UK Bar
Practice Areas
Vasanti Selvaratnam KC is a senior Silk practising as Counsel and International Arbitrator within 36 Stone and was joint head of Chambers of The 36 Group until stepping down in 2023.
Her practice embraces all aspects of international commercial litigation and arbitration, including shipping (wet, dry and shipbuilding), commodities, banking and finance, conflict of law and jurisdiction disputes, all forms of interim urgent relief, including freezing orders and anti-suit injunctions, and civil fraud. She is particularly noted for her user friendly hands-on approach to cases and for her ability quickly to get to grips with disputes raising complex factual and technical issues which require a sound grasp of expert evidence and mastery of detail.
She was shortlisted as Shipping Silk of the year 2025 at the Chambers UK Bar Awards and also by Legal 500 in the same category
Professional Memberships
ICC Member
COMBAR
Chancery Bar Association
LCLBA
BMLA
LMAA supporting member
LCIA
SIAC Panel arbitrator
SCMA Panel arbitrator
HKIAC Panel arbitrator
BICAM Panel Arbitrator
IBA
London Shipping Law Centre (Head of education sub-committee)
European Circuit
Bar European Group
Law Society European Group
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
ICC’s Banking and Finance committee
ICCA
Personal
Her expertise was acknowledged again when she was announced as the highest ranked member of the UK Bar to feature in ‘All About Shipping’s Top 100 women in shipping for 2019’; a list of remarkable women who have substantially contributed to the international maritime industry over the years.
Industry Sector Expertise
As Counsel
Clients include the major P&I clubs, shipowners, charterers and salvors as well as large commercial organisations involved in commercial court litigation or international commercial arbitration in non-shipping matters, including financial sector and pharmaceutical disputes
Recent notable cases include; The Alexandra 1 (2021), the leading case in the Supreme Court on the scope of the Crossing Rule in the International Collision Regulations; Rubicon Vantage v KrisEnergy [2019] EWHC 2012 (Comm), the first reported case to consider a hybrid guarantee which is part "on demand" and part "see to it" and the role of the Marubeni principle in relation to construction of the scope of the "on demand" portion of the guarantee; Emirates Trading Agency LLC v PMEPL [2014] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 457, regarding friendly discussions clause a condition precedent to right to commence arbitration; she appeared in the Supreme Court Court in 2024 in RTI v MUR, now the leading case on the meaning of reasonable endeavours in a force majeure clause in the context of sanctions against Russia and currency of payment.
As Arbitrator:
Vasanti Selvaratnam KC has significant experience of dispute resolution in both a judicial and quasi-judicial capacity. She was appointed a Recorder in 1999, is an accredited mediator, and receives regular appointments to act as an arbitrator across a wide range of industry sectors, including but not limited to shipping and international trade disputes.
She accepts appointments under all the major industry rules, including LCIA, ICC, LMAA, LOF, SCMA, SIAC, HKIAC and UNCITRAL and has particular expertise in cases raising complex technical issues as well as novel or difficult points on assessment of damages.
Recent arbitrations include:
Chair of an LCIA Panel relation to disputes under contract relating to the sale of crude oil. Chair of an ICC Panel relating to contractual disputes governed by Iraq law concerning removal of unexploded materials at Basrah port. Sole arbitrator in an UNCITRAL governed dispute relating to disputes under a guarantee (appointed by the LCIA). Co-arbitrator in an ICC India law governed and seated matter in the pharmaceutical sector. Numerous LOF appointments by Lloyds Salvage Arbitration Branch, including an ongoing matter which involves the largest LOF fund since records began. Numerous LMAA party appointments, including by well know oil and commodity traders.
Work Highlights
As Counsel
Supreme Court (permission to appeal granted) RTI Ltd v MUR Shipping BV, an important case on the meaning of reasonable endeavours in a force majeure clause in the context of sanctions against Russia and currency of payment.
The Alexandra 1 (2021), the leading case in the Supreme Court on the scope of the Crossing Rule in the International Collision Regulations
Pending appeal to the Court of Appeal in FMG SYDNEY (2023) in first appellate case to consider the Head-On Rule (COLREGS Rule 14) and its relationship to the crossing rule (COLREGS Rule 15)
Rubicon Vantage v KrisEnergy [2019] EWHC 2012 (Comm), the first reported case to consider a hybrid guarantee which is part “on demand” and part “see to it” and the role of the Marubeni principle in relation to construction of the scope of the “on demand” portion of the guarantee
As Arbitrator
Chair of an ICC Panel relating to contractual disputes governed by Iraq law concerning removal of unexploded materials at Basrah port.
Chair of an LMAA Tribunal in a shipbuilding dispute
Chair of an LCIA Panel in a commodities dispute
Numerous LOF appointments by Lloyds Salvage Arbitration Branch, including an ongoing matter which involves the largest LOF fund since records began.
