Helmsman is best known for its shipping and commodities work, but it has recently expanded to cover commercial disputes as well. The firm has offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, and the combined teams house more than 20 specialist fee earners. The litigation and arbitration groups cover shipping, trade and commodities, corporate and finance, restructuring and insolvency, energy projects, fraud and recovery, company law, employment law and general dispute resolution. The team works with commodity traders, banks and charterers in high-value, cross-border disputes across the globe. It also has substantial experience in the mid and downstream liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, particularly in LNG shipping and chartering and LNG trade disputes. To support the firm’s foray into general disputes, one partner and five litigation associates were hired in the past year across the two offices.
Key members of the firm include commodities and shipping experts Ian Teo, Chong Jun Tang and Maureen Poh, as well as corporate disputes specialists Lynette Koh and Una Khng. Khng joined late last year from the Singapore Supreme Court, where she was a district judge and registrar.
The team is acting for a Singapore company in respect of claims against a listed Chinese company, two Hong Kong companies and a Chinese national. The dispute surrounds alleged forged invoices issued by the Hong Kong company to the Chinese company. It is additionally serving as co-counsel for United Overseas Bank in a claim for about $43 million against Maersk for misdelivery of oil cargo without presentation of bills of lading. The case involves several complex issues of law related to bills of lading.
In a seminal matter that will no doubt help shape shipping and insolvency laws, Trafigura has instructed the team in a dispute that arose out of the Hin Leong insolvency. The dispute revolved around a circular trade of two cargoes of petroleum products which were sold by Hin Leong to the client, and then from the client to Winson Oil Trading (WOT), and by WOT back to Hin Leong. The sale of goods dispute between seller and buyer raises novel issues of shipping, sale of goods, trade finance and insolvency law. The interpleader proceedings also raise novel issues of civil procedure, sale of goods, trade finance and personal property law.
The firm counts Nora, Polaris Shipping, SK Shipping, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Wilmar International as notable clients.
Client feedback
“Responsive and practical.” – Commercial and transactions
“Cost-efficient.” – Trade and customs
Ian Teo
“Very commercial-minded, all-round thinker.”
Matthew Teo
“Practical and personable, with a firm grip of the law and its application.”
