⚓ Sector Bench · UNIONE™
Maritime & Shipping
The oldest commercial disputes in international law. UNIONE™ brings prevention to a sector that has relied on London arbitration for two centuries - and where laytime calculation remains the single most litigated issue.
BIMCO GENCON NYPE Time Charter BARECON 2017 LMAA Rules Laytime & Demurrage P&I Clubs General Average
85%
of maritime arbitrations are conducted without any institutional prevention framework in the underlying contract
USD 2.1M
average combined costs in a contested LMAA arbitration involving a major charter party dispute
LMAA
the governing rules for 70%+ of international maritime arbitrations - UNIONE™ DPC is compatible with LMAA-seated arbitration
BIMCO GENCON · Voyage charter core coverage NYPE 2015 & 1946 · Time charter full coverage BARECON 2017 · Bareboat charter complete LMAA Terms 2021 · Standard & Small Claims York-Antwerp Rules · General Average adjustment IMO Conventions · MARPOL, SOLAS, MLC 2006BIMCO GENCON · Voyage charter core coverage NYPE 2015 & 1946 · Time charter full coverage BARECON 2017 · Bareboat charter complete LMAA Terms 2021 · Standard & Small Claims York-Antwerp Rules · General Average adjustment IMO Conventions · MARPOL, SOLAS, MLC 2006
⚓ Common Dispute Types
What Maritime Fellows handle.
The UNIONE™ Maritime bench is built for practitioners with genuine sector depth - not generalists with a passing familiarity with the standard forms.
Charter Party Disputes
Voyage and time charter disputes - off-hire, speed/consumption warranties, safe port/berth, cargo claims, and redelivery condition.
Laytime & Demurrage
NOR validity, laytime commencement, demurrage accrual, and despatch. The most frequently litigated maritime dispute category.
Marine Insurance & P&I
Cargo loss, hull damage, General Average, and P&I club recovery disputes.
Shipbuilding Disputes
Delivery delay, specification non-compliance, defect liability, and refund guarantee demands.
Bunker & Environmental
Fuel quality disputes, MARPOL compliance liability, CII rating disputes, and environmental liability.
Port State & Regulatory
PSC detention challenges, ISM code compliance, and port authority liability.
Prevention First · Arbitration Last
The right instrument
for every stage.
Every UNIONE™ engagement begins with prevention. Arbitration is always the last resort. The Fellow who monitors the DPC may be the same Fellow who chairs the tribunal - bringing continuity no other institution offers.
Prevention
DPC - Charter Party Clause Integrity
Maritime DPCs focus on: NOR validity conditions, laytime commencement triggers, cargo quantity references, safe port warranty scope, off-hire trigger precision, and speed/consumption warranty methodology. A Standing Neutral at fixture provides 72-hour Trigger activation on any written dispute notice.
Clause integrity at fixture. NOR and laytime reviewed. Standing Neutral from signing.
Evaluation
Neutral Evaluation - Commercial & Technical
Independent assessment of laytime disputes, off-hire claims, speed warranty disputes, and cargo damage liability. Maritime lawyers and master mariners on the bench.
5-10 business days. Maritime lawyer or master mariner. Without-prejudice.
Expert Determination
Technical Maritime Questions
Binding determination of speed and consumption warranty disputes, cargo condition at loading vs. discharge, and General Average adjustment. Master mariners and average adjusters.
Binding under contract. 3-8 weeks. Master mariner, naval architect, or average adjuster.
LMAA-Compatible Arbitration
UNIONE™ Arbitration · Rules v3.0
LMAA-qualified arbitrators from the UNIONE™ Maritime Fellows bench. ERR before every final award - enforcement mapping across ship registry, P&I coverage, and asset jurisdictions.
LMAA-qualified Fellows. ERR covers ship registry and asset jurisdictions. Rules v3.0.
DPC in Maritime Contracts
Prevention built into the contract.
Not retrofitted after the dispute.
The DPC Standard v1.0 applies across all commercial contract types. In maritime contracts, specific checkpoints carry particular weight. Here is how the UNIONE™ framework applies in this sector.
DPC Fees - Maritime Contracts
Standard (to USD 10M): USD 2,500–5,000 + USD 1,200–2,400 p.a.
Advanced (to USD 100M): USD 8,000–18,000 + USD 4,800–9,600 p.a.
Complex (USD 100M+): From USD 25,000 - assessed individually
Advanced (to USD 100M): USD 8,000–18,000 + USD 4,800–9,600 p.a.
Complex (USD 100M+): From USD 25,000 - assessed individually
Contract Frameworks
Standards covered.
UNIONE™ Maritime Fellows hold demonstrable experience with the following standard frameworks.
BIMCO Standard Forms (GENCON, NYPE, BARECON, SUPPLYTIME)
LMAA Terms 2021 (Standard & Small Claims)
York-Antwerp Rules (General Average)
IMO Conventions (MARPOL, SOLAS, MLC 2006)
Rotterdam Rules (emerging framework)
Cape Town Convention
ERR · Enforcement Readiness Review
ERR jurisdictions - Maritime.
The UNIONE™ ERR reviews enforceability across all relevant jurisdictions before every final award. Maritime enforcement practice coverage:
ERR Coverage · Maritime
England & WalesFull enforcement - LMAA compatible
SingaporeFull enforcement
Hong KongFull enforcement
Netherlands (Rotterdam)Full enforcement
UAE (Dubai)Full enforcement
PiraeusRecognition - conditions apply
Coverage across 170+ jurisdictions. Updated quarterly by the UNIONE™ ERR team.
Who This Bench Serves
The full maritime
dispute ecosystem.
UNIONE™ provides the institutional framework and the Fellows who carry it out. The same Fellow who monitors the DPC can be appointed to the tribunal - continuity no other institution offers.
Shipowners & Operators
DPC on time and voyage charters. Standing Neutral for ongoing charter period dispute monitoring.
Charterers & Commodity Traders
DPC on voyage charters - laytime precision from the moment of fixing.
Ship Financiers & Leasing Companies
DPC on bareboat charters and sale-and-leaseback - protection across the vessel lifecycle.
P&I Clubs & Marine Underwriters
ERR before any award - enforcement across ship registry, P&I coverage, and asset jurisdictions.
Shipyards & Ship Repairers
DPC on shipbuilding contracts - delivery obligation and specification dispute prevention.
Port Authorities & Terminal Operators
Standing Neutral for port usage and terminal operating contract disputes.
Join the Maritime Bench
What the Maritime bench requires.
A four-stage review of specialism, independence, and practice alignment. Not a minimum appointment count or a relationship with a prior institution. Practitioners at all career stages are welcome.
Q
Qualification. Law, marine engineering, naval architecture, or maritime commerce qualification.
E
Experience. 7+ years in maritime disputes, charter party arbitration, shipbuilding, or marine insurance.
S
Sector Knowledge. Demonstrable experience with BIMCO forms, LMAA arbitration, or marine P&I.
S
Specialism. Expertise in at least two of: charter party disputes, General Average, shipbuilding, marine insurance.
I
Independence. Ability to maintain independence in a sector where party relationships are close and arbitrator pools are small.
All Sector Benches