Aleksandar Georgiev is a partner of the firm’s Shipping & International Trade practice group and Brunei Business Unit, qualified to handle both Singapore and English law matters.
He specialises in resolving disputes and contentious matters, with a focus on both “wet” and “dry” shipping, international trade, marine insurance, commodity, energy, offshore, shipbuilding, and related disputes.
Aleksandar regularly appears before the Singapore Courts and in arbitrations (both ad hoc and institutional) under the SIAC, SCMA, LCIA, LMAA, ICC, and other arbitration rules. He also has experience acting for clients in arbitrations administered by specialised trade bodies such as GAFTA and PORAM, and managing litigation in other jurisdictions. In addition, he is accredited as a maritime arbitrator by SIArb and SCMA.
Before commencing practice, Aleksandar graduated with distinction from the Singapore Management University, where he was placed on the Dean’s List. He has participated in various international moot competitions, representing Singapore at the prestigious Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C. (where he helped the Singapore Management University team reach the world finals for the first time) and winning a Best Speaker Award at the Essex Court Chambers – Singapore Academy of Law International Mooting Competition.
He has taught at the Singapore Management University as an adjunct faculty member, was a member of the Practice Advisory Panel of the Singapore Management University School of Law, and continues to coach the University’s maritime moot teams.
EXPERIENCE
“Dry” Shipping, Trade & Transport
- Acting for a large offshore and projects company in a LMAA arbitration concerning claims under a towage contract and a related ship arrest in Singapore.
- Acting for a Vietnamese shipowner in a SCMA arbitration concerning claims for unpaid hire.
- Acting for crew and other parties in relation to wage claims, crew abandonment, repatriation expenses, and MLC obligations.
- Advising an international carrier in relation to demurrage, storage charges, and port dues for thousands of abandoned containers.
- Acting for P&I Clubs and shipowners in investigations of various crew incidents and potential liability arising from accidents.
- Advising a cargo owner in relation to claims against a carrier arising from an incident of piracy.
- Advising bunker suppliers on liability for the supply of off-specification marine fuels.
- Advising a shipowner on the legality of ransom payments and the recovery of General Average contributions for ransom paid to pirates in a hostage incident.
- Acting for a shipowner in a substantial dispute concerning vessel redelivery and unpaid charter hire claims, involving multiple international entities and cross-border insolvency.
- Advising P&I Clubs and shipowners in relation to claims for compensation by crew members.
- Advising a registry on enforcement options against a fleet of vessels for non-compliance with registry requirements and payment of dues.
“Wet” Shipping, Collisions, Pollution & Other Casualties
- Acting for indigenous claimants from the Federated States of Micronesia in a representative action for a multimillion-dollar claim arising from a vessel grounding incident which caused extensive damage to coral reef (The ‘Sevilla Knutsen’ [2022] 4 SLR 1423).
- Acting for a P&I Club and shipowner in relation to multiple proceedings arising from an undersea cable cutting incident leading to claims of more than $30 million against the shipowner.
- Acting for a large international liner operator in relation to multimillion-dollar claims arising from two oil spill incidents at Tanjung Pelepas, which collectively affected more than 50 of the operator’s vessels.
- Advising cargo owners in relation to a General Average incident following an explosion on board an oil tanker in a suspected case of sabotage in the Gulf of Oman.
- Acting for P&I Clubs, H&M underwriters, and shipowners in connection with various collisions and other casualty incidents in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and other jurisdictions.
- Acting for and advising P&I Clubs and shipowners on jurisdictional issues relating to the commencement of limitation proceedings and setting up limitation funds following incidents in disputed territorial waters and foreign jurisdictions.
- Advising a P&I Club on limitation of liability and cargo claims worth more than US$10 million following an explosion which caused the total loss of a tanker and all cargo on board.
Energy, Offshore & Shipbuilding
- Acting for a major offshore equipment supplier in a long-running arbitration concerning equipment supply disputes and subsequent award enforcement proceedings (National Oilwell Varco Norway AS v Keppel FELS Ltd [2022] 2 SLR 115).
- Acting for an offshore company and obtaining an injunction to restrain the commencement of winding up proceedings on the basis of a disputed debt that was subject to an arbitration agreement (BDG v BDH [2016] 5 SLR 977).
- Acting for a multinational group in an ICC arbitration concerning an oil concession and exploration dispute with a Vietnamese state-owned company.
- Acting for an Indonesian EPCI company and power plant operator in relation to a SIAC arbitration with a marine equipment supplier concerning claims for defective equipment and warranty breaches.
- Acting for an oil major in a claim against two offshore construction companies for damage caused to subsea pipelines.
- Advising a shipyard on regulatory response and investigations into workplace incidents involving ship repair/conversion projects and investigations by regulatory authorities.
- Acting for a multinational offshore company in disputes worth more than US$50 million concerning oil rig construction contracts.
- Advising oil majors and refineries on incident response and compliance with workplace safety and health issues concerning oil spills, gas leaks, and other related incidents.
Marine Insurance, Commodities & Commercial
- Acting for a Singapore insurer in a claim before the Singapore International Commercial Court for constructive total loss and sue & labour expenses relating to damage caused to a single point mooring buoy located in an offshore gas field in Myanmar (PT Adidaya Energy Mandiri v MS First Capital Insurance Ltd [2022] 4 SLR 371).
- Acting for an oil trader to obtain an injunction restraining the commencement of winding up proceedings based on disputed claims worth more than US$30 million that were subject to an arbitration agreement (BWG v BWF [2020] 1 SLR 1296).
- Acting for an oil trader in a London arbitration concerning disputes worth more than US$30 million relating to a financing arrangement disguised as a crude oil sale and purchase transaction.
- Acting for a trader in a consolidated SIAC arbitration concerning quality disputes and price adjustment claims in an iron ore sale.
- Acting for a commodity trader in a SIAC arbitration with a power plant operator concerning coal quality disputes.
- Acting for a major multinational company in a dispute worth more than US$140 million concerning the enforcement and setting aside of an arbitral award.
- Advising a national oil company on force majeure and frustration of oil trading contracts following an explosion at a refinery.
- Acting for a Singapore insurer in a substantial retrocession dispute with a Malaysian reinsurer, involving proceedings in multiple foreign jurisdictions arising from severe flooding incidents in Thailand.
- Advising a H&M underwriter on policy coverage following the capsize and sinking of a vessel due to unascertained causes.
- Acting for an insurer in relation to a dispute with warranty surveyors arising from the total loss of a vessel.
- Acting for a trader to resist the enforcement of an adverse arbitral award pending the determination of foreign setting aside proceedings.
- Acting for a listed company in a dispute relating to breaches of a profit warranty in a share sale and purchase agreement.
- Advising bunker traders on Singapore bunker supplier licence requirements.
MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS
- Member, Singapore Academy of Law
- Member, Law Society of Singapore
- Member, Law Society of England and Wales
- SIArb-SCMA Accredited Maritime Arbitrator
PUBLICATION
- Contributor, Maritime Arbitration Report (Singapore Chapter), Jus Mundi (2022)
