Commodities

Our team of commodities lawyers reflects the needs of today’s global trading industry and includes experts in all areas of international trade. We have extensive experience of the full commodities cycle from raw material to end use and offer a comprehensive range of advisory, transactional and contentious services to clients across the supply chain.
  • Profile
  • Experience
  • Key contacts

Our commodities team advise on issues relating to the full range of physical and financial commodities classes - particularly coal, metal ores and minerals, oil and gas (including LNG), renewable energy and soft commodities.

Our clients include mining groups, international oil and gas companies, trading houses, banks, power and utility companies, industrial groups and manufacturers, insurance companies, funds and private equity houses.

We have extensive experience in complex cross-jurisdictional disputes and our lawyers have represented clients in arbitrations under all the major international rules (ICC, LMAA, LCIA, UNCITRAL, SIAC, CIETAC and HIAC), as well as before commodity trade tribunals (including LME, GAFTA and FOSFA).

We can help you with:

  • long term supply and off-take agreements
  • spot and master trading agreements
  • standard form contracts (including SCoTA and EFET annexes)
  • futures and derivatives (including ISDA and FFAs)
  • bills of lading, charterparties and COAs
  • cargo loss and damage
  • storage and warehousing
  • ports and logistics contracts
  • inventory and “repo” financing
  • documentary credits and standby letters of credit
  • regulation and compliance
  • corporate and tax
  • fraud and asset recovery
  • sanctions advice.

"An excellent understanding of, and wealth of experience in, the coal and metals trading markets."
The Legal 500 UK 2022

Mercuria vs Citibank – commodity “repo” dispute

Acting for Mercuria in their successful defence of a headline-making US$270 million claim, relating to “repo” deals affected by a major metals warehousing fraud in China.

Mining – LCIA arbitrations

Acting for one of the world's largest copper mines in a dispute with a contractor.

Off-shore oil and gas

Acting for one of the world's largest oil companies in disputes with drilling and other offshore contractors.

London Metal Exchange (LME)

Advising Traderight on investments by joint venture signatories, in order to secure membership of the London Metal Exchange (LME).

Metal Concentrates – LCIA arbitrations

Advising mining group in a series of quality and other disputes with a major trading company relating to the supply of copper, lead and zinc concentrates.

Coal - price review arbitration

Advising a major power company in a dispute with an international mining group regarding the pricing and price review mechanism under a long term supply agreement.

Oil and gas terminal/storage related advice

Advising on establishing a shipping fuel storage facility. This was an on and offshore port facility in East Africa, in partnership with the host government on behalf of a significant player in the commodities industry.

LNG supply agreement

Advising a major power and utility group on 20-year LNG supply contract.

Biomass – precedent supply and freight contracts

Drafting suite of precedent supply contracts, charterparties and contracts of affreightment for a major UK energy company.

Dairy Products - “repo” agreement

Advising a major Australian bank on a “repo” transaction for powdered milk stored in European warehouses.

Sulphuric acid – quality dispute

Advising a major zinc producer in a quality dispute with one of the world’s largest fertiliser traders over a series of contracts for the sale of sulphuric acid.

Cocoa beans – "repo" Agreement

Advising a major Australian bank on a “repo” transaction for cocoa beans stored in European warehouses and Ghanaian warehouses.

Oil and gas – Sale contract chain dispute

Advising and managing complex multi-party High Court disputes relating to the delivery of off-spec product.

Soybean dispute

Advising a major Swiss soft commodities trading company in a GAFTA dispute with a German soybean trader related to unpaid fees.

FOSFA arbitration

Advised a Mozambique-based food production company in a FOSFA arbitration in Durban, South Africa, against a leading Indian flour trading company. The claim was for US$5 million.

