LinkedinTony, for more than 25 years, has been a premier advisor to the marine and offshore energy industry, representing many of its best-known companies.
He is described by his clients, in legal directories, as “tough and commercial”, “thorough and capable” and “a true offshore specialist”.
He regularly advises on offshore construction projects, heavy lift contracts, offshore service contracts and charterparties for the utilization of highly specialist vessels. In recent years he has been instrumental in the development of handling disputes in the offshore renewables industry. He has also advised on and conducted disputes over a wide range of shipbuilding contracts, with a particular focus on high value vessels.
Particular areas of expertise and experience include;
All forms of offshore construction projects
Offshore wind and other renewable projects
Charterparties, with a particular focus on the BIMCO offshore forms
Transportation of specialist and project cargoes
Offshore survey and related operations
Offshore drilling
FPSOs
Decommissioning of offshore assets
Shipbuilding and conversion contracts
Insurance and risk management
Investigation and pursuit of fraud claims
Over his career he has represented clients in litigation in the High Court in London and in many arbitration venues including LMAA, LCIA and ICC in London and SMA and SIAC in Singapore.
Recent Experience
- Representing the successful owners in the first reported case on SUPPLYTIME 2017, Atlantic Marine and Aviation LLP vs Boskalis Offshore. This established the basis on which an owner has the immediate right to payment of an undisputed invoice without set off. The decision has implications for payment terms in all forms of contracts on English law.
- Advising on schedule delays and cost increases on a £2.3 billion wind farm project in UK waters.
- Conducting a successful judicial review in the English High Court on behalf of an EPIC contractor against the UK government’s work permitting policy for non-EEA specialist crew constructing wind farms in UK waters.
- Acting for successful Owners following Charterers failure to pay hire of $19 million under a heavy lift charterparty.
- Representing Owners pursuing a claim in arbitration for Euro23million disputed hire due under a BIMCO charterparty form for the operation of a wind turbine construction vessel. The disputes related to alleged breaches of the vessel’s equipment specification. The dispute was resolved through extensive negotiation where Tony represented the Owners.
- Acting for Charterers in defending a claim made by Owners seeking damages of US$28million alleged to have arisen from wrongful termination of a Supplytime charterparty. The arbitration panel found in favour of Charterers and Owners claim was completely unsuccessful.
- Obtaining an arbitration award for US$19million for Owners unpaid freight arising from exercising a lien over high value cargo on board their heavy lift project vessel.
- Acting for a transportation and installation contractor following their client’s attempt to avoid payments due from instructions to suspend offshore operations.
- Acting for Owners in defeating a shipyard’s claim for US$19million alleged to have arisen from wrongful termination of a shipbuilding contract.
- Negotiating the terms for the construction of a high specification vessel designed for operation in the Brazilian market, including the development of innovative security terms utilising Brazilian insurance products.
- Representing a global fuel logistics company in enforcing its contractual indemnity against a shipowner following severe damage to their jetty in the Bahamas.
