Shipping: Litigation | Asia-Pacific

Reed Smith is an impressive law firm with a strong regional foothold in both shipping disputes and finance, with a presence in Singapore, Hong Kong and Mainland China and expertise beyond this in Japan, South Korea and Indonesia. It continues to be mandated on high-profile casualties, collisions and dry disputes including shipbuilding contracts and bills of lading, while its financing capabilities span secured and unsecured loans, leasing deals and debt restructuring. The firm is regularly entrusted by market-leading charterers, ship owners, P&I clubs and offshore and commodities companies. It is well placed to assist on cargo claims and claim enforcement.

Stephenson Harwood is a pre-eminent law firm for shipping finance, and especially valued in the region for its outstanding capabilities in Singapore, China and South Korea. The team expertly handles sophisticated loan facilities, sale and leaseback transactions, and restructuring matters for leading financial institutions and ship owners. It also regularly advises insurance, shipping and ship leasing companies. The firm maintains a significant contentious offering, utilising its extensive expertise and experience on shipbuilding and insolvency-related cases. It often represents clients in maritime arbitration and cross-border enforcement matters.

Allen & Gledhill has an outstanding domestic practice in Singapore with a deep bench of lawyers advising on the full range of shipping matters. The team is highly regarded for its transactional and finance work, with expertise in sales and purchases, restructurings, and lending and leasing agreements. The firm represents many domestic and international banks and non-banking creditors, as well as shipping companies and port operators. Allen & Gledhill also offers notable litigation and arbitration capabilities covering mortgage enforcements, ship arrests and charter party disputes.

Clyde & Co has a respected team for shipping law disputes, with a strong presence across the Asia-Pacific region, including established practices in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong, alongside a notable offering in the South Korean market. Also active across Mainland China, the firm regularly represents the region's leading ship owners, P&I clubs and energy companies in both wet and dry disputes. The scope of its offering spans casualties, collisions and maritime salvage, as well as cargo claims, marine pollution and insolvency mandates. It demonstrates experience in handling compliance issues in relation to vessels.

CMS fields a respected shipping litigation team that is known for its expertise in damages, ship arrests and cargo disputes. It also advises on shipping issues connected to transactions and restructurings. The firm has an established team of lawyers based in Hong Kong, acting for a range of ship owners, insurers and P&I clubs and financial leasing companies.

Rajah & Tann Singapore's pre-eminent shipping law practice is renowned for the size and strength of its litigation team. The firm covers the full range of contentious matters, including ship arrests, bunker payment claims, vessel collisions and casualty dispute cases. The team offers additional strength in ship financing as well as shipping-related restructuring, with clients benefitting from its regional network of offices in South-East Asia. The firm frequently advises international banks and commodity houses, as well as ship owners and judicial managers.