Contact details

Nikki Chu

T: +44 20 7809 2631 M: +44 7739 188268 Email Nikki | Vcard Office: London

Awards

Winner - The i-law Maritime Law Award

Winner - The i-law Maritime Law Award

Nikki Chu Senior associate

Contact details

Nikki Chu

Nikki Chu
Senior associate

T: +44 20 7809 2631 M: +44 7739 188268 Email Nikki | Vcard Office: London

Nikki is a senior associate in the marine and international trade department and specialises in shipping litigation. She adopts a practical and commercial approach to ensure that disputes are resolved in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
  • Profile
  • Services

Nikki is an experienced dispute resolution lawyer and has extensive experience in dealing with all types of dry shipping matters, including charterparty, bill of lading, cargo, ship management and shipbuilding disputes. She has acted for clients in English High Court proceedings, mediations and arbitrations conducted under the LMAA and SIAC rules. Nikki has acted for a diverse range of clients including shipowners, charterers, traders, cargo interests and their insurers. Nikki has a particular expertise in dealing with cargo claims including containerised, bulk, oil and gas cargoes involving complex technical issues.

Nikki has completed a year on secondment with an International Group P&I Club in London, where she gained invaluable commercial insight into the resolution of shipping disputes. As the initial point of contact, she provided advice on an urgent and real-time basis to Members and handled a broad range of FD&D and P&I matters.

Prior to joining the firm in 2014, Nikki worked as a shipping litigation associate at a leading shipping law firm in London. Nikki is qualified in England and Wales.

  • Marine and international trade
  • Shipping litigation
  • Container ship fires and stack collapses: Acting for owners, charterers and P&I insurers in relation to the dry shipping aspects of casualties, including handling containerised cargo claims, advising on contractual liabilities and complex technical issues.
  • Nikki has handled a variety of demurrage and off-hire disputes for Owners, Charterers and their P&I insurers arising out of a range of issues, including hi-jacking, collision and main engine breakdown of vessels.
  • Advised carrier in relation to contractual liabilities arising out of the carriage of LPG cargoes.
  • Advised on claims arising out of the technical management of the vessel.
  • Advised on the issues arising out of the insolvency of the OW Bunkers Group.

More: Marine and international trade

Termination issues

Advised clients on termination issues including:

  • High-value dispute relation to the termination of newbuild vessels including advice on the underlying shipbuilding contract and liquidated damages.
  • LMAA arbitration arising from the termination of a Charterparty after the vessel failed a PSC inspection.

Cargo claims

Nikki is experienced in dealing with cargo claims (including containerised, oil and gas, dangerous and bulk cargoes) and time bar issues.  Highlights include:

  • Acted for a Global Commodities Trader in Court proceedings in a FO380 contamination claim. Advised on measure of loss and recoverability of damages.
  • Advised cargo interests in Court Proceedings in relation to off-specification butadiene claims.

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding disputes under the LMAA and SIAC Rules involving highly technical issues relating to complex deficiencies and the construction of vessels.

More: Shipping litigation

Awards

Winner - The i-law Maritime Law Award

Winner - The i-law Maritime Law Award

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