Maritime dispute resolution - a user's view
Abstract
Commercial litigation requires speed and cost effectiveness. Businessmen need to see their differences settled as quickly as possible and with the least amount of expense. The complexity of disputes in the shipping industry has meant that more time and money is being spent in running cases before the courts and even before arbitration tribunals. As an alternative to the courts arbitration tribunals have traditionally been seen as a way of getting a quick and commercial decision from professionals who also have the necessary expertise to decide on sometimes complex technical issues. Our experience of conducting litigation before arbitration tribunals has however left us wondering whether the noble objectives of arbitration – speed and cost effectiveness - still hold true today.