Profile

Kevin is a Senior Associate based in Kennedys’ Singapore office.

Kevin specialises in commercial dispute resolution, particularly in maritime, shipping and international trade disputes. He advises on regulatory issues, ship collisions, cargo loss and damage, marine insurance policy liability issues, as well as disputes relating to the financial distress of major players in the shipping industry. Some of the matters he has handled include advising on the MARPOL 2020 Sulphur limits, detentions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as providing strategic advice on issues arising from the insolvency of Hanjin, Swiber, Ruchi Soya, and Hin Leong.

Kevin acts in Singapore admiralty proceedings and arbitrations conducted under the ICC, SIAC, LMAA and SCMA Rules.

Kevin contributes to various publications including Halsbury's Laws of Singapore on Shipping and Kluwer's Maritime Law Handbook.

Work highlights

  • Acted for a Chinese state owned entity in SIAC arbitration relating to the supply of electronic components for a power plant project where an award of more than USD 9 million was successfully obtained.
  • Acted for a Maltese state-owned company in relation to damages done by a vessel to its power cable which resulted in a nation-wide power outage and losses in excess of EUR 26 million.
  • Acted for a mortgagee in a dispute with a bunker supplier over priority to the sale proceeds of a vessel.
  • Defended the directors of the Sea Trucks group in a claim exceeding USD 37 million relating to the management of companies in the Nigerian offshore construction and accommodation industry.: Sea Trucks Offshore Ltd v RoomasJacobus Johannes and ors [2019] 3 SLR 836.
  • Acted for Vinmar in relation to a sale of goods dispute. In accepting the arguments advanced by Vinmar, the 5-judge Singapore Court of Appeal bench decided to overrule at least 4 of its previous decisions and made a restatement of the principles relating to exclusive jurisdiction clauses.: Vinmar Overseas (Singapore) Pte Ltd v PTT International Trading Pte Ltd [2018] SGCA 65.
  • Acted for a bank in its claim to recover the sale proceeds of four vessels over which the bank obtained security interest. The main contention was that the buyers of the vessels and the shipbuilders were engaged in an unlawful means conspiracy to enable the buyers to take delivery of the vessels without making payment and without the prior knowledge or consent of the bank.
  • Acted for a logistic service provider in SIAC arbitration proceedings in relation to its claim for various losses incurred as a result of delays in the multi-modal transportation of chemical reactors to Kazakhstan.
  • Acted for the owners of the vessel "DREAMSTAR" in Singapore Court proceedings arising from its collision with the vessel "MEGHNA PRINCESS" which involved various issues on the application of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972: The “Dream Star” [2017] SGHC 220.
  • Acted for the manufacturer of micro-electronic chips in its claim in excess of USD 50 million relating to the sale of chips for Indonesia’s national identity card project.: PT Sandipala Arthaputra v STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd and others [2017] SGHC 191.
  • Acted for owner of a luxury yacht in relation to a total loss that was suffered in Singapore waters: Cheong Chung Kin v David Sim & Ors [2017] SGDC 285.