Expert witnesses for
LMAA maritime disputes
across Charterparty
The LMAA recorded 1,845 new case references in 2023 — the highest since 2014 — making it by volume the largest arbitration body in the world. Unlike institutional forums, the LMAA does not administer cases. It sets the procedural framework under LMAA Terms 2021, and disputes proceed ad hoc before specialist maritime arbitrators in London.
Masin provides expert witnesses for the full spectrum of LMAA disputes — charterparty, cargo, shipbuilding, offshore and commodities — with depth in both technical maritime evidence and commercial damages.
Case types covered by Masin
GAR rankings: Global Arbitration Review Expert Witness Firm Rankings, based on independently verified hearing data submitted to GAR.
Voyage, time and bareboat charter disputes — the bedrock of LMAA caseload. Hire claims, off-hire disputes, laytime and demurrage, speed and consumption claims, and early redelivery disagreements. Expert evidence on shipping market practice, vessel performance and commercial usage is the decisive element in most cases.
Damage, shortage and contamination claims — disputes over the condition of goods on shipment versus discharge. LMAA cargo claims span bulk commodities, containers, oil cargoes and specialised products. Expert evidence on cargo handling standards, causation and quantum is central.
Newbuilding disputes, conversion projects and repair contract claims — often involving technical defects, delay in delivery and price adjustment disagreements. Expert evidence on naval architecture, engineering standards and construction practice is typically required from both sides.
Grain, metals, fertilisers and agricultural commodity disputes — LMAA handles a significant volume of trade disputes where shipping is the underlying commercial context. Expert evidence on market pricing, trade practice and commodity quality is the core of these cases.
Offshore construction, FPSO contracts, pipe-laying vessels and marine energy disputes. The boundary between shipping and offshore energy is blurred in many LMAA cases — expert witnesses need command of both maritime practice and the technical realities of offshore projects.
Collision liability, salvage disputes and marine incident investigations — requiring expert evidence on seamanship, navigation standards and the technical sequence of events. LMAA handles both the liability and the quantum of these cases under English law.
From instruction
to tribunal-ready
What makes this forum distinctive
The LMAA is not an institution — it is an association of specialist maritime arbitrators. Disputes proceed ad hoc under LMAA Terms 2021, with parties appointing their own arbitrators from the LMAA's 800-member roster. This means there are no institutional fees, no secretariat and no case management — the process runs entirely between the parties, their arbitrators and their legal teams.
The people behind the opinion
