We represent vessel owners, managers, and financiers in high-stakes dry shipping disputes, including charterparty disputes, cargo claims, off-hire and demurrage disputes, unsafe port claims, and ship sale and purchase conflicts. These matters often arise under time charters, voyage charters, COAs, or bareboat arrangements, and involve non-payment of hire, early termination, delay, breakdowns, and cargo damage.
.svg)
We act in disputes arising from the movement, handling, and commercial use of containers, both as part of cargo carriage and standalone logistics arrangements. Our work includes acting for vessel owners, freight forwarders, and container lessors in demurrage claims, misdelivery of containerised cargo, and disputes over equipment detention or damage.
We regularly act in disputes involving title registration, beneficial ownership, and economic control of vessels—particularly in bareboat charter structures and private equity-backed shipping ventures. These matters often involve conflicts over who holds real authority over the vessel, who receives hire, and whether use aligns with the parties’ commercial agreements. We also act where disagreements arise over operational control, especially under ship management agreements that sit between financiers, owners, and technical managers. In these cases, issues of mismanagement, conflicting instructions, and performance failure often trigger wider liability or strategic leverage concerns.
Charterparty disputes form the backbone of our dry shipping practice. These include non-payment of hire, off-hire claims, and disputes over early termination or repudiation under time and voyage charters. Many of these matters require interpretation of bespoke clauses, force majeure events, or technical issues such as engine breakdowns or performance failures. We are well-versed in managing these disputes through arbitration, particularly under LMAA terms, and coordinating parallel claims against insurers or sub-charterers where necessary.
Managing Partner
