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 Managing associate

Contact details

Nikki Chu

Nikki Chu
Managing associate

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

Nikki is a managing associate in the marine and international trade department specialising in the resolution of shipping disputes. She is an experienced litigator and adopts a practical and commercial approach to ensure that disputes are resolved in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
  • Profile
  • Services

Nikki deals with all types of dry shipping matters, including charterparty, bill of lading, cargo and shipbuilding disputes. Nikki regularly acts for shipowners, charterers, traders, cargo interests and their insurers.

She has been instructed on various disputes including unsafe berth, bunker and cargo disputes. She regularly deals with the dry shipping aspects of major maritime casualties, including vessel fires and stack collapses. Nikki has a particular expertise in dealing with cargo claims including gas, oil, containerised and bulk cargoes involving complex technical issues. Her expertise extends to commercial disputes including injunctive relief and breach of contract.

Nikki has completed a year on secondment with an International Group P&I Club in London, where she gained invaluable commercial insight on a broad range of FD&D and P&I matters.

Nikki is the current Chief Editor of Well Heeled, Stephenson Harwood's bulletin for clients engaged in LNG and gas transportation, trading and offshore production. She presents on LNG chartering issues, as well as marine and international trade topics.

She is passionate about improving diversity within the legal industry and is a Professional Ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors and is a Charity Trustee for the firm's scholarship scheme. Nikki is qualified in England and Wales and is based in London.

"Highly resourceful and able shipping lawyer, with an acute commercial awareness of the shipping industry. Nikki has provided an outstanding legal advice and has argued our cases brilliantly and powerfully in a number of dry cases, where we have instructed her to act for us, leading to a beneficial settlement."
Captain Georgi Yorgakiev (General Manager), "K" Line Bulk Shipping (UK) Ltd.

  • 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

Latest news & insights

15 Mar 2022

From Insights

LNG chartering – amendments to period time charterparties for a single voyage?

The LNG industry has been changing in the past decades and there has been a shift from chartering LNG carriers on a long-term basis to a short- or mid-term basis.

More

19 Jan 2022

From Insights

Liability for general average and incorporation of charterparty war risks terms in bills of lading (Herculito Maritime Ltd v Gunvor—The ‘M/V POLAR’)

Partner Richard Hugg and senior associate Nikki Chu have written a case analysis on the recent Court of Appeal decision in Herculito Maritime Ltd v Gunvor — The ‘M/V P..

More

22 Oct 2021

From Insights

Well Heeled - Edition 6 2021

Welcome to the sixth edition of Well Heeled, Stephenson Harwood's bulletin for clients engaged in LNG and gas transportation, trading and offshore production.

More

14 Oct 2021

From Insights

Demurrage time bar—completion of discharge and applicable time zone (Euronav NV v Repsol Trading SA)

Nikki Chu has written a case analysis on Euronav NV v. Repsol Trading SA concerning demurrage time bars [2021] EWHC 2565 (Comm). This article was first published by Le..

More

07 Jan 2021

From Insights

Well Heeled - Edition 5 2020

Welcome to the fifth edition of Well Heeled, Stephenson Harwood's bulletin for clients engaged in LNG and gas transportation, trading and offshore production.

More

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