromoney "Offshore Deal of the Year in 2014.

Assisting Posh Semco Pte Ltd in arbitration proceedings for their claims for unpaid charter hire against Efadco Petroleum Services in excess of US$5 million.

Acting for rig owners in complex multi-million dollar disputes under with errant charterers under ICC, LMAA and ad hoc arbitration proceedings. These included the repossession or early redelivery of the rigs due to the inability of the charterers to pay hire in the challenging oil and gas market. 

More: Offshore

Assisting a listed offshore operator in arbitration proceedings for their claims for unpaid charter hire against an Egyptian charter, in excess of US$5 million.

Helping world's 2nd largest container leasing company with their recovery efforts of leased containers, dues and demurrage in India, Vietnam, Iran, Singapore, Malaysia and elsewhere.

Acting for shipowners in a claim for contamination of cargo.

Awards

Up and coming individual for Shipping: International: Litigation - Singapore

Up and coming individual for Shipping: International: Litigation - Singapore

Shipping: International: Litigation

Shipping: International: Litigation

Recommended lawyer for Shipping: Singapore

Recommended lawyer for Shipping: Singapore

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