The ‘experienced‘ team at Allen & Gledhill LLP has extensive knowledge of both local and international maritime landscapes. The leadership trio comprises Kenny Yap, whose broad portfolio spans both contentious and advisory shipping work; seasoned litigator Yin Soon Yap, who regularly handles cases spanning collisions, casualties, salvage and oil pollution, bills of lading, lease agreements, sale and purchase agreements, and charterparties; and transactional expert Yin Chuin Soh, who advises on loan and lease financings, sustainable financings, asset sales, debt restructuring and enforcement. On the non-contentious side, Jonathan Choo is another key contact, while Corina Song further shores up the disputes offering. Consultants Vivian Ang and Gina Lee-Wan continue to provide valuable support. In team news, Dorcas Seah made partner in January 2025.

The wide-ranging practice at Rajah & Tann Asia ‘stands out for its combination of technical excellence, commercial acumen, and its client-first approach‘. The group’s significant disputes strength is spearheaded by team co-lead Leong Kah Wah and Toh Kian Sing SC, who have extensive experience in both shipping litigation and arbitration; collisions and casualties, alleged fraud cases, shipping insolvencies, and the environmental impact of maritime disputes all make up part of the regular workload.  Also acting as co-lead is Nathanael Lin, who handles contentious work, and has been instructed with increasing regularity by banks, traders, oil terminals and underwriters to advise on sanctions. Other recommended practitioners include Kendall Tan and Jainil Bhandari.

The Dentons Rodyk team is lauded for being ‘skilled in the interpretation and application of maritime international conventions in the context of complicated legal problems‘. At the senior partner level, the trio of key names comprises disputes expert Lawrence Teh, who comes highly recommended for his ‘ability to apply exceptional strategic solutions to complex shipping legal problems‘; Jen Wei Loh, who is likewise noted for his contentious capabilities; and Janice Ngeow, who focuses on the gamut of finance issues affecting the maritime industry, as well as advising on related corporate law matters.

Helmsman LLC‘s shipping group focuses on litigious work, ranging from charterparty and bill of lading cases, to marine casualties and joint venture disputes. The core team is supported by the firm’s corporate, banking and finance practice group for non-contentious work, such as ship sale and purchase, as well as ship finance work. The ‘sharp, witty and commercial‘ Maureen Poh heads up the offering, with a practice which straddles both contentious and advisory matters. Ian Teo and Chen Zhida, both of whom have significant litigation and arbitration capabilities, round out the roster of recommended practitioners.

Joseph Tan Jude Benny LLP's team provides a full range of services, encompassing registration, mortgages, sale and purchase of vessels, advisory and disputes work. Apart from court proceedings, the group is also active in domestic and international arbitrations for maritime matters. The team is spearheaded by John Sze, working closely with Rafizah Gaffoor; both are noted for their disputes expertise, which ranges from advising on the arrest and release of vessels, collisions and the constitution of limitation funds, and personal injury claims, to handling cargo, charterparty and shipbuilding claims. Regular clients include P&I clubs, H&M underwriters, shipowners, charterers, shipyards, brokers, ship agents, and major players in the oil and gas industry.

Oon & Bazul LLP's team receives instruction from an international clientele comprising major shipowners, shipping lines, operators, underwriters, P&I clubs, shipyards and builders, energy and power generation companies, oil majors, commodities houses and banks. In addition to having broad disputes expertise, the team is also particularly renowned for its strength in the highly specialised area of mis-delivery claims. Practice head Prakaash Silvam, who specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration with a focus on international commodity trade, marine insurance and dry shipping work, is lauded for his ‘strong technical knowledge‘. Other core team members include Bazul Ashhab and Yu Hang Tan.

The team at Virtus Law LLP is well-placed to handle the gamut of both financial and litigious matters pertinent to the shipping industry; Daryll Ng leads on the disputes side, while Colin Jarraw heads up the ship finance side of the practice. The firm receives instructions from existing finance clients, as well as from wider firm clients in the shipping and offshore sector and the sponsor-backed market. Jason Yang has considerable experience advising on complex financing and sale and leaseback transactions, and is another key contact.

Ming Law Asia LLC is a boutique firm focused on maritime and trade commercial dispute resolution, which was founded in July 2025 by Kelly Yap, formerly the head of litigation at Oon & Bazul LLP. The nine-strong legal team has already garnered instruction from clients including shipowners, charterers, marine insurers and commodities trading houses to represent them in a breadth of court proceedings, arbitrations and mediations.

Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC‘s offering combines the firms’ dispute resolution and corporate practices, with a long track-record specifically serving the shipping sector. Specific areas of proficiency include, inter alia, shipping and admiralty marine insurance, and offshore oil and gas matters. Litigation group lead Wendy Tan is a key senior contact, who is also regularly retained as counsel in international arbitrations seated in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, and London. At the associate level, Kelley Wong and Terry Xu are the names to note.

The team at Resource Law LLC offers comprehensive shipping services, spanning litigation both dry and wet, ship finance, and advisory services. On the disputes side, collisions, malfunctions such as engine failures or fires, and vessel detentions, are all key areas of strength. Experienced litigator Bernard Yee is the key senior name to note, with Adrian Aw also adding further dispute resolution strength to the practice. Commodity trading houses, oil majors, shipowners, P&I clubs, and hull underwriters all form part of the core client base.

The team at LVM Law Chambers LLC ‘combines a pragmatic attitude with a high standard of legal work'. In addition to its well-established dry shipping disputes practice, the group has recently been receiving increasing instruction in cases relating to marine insurance and wet shipping matters. The firm also continues to enjoy a particularly strong presence in the Indian market, with many of its clients based there. Overseeing the work are ‘lawyers of the highest calibre' Mohd Haireez and Jonathan Muk.

At PDLegal LLC, the focus is strongly on casualty, shipping and trade litigation work, with an increasing specialism in related arbitrations. Group managing partner Peter Doraisamy oversees the work, lending strength in the gamut of dispute resolution matters.

WongPartnership LLP fields a team of ‘fantastic litigators’ who are well-placed to handle the gamut of trade, shipbuilding and other maritime disputes. The group also regularly advises trading houses, commodities traders, ship owners, cargo owners, charterers, underwriters, banks and shipyards on capital markets fundraisings, restructuring matters, and transactions. Swee Yen Koh is a key senior contact on the disputes side, while Kai Yun Tan is the name to note for shipping insolvency work.