Shipping litigation

Stephenson Harwood has one of the world's leading shipping practices. We offer comprehensive, specialist advice on resolving a wide range of disputes in the shipping industry. All our lawyers take special pride in working hard to give you clear, commercial and reliable advice.
  • Profile
  • Experience
  • Key contacts
Our team has the specialist experience to understand your business needs and the capacity to handle all areas of shipping litigation work.  Whatever the type of vessel, cargo or commodity, we will protect your interests and work with you to provide the solution you require.

From our offices in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and Seoul we frequently act in high profile disputes involving complex legal and commercial problems.  We often have to advise on cross-border and jurisdictional disputes which has resulted in a considerable pool of experience relating to the majority of important maritime jurisdictions.

We service clients throughout the world, and our multinational team includes specialist lawyers fluent in many languages.

We can help you with:

  • arbitration and mediation
  • bills of lading
  • bunker disputes
  • cargo loss and damage
  • casualties
  • charterparties
  • CMR
  • competition law
  • contracts of affreightment
  • e-commerce and electronic bills of lading
  • fires and explosions
  • general average disputes
  • insurance
  • international trade and commodities
  • maritime fraud investigation and litigation
  • oil and gas, chemical products
  • P&I and defence work
  • personal injury
  • port agency and terminal contracts
  • ship sale and purchase disputes
  • unsafe port and berth disputes
  • vessel sharing, slot charter and pooling agreements.

Praised as 'utterly committed to the cause in heavyweight commercial litigation' 

The Legal 500 UK 2021

Fiona Trust litigation

Fiona Trust - advising the successful parties against claims totalling US$1 billion in respect of alleged bribery in the Fiona Trust litigation.

LNG cargoes

Advising on potential claims relating to surrender of bills of lading for LNG cargoes and LOU for discharge of LNG.

Purchase dispute

Representing ship owners in a successful defence of a claim before the English court relating to the purchase of two VLCCs for conversion into production facilities.

New build dispute

Assisting shipyard in the successful defence of a series of claims relating to purported cancellation by ship owners due to delay.

LNG FPSO project offshore Israel

Acting for Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd in relation to various disputes concerning a LNG FPSO project offshore Israel for the realisation and export of LNG from Israel. Total project value in excess of US$10 billion.

Cargo damage

Advising owners following damage to a cargo of steel coils, including claims of fraudulent bills of lading, deviation and loss of profits.

Safe loading and carriage of goods

Acting for owner in a dispute relating to the safety of a concentrates cargo and permitted loading configurations for the vessel.

Detention of the vessel

Advising underwriters on a claim for constructive total loss following the detention of the vessel in Kuwait pending provision of security by owners. We arranged for a team in Kuwait to liaise with the local authorities, which led to the expedited release of the vessel.

Unsafe port claim

Advising in relation to a grounding in the Orinoco river leading to a US$20 million unsafe port claim with arbitration proceedings in London and New York.
Lawyer

Rovine Chandrasekera Partner

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

Lawyer

Michael Kim Seoul office managing partner

T:  + 82 2 6138 4888
M:  + 82 10 2005 1690 Email Michael | Vcard Office:  Seoul

Lawyer

Daryll Ng Singapore office managing partner

T:  +65 6835 8656
M:  Email Daryll | Vcard Office:  Singapore

Lawyer

Andrew Rigden Green Partner

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

Latest news & insights

01 Apr 2021

From News

Dry shipping specialist Kirsty MacHardy joins Stephenson Harwood as partner

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has strengthened its marine and international trade practice with the addition of dry shipping specialist Kirsty MacHardy. She joins as..

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15 May 2019

From News

Stephenson Harwood secures victory for Atlantic Marine & Aviation LLP

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has advised Atlantic Marine & Aviation LLP (Atlantic) in its successful claim against Boskalis Offshore Marine Contracting BV (Boskalis..

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© 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.