The Law of Shipbuilding Contracts

This is the leading text on shipbuilding and marine construction, already widely used on a global basis by shipowners, shipbuilders and their commercial and legal advisers.

It is now ten years since the last edition and much has changed in the world of shipbuilding since then, particularly in the period since 2008 which has seen numerous attempts by owners to renegotiate the prices and/or delivery dates of tonnage and an enormous increase in the level of “vessel rejection” and cancellation disputes.

The Law of Shipbuilding Contracts examines the principles of English contract law as these apply to shipbuilding. This edition comments in detail upon the Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan Form but now contrasts this with the NEWBUILDCON from BIMCO in 2007 and the China Maritime Arbitration Commission Forms from 2011 where these are significantly different. It also includes sections dealing with agreements ancillary to the shipbuilding contract and conversion contracts.

Overview of book:

• Since the last edition in 2002, China has become a major global exporter of newbuildings and new BIMCO shipbuilding contract form has been published.
  
• Although retaining the original format of commentary on the Japanese (SAJ) standard form shipbuilding contract, the new edition contrasts this with the BIMCO form and the recently published China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC) form in order to provide a broad ranging analysis of this complex subject.
  
• The book details the principles of English contract law as these apply to international shipbuilding.
  
• It will, as in the previous editions, also include sections dealing with the guarantees and other agreements which support the shipbuilding contract and with ship conversion contracts

Essential reading for:

- Purchasers and charterers of newbuilding tonnage
- Shipbuilders and offshore construction yards
- Lawyers and insurers working in the maritime and offshore oil and gas sectors
- Banks and other finance providers

Simon Curtis is a Senior Partner at CDG, a law firm specialising in maritime legal services with a particular focus on the shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas sectors. Prior to this he was a partner at Watson, Farley & Williams between 1986-1996 before becoming a founding partner of CDG in 1996.

Simon is the leading expert under English law on marine construction. He has received several nominations as a leading expert in his field, including being cited as an expert in each edition of "The World’s Leading Shipping and Maritime Lawyers" since 1998 and as one of the "top five" maritime lawyers in the UK in the "Guide to the Best of the Best". Simon is a recommended lawyer in the Projects, Energy & Natural Resources - Oil & Gas and the Transport – Shipping sections of the 2012 UK edition of The Legal 500, and is also on their elite list of "Leading Lawyers" - a guide to outstanding lawyers in the UK.

Simon lectures regularly on a range of shipbuilding and offshore issues, including contracts for the construction and employment of FPSOs and FSPOs. He is also an elected fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.