In a long-awaited decision, the English High Court has found that a Shipowner’s decision to refuse their Charterers' orders to load a cargo, on the basis that doing so would expose them to sanctions, was not a decision that a reasonable shipowner could reasonably have come to.

The Electronic Trade Documents Act, which came into force in September 2023, enables a “trade document” in electronic form to be used in the same way as its paper equivalent provided that certain criteria are met.

The right to limit liability for claims is a cornerstone and unique feature of maritime law. Limitation issues are a particularly important consideration in the aftermath of large scale casualties as the ability to limit liability may significantly reduce the financial exposure for a party and its insurers.

In the shipping and offshore industry, guarantees are frequently given as security for a legal promise for performance of a separate or primary contract. However, as guarantees are themselves a form of security, do they also contain an implied term that security cannot be sought for breaches of their provisions? That question was recently answered by the High Court in CVLC Three Carrier Corp v Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company [2021] EWHC 551 (Comm).

The English Court of Appeal has in a recent judgment (Hamida Begum v Maran (UK) Limited [2021] EWCA Civ 326) upheld the High Court’s decision to decline to strike out a claim against a UK ship manager for the death of a shipyard worker in Bangladesh following a demolition sale.

Dispute Resolution

English Law

Maritime and Offshore Emergency Response

Shipping

Shipping Offshore

Senior Associate

Matthew has experience in all aspects of dispute resolution in the shipping and offshore industries, and handles both "wet" and "dry" shipping disputes. He has acted for clients in English Admiralty Court and Commercial Court proceedings, LMAA arbitrations, Mediations and Early Neutral Evaluation.

Matthew has spent time on secondment to a leading member of the International Group of P&I Clubs, and a leading Singaporean based shipping company.

Matthew is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales.

Singapore

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Matthew has experience in all aspects of dispute resolution in the shipping and offshore industries, and handles both "wet" and "dry" shipping disputes.

Matthew Alker

Claims Executive (Seconded Trainee Solicitor)