Lawyer

Rovine Chandrasekera Partner

T:  +44 20 7809 2629
M:  Email Rovine | Vcard Office:  Dubai, London

Lawyer

Philip Prowse Partner

T:  +44 20 7809 2800
M:  Email Philip | Vcard Office:  London

Lawyer

Andrew Rigden Green Partner

T:  +852 2533 2761
M:  +852 6013 2520 Email Andrew | Vcard Office:  Hong Kong

Lawyer

Michelle Yong Partner

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

Lawyer

Haris Zografakis Partner

T:  +44 20 7809 2144
M:  Email Haris | Vcard Office:  London

Latest news & insights

31 May 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Quadra Commodities SA v XL Insurance Company SE & Ors [2023] EWCH Civ 432

On 21 April 2023 the Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in Quadra Commodities SA v XL Insurance Company SE & Ors [2023] EWCA Civ 432

More

09 May 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Smit Salvage B.V. and ors v Luster Maritime S.A. and ors [2023] EWHC 697 (Admlty)

The High Court has found, following trial of a preliminary issue, that an exchange of emails between shipowners and a salvor did not result in a contract for salvage s..

More

03 May 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Challenge under s. 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996

Commercial Court refuses to set aside the award where the Tribunal found it did not have jurisdiction

More

25 Apr 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Deductions from hire

Did hire remain payable, in the absence of owners' agreement, when vessel was allegedly off hire at the instalment date?

More

04 Apr 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Mediation

The use of mediation as a tool in the disputes arsenal is increasingly prevalent. Whether it is in settling a matter without proceeding to trial/hearing, or in finessi..

More

28 Mar 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Pan Ocean Co Ltd v Daelim Corporation (DL LILAC) [2023] EWHC 391 (Comm)

An award has been remitted back to the original tribunal in a case concerning an appeal under s.69 of the Arbitration Act 1996 on a point of law.

More

16 Mar 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Glencore Energy UK Limited v NIS J.S.C. Novi Sad [2023] EWHC 370 (Comm)

On 23 February the High Court handed down its judgment in Glencore Energy UK Limited v NIS J.S.C Novi Sad [2023] EWHC 370 (Comm).

More

08 Mar 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Biodiversity – What is it and could it become the new global commodity?

Commodity trading is driven by demand for the commodity in question. Typically, such demand relates to physical consumption, however, the boom in many new commodity cl..

More

24 Jan 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Sharp v Viterra – Court of Appeal clarifies measure of damages under GAFTA Default Clause

On 11 January 2023 the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Sharp Corp Limited v Viterra B.V., finding that the words “actual or estimated value of the goods, on th..

More

10 Jan 2023

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: ED&F Man Capital Markets Ltd v Come Harvest Holdings Ltd & Ors

Happy New Year and welcome back to Commodities in Focus Weekly. In our first issue for 2023, we highlight the Court of Appeal ("CA") judgment handed down on 21 Decembe..

More

20 Dec 2022

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Vitol S.A. v JE Energy Ltd. – meaning of laycan in FOB sale contracts and useful reminder on repudiatory breach

On 7 October 2022 the English Commercial Court handed down a judgment in Vitol S.A. v JE Energy Ltd [2022] EWHC 2494 (Comm), where the Court revisited the meaning of l..

More

13 Dec 2022

From Insights

Commodities in Focus Weekly: Aiteo Eastern E&P Company Ltd v Shell Western Supply and Trading Ltd [2022] EWHC 2912 (Comm) (17 November 2022)

The Commercial Court dismissed Aiteo's challenges, brought under s.67 Arbitration Act 1996, of two partial awards, in respect of jurisdiction and consolidation, which ..

More

06 Dec 2022

From Insights

CIF Weekly: Shanghai Xinan Screenwall Building & Decoration Co. Ltd. [2022] SGHC 58

How the Singapore courts have dealt with unclear arbitration agreements naming a non-existent arbitral institution

More

15 Nov 2022

From Insights

CIF Weekly: Optimares S.p.A v Qatar Airways Group Q.C.S.C.

Clear drafting means right to terminate for convenience unfettered by existence of other contractual termination rights or duty of good faith

More

print-footer
logo
© Stephenson Harwood LLP 2016. Any reference to Stephenson Harwood in this document means Stephenson Harwood LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a partner is used to refer to a member of Stephenson Harwood LLP.